Being Carefree, Doing Things Realistically - Wang Zhenhui's Works Collection

Author: Wang Zhenhui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Dealing with scoundrels with the ways of scoundrels—perhaps one must shed the mentality of "fearing gain and loss" and bravely go all out, as there might still be a chance to turn the tables. Scoundrels often succeed because they exploit the psychological barriers of ordinary people who fear conflict or have reservations, demanding and even pushing their luck further. No one can always be on the defensive, and even when in a defensive state, it is usually difficult to shake off a scoundrel's, especially those who are simple-minded and kind. This is because scoundrels are scoundrels out of shamelessness, while ordinary people are ordinary out of fear of trouble. Scoundrels are often sharp-eyed, identifying their prey who are helpless and taking what they want. The following is a vivid example. Since ancient times, religious extortion has not been uncommon, and threats of extortion against religious institutions have also occurred from time to time. The Taiping Guangji records such an incident. It is said that in the Tang Dynasty, there was a temple in Luoyang City that enshrined several relics, which were worshipped by believers for blessings and used to attract donations. Due to its popularity, the temple received a significant amount of (oil money for incense).
Honey attracts bees, and with so much money, it was no surprise that unscrupulous individuals would covet it, leading to trouble. One day, a scholar visited the temple, claiming to witness the sacred relics. Impressed by his refined appearance, polite demeanor, and eloquent speech, the monks did not suspect him. They poured the relics from a glass bottle for him to see and exchanged stories about their sanctity and miraculous deeds. As the monks admired the scholar's erudition and deep understanding of Buddhist affairs, the scholar suddenly grabbed the relics in front of him and swallowed them whole.
This shocking move naturally left the monks speechless, and the air froze. At this moment, the scholar turned and spoke, saying, "If you give me money, I will naturally vomit out the relics and return them to everyone." The monks, helpless, gave him a substantial sum and promised not to reveal the incident. Under the monks' supervision, the scholar took a laxative, which caused him to expel the relics. The monks immediately cleaned the "victimized" relics and placed them back in the glass bottle. After the scholar left, the relics continued to attract offerings.
The way to deal with scoundrels is simple: "Dealing with scoundrels with the ways of scoundrels." However, ordinary people, not being scoundrels, even if they try to act like one, often fail because they cannot sustain the act, are too thin-skinned, too soft-hearted, or too cautious, losing before they even start. This is why scoundrels often succeed. Imagine if the monks had faced the scholar's extortion attempt with indifference—scoundrels would have found it much harder to get their way. Unfortunately, maintaining the "sacredness" of the relics was the monks' weak point, preventing them from fighting back. It seems that to deal with scoundrels, one must shed the mentality of "fearing gain and loss" and bravely go all out, perhaps still finding a chance to turn the tables.