Finding One’s Position

All things on earth have life. Then they also have their specific features and ways of existence, which is called the position of one’s life in ancient Chinese culture. Each being has their own position particularly created for them by the universe. The universe not only creates our lives but also the surroundings for our existence: i.e position. Once humans leave the living environment on earth, they cannot survive. As important as our living environment is, it is our position which is in fact the component of our lives. At the same time, our lives are also created for our position—surroundings. Our life and our position are an undivided whole body.

The surroundings we live in consist of other countless living things on whose existence humans depend. The height of one’s existing position marks the capacity of one’s tolerance. For a human being, the height of our position is measured by how open-minded we are and also by our tolerant personality.

However, this kind of mental capacity is not acquired through possession. On the contrary, it is the necessary result of giving and selflessness. Because those to whom we can give out something have some connection with us; they are the beings in our surroundings. To give out something to them is also to give out something to ourselves; we will get in return as much as we give. What belongs to us will never leave us unless we really want to give up ourselves or unless we become selfish.

The existence of one’s being is not to betray oneself, not to leave one’s own position, that is, to live in harmony with all other living things in one’s surroundings. That is, one should be polite to all people, to revere Heaven and Earth, and to worship gods. All the saints in the human history taught us to be virtuous and compassionate because only through virtue and compassion could we maintain our position. Their teaching is for our own benefit, to let us continue our existence.

Translated from Chinese at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200308/23043.html