Be, Do - A Must-Know Winning Survival Technique

Author: Fang Zhou / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features:
1. The Simple Is True
What is simplicity? Simplicity is turning complexity into simplicity, diversity into unity, and burdens into ease. It is not to grieve for what one lacks but to rejoice in what one has. Simplicity is a form of sensory enjoyment, a state of happiness. Confucius praised Yan Hui for his simple life, clearly implying that simplicity is beauty, simplicity is happiness. A simple life saves resources and time, allowing people to devote more energy to nurturing their souls and live with greater clarity and joy.
Confucius originally aspired to become a high official and travel around the states, but he failed and had to return home, becoming a teacher instead. Unexpectedly, he found immense joy in teaching and finally realized:
1. Doing small things is greater than doing big things.
2. Do what you should do without forcing yourself.
Confucius passed these two pieces of wisdom to his disciples, who benefited immensely from them, becoming incredibly happy. This quickly brought great fame to Confucianism.
Confucius’s most valued disciple, Yan Hui, was a truly authentic person. He lived and ate simply: residing in a humble lane and eating plain food. People like Confucius and Yan Hui found joy in simplicity, infusing simple sensory beauty into rational enjoyment. Though they had little money and no so-called status, they were happy—happier than the wealthy and powerful.
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei was being chased by Cai Mao when he leaped over Tanxi River on Lu Ma’s horse, narrowly escaping danger. On the road, he saw a shepherd boy riding a cow backward, playing a bamboo flute carefree. Clearly, the boy was in high spirits. Liu Bei sighed, “I am inferior to him!” Of course, Liu Bei’s level of happiness was no match for the shepherd boy, as he was too busy and preoccupied. Before becoming the “Vassal of Shu,” Liu Bei was a humble straw sandals seller, and his happiness was once just like that of the shepherd boy. Later, after forming grand ambitions, he ended up losing touch with happiness in this life.
We are not saying people shouldn’t have grand ambitions, but rather that these ambitions shouldn’t make them unhappy. If they do, what good are they? Better not to have them. True grand ambitions lie in finding one’s authentic self and truly bringing joy to one’s life.
Yan Hui remained true to himself, so living in a humble lane was a source of fulfillment for him, better than living in high-rise buildings. There’s a technical secret to this: A simple life is an enjoyment. Some people are exhausted from toil simply because they complicate what was originally a simple life.
Once, a man complained to his master, “Oh, I am so suffering, so tired.” The master asked, “Why is that?” The man replied, “I’m tired even from eating. Eating too little makes me hungry, eating too much worries me about indigestion. Eating meat makes me fat, eating vegetables makes me thin, and not eating isn’t an option.” The master laughed and said, “I understand. Try starving yourself for a day.”
“Can I?” “Try it.” So the man starved himself for a day and became extremely hungry. The next day, when it was time to eat, he gorged himself and exclaimed to the master, “Master, I understand.”
“Understand what?” “Eating is just eating—it’s originally simple.”
“Haha, you understand.”
Modern people today seem to have also lost the ability to eat and the courage to eat, perhaps it’s time for them to starve a bit. The simpler one lives, the better, for only then can one see their true self and not lose the basic skills of survival.
The Secret History of the Mongols records that the great Genghis Khan died from falling off a horse. A once-great hero who ruled from horseback had lost the ability to ride a horse by the end, proving that his skills had gradually vanished along with his greed. Compared to Genghis Khan, Yan Hui lived more authentically because he remained true to himself, had no greed, and was a pure, happy person. Such people don’t need to conquer the world—after all, the world is already theirs.
Thus, the simpler one lives, the better. Simple enough to turn complex emotions into simplicity, diversity into unity, and burdens into ease. Not to grieve for what one lacks but to rejoice in what one has—this is the rational act within sensuality.
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