Saint Origin Continent, Wu Guo.
Yu Town was a small town about a hundred miles away from the capital of Wu Guo. Due to its poor transportation and mountainous surroundings, it wasn't a bustling place even though it was very close to the capital of Wu Guo.
However, it was also because of its tranquility that many scholars who were focused on cultivation would occasionally find their way here along the river to meditate.
A few days ago, Zhang Houlu, a scholar who was rather famous in Wu Guo, appeared in a dilapidated house at the edge of the town.
At first, no one paid attention to him as they all meditated in their own places.
However, one evening, a sound came from the dilapidated house.
Some people followed the sound and saw through the open door that a tiger pelt was spread out in the main hall of the house. A middle-aged man in his forties was sitting on the tiger pelt.
The man was dressed in a green robe embroidered with clouds. He had a thin beard on his cheeks and chin. His appearance was particularly rough, but his complexion was delicate like a fair and clean young man. It was a clear contrast to his beard.
The man immediately recognized that this was Zhang Houlu.
Zhang Houlu was talking about the "Doctrine of the Mean" in front of the empty main hall.
The man was shocked, thinking that he had encountered a heretic. However, his scholarly instincts made him listen carefully and he was immediately engrossed. He obediently entered the house and listened to Zhang Houlu talk about the "Doctrine of the Mean".
After this matter spread, people would come to the house every night. Once Zhang Houlu started talking, everyone would enter to listen.
A few days later, all the scholars and even the children of Yu Town gathered outside the house in the evening.
Zhang Houlu didn't talk about anything else but the Doctrine of the Mean. He repeated this over and over again. At first, some people got tired of listening to him, but they slowly realized that every time Zhang Houlu taught, there would be subtle improvements. Every time they listened to him, their understanding of the Doctrine of the Mean and even the entire Confucian classics deepened. So they patiently listened.
After a long time, people began to call him the Tiger Pelt Scholar.
Because Zhang Houlu's words were easy to understand, many children insisted on listening.
When the people around Yu Town heard that a scholar was lecturing here, they came to watch the commotion. Some left, while others stayed.
Today, the sun had just set, but there were already more than a hundred people gathered outside the house, waiting for Zhang Houlu to begin.
Not long after, Zhang Houlu sat on the tiger pelt. He didn't care about the others and opened his mouth to speak.
"The Mandate of Heaven is called nature, the straightforward nature is called Dao, and the cultivation of Dao is called teaching. This was the general principle of the Doctrine of the Mean. There are different interpretations of these three sentences, but it varies from person to person. As long as you don't go astray, even if there are many interpretations, it's not unreasonable. "
"In my opinion, these three sentences are very simple. They are merely saying that what the heavens have bestowed upon people is their nature, and following one's nature to do things is the way of nature. However, in reality, not everyone can follow their nature to do things, and it is very likely that they will go astray. Therefore, using the correct way to walk the path, and then letting others learn from it, is education."
"Then, who can teach by practicing Dao? That's right, it was the Saints, the sons of Old Man Kong. Then, if we think about this sentence in reverse, it will become that we have to accept the teachings of the Saints on the right path. Only in this way can we understand what the right path is. Once we understand what the right path is, we have to follow it, and we will be able to act according to our nature. Now that we know and have done it, we can truly understand what nature is. "
"What about after knowing what nature is?"
Zhang Houlu asked and answered his own question. "Then we know what the heavens have decreed, which means we know what the heavens are, and what the heavens are. This is the basic principle of the fourth level of the Great Confucian to the fifth level of the Forging of the Will. When one reaches the fifth level of the Great Confucian, one has to abandon oneself and focus on the Will. Only after mastering one's own Will will one have the foundation to become a Saint. Unfortunately, the Forging of the Will takes too long. Even if that thing is forged, it can't be fully understood and can't be used. It can only be placed there to increase one's strength. A literary hero is someone who has understood the Will to the extreme, which is equivalent to having half a foot in the Divine Path. "
"It is said that the Great Confucian is someone who has touched the edge of the Divine Path. A literary hero is someone who has touched the Divine Path with one finger. Of course, it is only touching, and there is no way to obtain the power of the Divine Path. "
In the end, Zhang Houlu patted his tiger skin and said proudly, "Do you understand? The reason why I haven't become a Great Confucian is to strengthen the foundation. A Great Confucian, a Great Confucian, cultivates the 'Great Confucian' to investigate things to know sincerity and righteousness. When one becomes a Great Confucian, one has to cultivate one's body, take care of one's family, and rule the country. It is not difficult to connect the front and back. They all cultivate the 'Great Confucian'. However, when one reaches the fourth level of the Great Confucian, one has to cultivate the Great Confucian School to advance to the fifth level. What one has to cultivate is the 'Doctrine of the Mean'. Therefore, if I don't understand the doctrine of the mean, I won't become a Great Confucian. "
Some of the scholars felt helpless. Zhang Houlu was good at everything, but sometimes he was unconstrained and even a little whimsical. In fact, the Great Confucian and the 'Great Confucian' had nothing to do with each other, but he insisted on it. However, what he said later was quite reasonable.
"I know that you are not convinced. From the beginning, when people listened to the class, I said that if anyone has a different opinion, they can say it. I am making the final preparations to become a Great Confucian, and there is no room for mistakes. If you can really pick out my mistakes, you will be my teacher. "
"Now, I am learning from the sages and traveling the world to hone myself. It is a pity that Fang Xusheng is in seclusion. Otherwise, I would have stayed in Jingguo. However, it does not matter. I can now achieve the 'Teaching of Cultivation'. If you learn from me, you will definitely find the right path. "
After Zhang Houlu finished laughing, his smile disappeared. Everyone also stopped thinking. They all knew that Zhang Houlu had stopped laughing and was about to continue the class.
"You are wrong."
A young man who was listening quietly outside the door suddenly spoke.
Zhang Houlu opened his mouth and stared blankly at the ordinary-looking young man.
The rest of the people also turned to look. The person seemed to be a scholar. He came here yesterday and it was his first time to listen to Zhang Houlu's class. From his accent, he did not seem to be from Wu Guo. There were many portraits of famous people from different countries, but there was no such person.
Zhang Houlu said seriously, "May I ask where I am wrong?"
Hearing this, everyone was in awe. A Great Confucian Scholar used such a humble title in front of a scholar. His breadth of mind was comparable to a Great Confucian Scholar. At the same time, they were somewhat suspicious of the young man and even wanted to see him make a fool of himself.
The young man said, "What is Heaven's mandate?"
Everyone was stunned. Heaven's mandate was not Heaven's order, but Heaven's mandate. It was the nature that Heaven bestowed on people.
This sentence actually only referred to Heaven, Man, and Nature. It did not involve anything else.
The young man asked Heaven's mandate. He was asking, what did Heaven give to Man to form Nature?
Zhang Houlu said, "Heaven's mandate."
Everyone nodded. Zhang Houlu's answer was correct. Heaven itself was a kind of existence or power that could directly bestow Man with Nature.
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