Taoism and the Concept of Catastrophe
It is often said that it takes hundreds of millions of kalpas to become an immortal, and it is even said that various “immortals” who practice in the deep mountains survive the catastrophe and become immortals. I dare not make rash comments on these, after all, I have never personally realized enlightenment. However, in life, unsatisfactory things happen all the time, and difficulties are everywhere in life. Facing a catastrophe such as life and death is often called a catastrophe, and those who survived the catastrophe are said to have escaped the catastrophe. Taoism believes that the so-called catastrophe refers to disasters and calamities.
Why do people have disasters?
The occurrence of catastrophes often stems from the accumulation of evil karma in previous lives. We often say that what kind of fate accumulated in the previous life will bear what kind of retribution in this life. If you sow melons, you will reap melons, and if you sow beans, you will reap beans. This is true and true. However, any kind of fate has a process of accumulation. In this process, various fates will continue to accumulate, and then gradually become mature. The result of good fate is good fortune, and the result of bad fate is evil reward.
Because of all kinds of relationships, our life is full of joys and sorrows, love and hatred, life and death. For many people, this is life. That’s right, in the human realm, this is life, so if we don’t change it, maybe we will be reincarnated in the human realm, and what should come will come, and what should be endured will have to be endured, never ending.
However, from a humane point of view, if a person has endured too many disasters, especially a person who has already started to practice, not only will he not see the benefits of practice, but he will have to deal with a series of tribulations, and he will inevitably feel restless and anxious. Feeling aggrieved, I began to question: How do I know about the past life? Wouldn’t it be unfair to myself in this life to endure hardships for no reason? Many people have had this kind of question. However, it is just a question, and we can’t find a solution. We cannot change the past, the only thing we can change is the outcome of the future.
I remember the “Taishang Xuanling Beidou Benming Yansheng Zhenjing” said: Human body is rare, middle earth is difficult to live, if it is born, righteous Dharma is hard to meet. …Further into the evil sect, many kinds of crimes, many cunning and deceitful, more indulgent and murderous, more social, more indulgent in greed and anger, more sinking into hell, more loss of human body, such a relationship, all living beings do not realize, do not know the right way, and are deluded many. “Being able to reborn as a human being is a blessing gained through years of accumulated meritorious deeds. However, the way of heaven pays attention to neither indulging nor indulging, nor wronging nor indulging. It will never treat any devout practitioner badly, nor will it easily let anyone go. A person full of evil. Only in this way can the fairness and justice of the way of heaven be manifested.
However, among the six realms, only human beings have a better opportunity to practice, and they have the nature of Taoism. People live between the heaven and the earth, and they can neither go up nor down. If they go up, they can become immortals or gods, and if they go down, they can become animals or ghosts. As human beings, in order not to fall into the realm of animals and ghosts, we must strive for the upper reaches and accumulate merits as much as possible. However, those who can realize these epiphanies are often people with great wisdom.
Humans have the nature of Tao, and if the nature of Tao is strong, they will be able to achieve positive results. At the same time, there is also a lot of demon nature in humans, and if the nature of demons is strong, they will fall into the way of demons, animals or ghosts. Human beings maintain a balance between dao and demon nature. If the balance is slightly tilted, the result will be completely different. However, it is a pity that many people forget their own Dao nature, and never dig it out and carry it forward throughout their lives.
The vast majority of people know that there is a dark and evil side deep in their hearts. Therefore, they spend most of their lives balancing themselves and preventing being occupied by demon nature, but they do not realize the role of Tao nature in the process of balancing. However, this is not an exaggeration. As it is said in the “Bei Diou Jing”, “If it happens, it is difficult to meet the true Dharma.” Even in the human realm, it is difficult to encounter the Dharma, so there is no chance to understand the ultimate meaning of practice. This is already very good, at least one can become a good citizen without being taken advantage of by demons.
If you are not careful and win for the devil, the consequences will be unimaginable. The way of magic is ever-changing, and any factor that can affect our emotions and desires comes from the way of magic. For example, gorgeous women, opportunities to take advantage, pornography, gambling and drugs, and impetuous scenes, etc., are all obstacles set up by demonic beings. They are sometimes gorgeous and extravagant, sometimes gentle and attractive, and most likely to make people lose themselves. As a result, he fell into the trap of demonic beings. Sentient beings of the devil way like to wear the cloak of Buddhism and Taoism to present attractive scenes, which makes people confused. Therefore, in many cases, unless one possesses great wisdom, one cannot recognize its truth. The mind of a true practitioner is like a mirror, unmoving. They no longer have a mind of discrimination, let go of everything, not even the mind to cultivate the Dao, and are not attached to any thoughts, but only seek to be empty and pure in their hearts. If you are really pure, you have cultivated the Dao.
Thus, when we return to the subject of the catastrophe, everything seems clear. Tianzun has been teaching us to practice diligently so that we can truly get rid of suffering and attain happiness. Life is a practice. It’s just that people who have practiced for many lifetimes can meet good fate, so they accumulate more merit and virtue, and their blessings are also great. And those who are still suffering, have not practiced hard enough for many lifetimes, and have not accumulated much merit, so it seems that their blessings are poor and their lives are shallow.
