The core of this scroll is not the words of the Dao Ancestor, but the omnipresent and silently nourishing "Daoist spirit"! That pervasive Daoist spirit, which nourishes all living beings, is itself the most magnificent and authentic teaching!
This is the opportunity.
The voice of the Sage of the Qing Huan rang out at just the right time, like a clear spring flowing, pulling the Three Pure Ones back to reality from that breathtaking scene.
The illusory image of the Purple Cloud Palace slowly faded away, returning to the chaotic sea of clouds.
"Education is neither about merit, nor about virtue, nor about means."
The Sage's gaze swept over Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian, finally lingering briefly on Tongtian's eyes, which shone even brighter with awe. "Forced education, establishing doctrines and rules, proclaiming laws and spreading the Way—this is the inferior way."
Teaching that is purposeful will inevitably leave traces; when traces arise, attachments will arise; when attachments arise, a cage will be formed.
Once the thought of "I want to enlighten all beings" is taken into account, one has already fallen into a lower realm. One's mind has become biased, one's path has become stagnant, and one's actions have become attached to appearances. What essential difference is there between such "sincere" actions and those that forcibly seize and plunder, seeking protection in exchange for precious treasures?
Tongtian trembled violently, as if struck by an invisible lightning bolt! His previous understanding of "education" was active preaching, the establishment of laws, the guidance of power, and the accumulation of Merit... But the Sage had just pointed out the hidden attachment and limitations of this "active" thought!
I felt a slight heat on my face, as if my thoughts were laid bare before Sage, as laughable as Candle Dragon offering its treasure.
"However," the Qing Huan Sage's tone shifted slightly, and the Daoist aura that encompassed heaven and earth once again permeated the air.
"Education is everywhere, like the sun and moon traversing the sky, rivers flowing across the land; the four seasons proceed without words, and all things grow without anger. This is the highest level, doing nothing yet accomplishing everything."
He raised his hand again, pointing to the eternally flowing, boundless sea of clouds around him.
Amidst the churning clouds, sometimes they transformed into a qilin carrying auspicious herbs, sometimes a phoenix singing in harmony with the phoenix tree, sometimes a black tortoise carrying a map emerging from the water, and sometimes they coalesced into mortal farmers diligently tilling the land and children playing...
Countless phantoms of Primordial Wilderness beings are born, die, and evolve within the Daoist rhythm. Each form and each moment naturally contains a trace of the ultimate truth of heaven and earth, a way of survival.
A tender blade of grass, just emerging from the clouds, swayed in the wind, its veins unfurling subtly resonating with Laozi's philosophy of natural non-action; a simple village formed by clouds, where people followed the simple rhythm of working at sunrise and resting at sunset, its orderly yet vibrant scene caused the light of law and order to flicker slightly in the eyes of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
A wisp of sharp cloud, stubbornly weaving through the Chaos Qi, attempting to cleave a crack, made Tongtian sense an indomitable sharpness of the Dao.
"The Great Dao exists therein, and all things can be our teachers."
Qing Huan's voice was distant, as if it came from the end of the river of time.
" In the Primordial Wilderness world, every blade of grass and every tree, every breath, the twinkling of stars, the changing of the sea and the transformation of the land, all are manifestations of the Great Dao and are the embodiment of its teachings."
When you observe, feel, and comprehend this, your hearts are already being taught; when you do what you ought to do and act accordingly, and understand your own mind and nature, the natural flow of the Dao within your being is itself a form of instruction.
This "teaching" is not something deliberately imposed, but rather the radiance of "the Dao follows Nature," naturally reflecting and nourishing those around you because of the clarity of your heart.
He looked at Laozi and said, "The direction you seek in the Way lies in the two words 'purity and tranquility'."
Tranquility is not desolation, but a transcendence that comes from a thorough understanding of the nature of all things.
"By maintaining this tranquility, the Mysterious Female will naturally open, and the Great Dao can be expected."
Our gaze shifts to the primitive.
"When you seek laws and principles, you must understand that the laws of Heaven are not imposed chains, but the natural order of all things. Understand this order, follow its course, and the law will naturally manifest."
Finally, his gaze fell upon the agitated Tongtian, and his voice carried a strange penetrating power, reaching the deepest part of his Dao heart:
"You are ambitious and determined to seize a sliver of heavenly secrets to guide all living beings. However, the way to seize heavenly secrets lies in being natural and following the natural course of events."
The intention to educate should be like spring rain, seeping in silently with the wind, regardless of the stream or its height.
If the mind is attached to something, it will lose its true nature. We should emulate the magnificent spirit of the clouds and seas of Yingzhou, doing nothing yet accomplishing everything, and without teaching, all things find their place.
Forcing it would be like the Candle Dragon offering a pearl, only adding to the karmic Karma.
"All opportunities lie within the two words 'education'. It is not the education you impose on others, but your own existence itself, which is Dao Cultivation light of education in this Primordial Wilderness world."
When your mind is clear and bright, the Dao will naturally arise, its radiance will naturally manifest, and opportunities will naturally come.
The date for the Purple Cloud Palace is also among them.
Qing Huan ended his words there, saying no more.
Slowly closing his eyes, his figure became increasingly hazy amidst the chaotic Daoist aura, as if he had completely merged into this sea of clouds that nurtured all things, becoming one with the silently operating Great Dao itself.
The Three Pure Ones stood frozen in place. The Pure Light in Laozi's eyes flowed endlessly, and the two words "purity and tranquility" took root deep in his mind of non-action like a seed. An unprecedented sense of transcendence and open-mindedness began to sprout, and the anxiety about the chaos ahead melted away like ice and snow, leaving only a profound contemplation of the natural laws governing the universe.
The majestic aura surrounding the Primordial Heavenly Venerable Celestial Venerable unconsciously gained a touch of inclusiveness and agility. His Dao heart, which was always as cold and hard as metal and stone and emphasized absolute order, was now like spring ice melting, emitting a subtle yet clear cracking sound.
The words of the Sage-- "
"The principles of Heaven are not imposed chains, but the natural order of all things" -- like an invisible carving knife, it pierced through the hard barrier in his heart forged by countless rules and regulations.
Gazing at the simple village nestled in the sea of clouds, bathed in the glow of the sunset: farmers hunting, children chasing butterflies, wisps of smoke rising from chimneys, resting at sunset.
Without harsh laws or lofty rules, living beings follow the natural rhythms of sunrise and sunset, and the changing seasons, multiplying and thriving, creating a harmonious order that arises naturally.
This order is not an externally imposed shackle, but a vibrant life force that emanates from within and follows the natural order!
The light of laws and norms in his eyes was no longer sharp and intimidating, but rather gentle and flowing, like glass under the morning light. He began to try to understand and accept the grander and more authentic "order of the Tao" hidden in the birth and death of all things.
An unprecedented realization arose: the true law should be to discover and maintain the natural order of heaven and earth, rather than imposing a cage called "reason".
Laozi stood still like an ancient pine tree, his eyes gleaming with Pure Light that seemed to reflect the trajectories of stars in the entire Primordial Wilderness universe. The word "tranquility" that Qing Huan had pointed out had taken root, sprouted, and grown in his state of non-action.
The previous confusion and anxiety, the vague unease about the uncertain future, have now vanished like morning dew meeting the sun. He feels an unprecedented clarity and tranquility in his mind, merging with the boundless, ever-changing chaotic sea of clouds.
The tender little grass swaying in the wind, with each natural unfolding of its leaves and the life rhythm flowing between its veins, was clearly imprinted into his heart.
Instead of deliberately seeking the Tao, we are "in" the Tao.
Maintaining this tranquility is not about sitting in a state of stagnation and oblivion, but about using one's most authentic Spiritual Sense to "observe"—to observe the clouds as they roll and unfold, the flowers as they bloom and fade, and all things as they come into being.
A profound joy, a deep understanding of the inherent laws governing all things, spread through him. The Gate of the Mysterious Female, the source that nurtures all things, seemed to be quietly opening a crack in his mind in this tranquil contemplation, free from desire and attachment, letting out the faint light of the Great Dao. Non-action, yet nothing is left undone; everything exists within the breath of nature.
The violent tremors in Tongtian's body had subsided, but the storm raging within his heart was far from over.
Qing Huan's probing question, which went straight to the heart of the matter—"What is the essential difference between this and the 'utmost sincerity' that seeks to seize by force and plunder, exchanging precious treasures for protection?"—
Like thunder from the heavens, it shattered his proud and righteous ambition to "intercept the heavens."
The slight flush on his face lingered, a burning pain and shame from having his Dao heart pierced. The illusory image of the Candle Dragon offering treasure flashed through his mind again, blindingly bright.
The much-vaunted practices of "proactive education," "establishment of laws and regulations," "guidance of power," and "accumulation of Merit" appear so deliberate, clumsy, and even... tainted with the vulgarity of utilitarianism in the face of the Sage's Great Dao Realm of "doing nothing yet accomplishing everything."
He stared intently at the sharp cloud that stubbornly weaved through the Chaos Qi, trying to cleave through the gaps—that indomitable edge that had once ignited his passion and made him a kindred spirit.
Looking at it now, I suddenly realize with a start: isn't this sharpness itself part of the natural evolution of the chaotic sea of clouds?
It doesn't intentionally "split" anything to prove anything; it's simply the condensation of a "force" and the manifestation of a "way" within the chaos!
Its existence, its trajectory, is itself a silent revelation, subtly enlightening the observer. As the Sage said, "The intention to educate should be like spring rain." The true essence of seizing the secrets of heaven and guiding all beings lies not in the force of "seizing," but in capturing the "opportunity," in "sneaking in with the wind at night" like spring rain, and in conforming to the "momentum" in the darkness!
The burning desire for quick success and the ambition to uphold the world through his own path were slowly soothed and dissolved by an invisible hand. His tense Dao heart began to relax, allowing him to feel the chaotic Dao rhythm permeating his body and to comprehend the vast realm of "doing nothing yet accomplishing everything."
Forcing things is like Candle Dragon offering a pearl, only causing trouble and karmic Karma. The true light of enlightenment may lie hidden in the moment when one lets go of attachments and one's own inner Tao flows naturally.
The silent shock resonated, settled, and sublimated within the hearts of the Three Pure Ones.
Qing Huan's figure had completely merged into the chaotic sea of clouds, breathing in unison with the Great Dao.
But that grand yet subtle, omnipresent Daoist aura was imprinted more clearly on the depths of their souls than any words could express.
Laozi Tzu's aura became increasingly Qingxu and serene, as if he were breathing with the clouds and sea, his figure appearing and disappearing, merging with the Tao. He no longer "searched" for the Tao, but became a serene manifestation of the Tao in the present moment.
The mind of non-action is the deepest contemplation and the most natural expression of one's own Daoist essence.
The original majesty remains, but beneath that majesty lies a weight and inclusiveness like the earth itself, bearing all things. The light of order in his eyes is no longer a cold line, but a harmonious rhythm that arises naturally from a village in a sea of clouds, full of the pulse of life.
Once you understand this, protecting the natural order of heaven and earth is the highest law.
The sharp light in Tongtian's eyes did not disappear, but it lost its impatience and deliberateness, becoming profound and restrained, like a divine weapon after being tempered, its sharpness hidden in its sheath, ready to be unleashed.
That keen insight into the secrets of heaven has transformed into a sharp perception of the flow of the energy of heaven and earth. He tries to stop "planning" how to educate, and instead focuses on purifying his Dao heart, allowing that Dao charm belonging to the "Interception" path—a keen and enterprising yet harmonious Dao charm—to naturally emanate, like light and wind, permeating the surroundings.
The clouds over Yingzhou surged and shifted, the Qilin vanished, the Phoenix returned to its nest, the Xuan Turtle sank into the abyss, and villages disappeared and reunited. All things were born and died in the Daoist rhythm, enacting the ancient truth. The Three Pure Ones stood silently among them, no longer speaking, no longer anxious.
One's own existence, and the Dao realm reflected in one's mind, is the most magnificent and authentic light of enlightenment for walking in this world.
When the mind is clear and pure, the essence of Tao arises naturally, and inner radiance is revealed.
The time at the Purple Cloud Palace, which concerns the future of the Primordial Wilderness and the arrival of all immortals, no longer seems to be an external goal, but rather an opportunity of the Dao that will inevitably manifest when their respective paths of cultivation naturally extend and their own Daoist radiance converges.