What would it look like if you had thoroughly understood the Tao Te Ching?
It is said that people have been rare in their seventies, but he did not believe in this evil, and he lived for 123 years in his life.
Who is this man? He is Zhang Daoling.
Zhang Daoling Folk traditional image
Zhang Daoling had countless disciples in his lifetime, but it was not so easy to become his apprentice!
He also applied his understanding of the Tao Te Ching to the matter of receiving disciples.
To be his good apprentice, one must go through many human tests, and those who are often tested are completely unaware.
In this issue, we'll talk about this story.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="13" > legendary life</h1>
It is said that Zhang Daoling and a group of beloved disciples traveled from Longhu Mountain to The Heming Mountain in Sichuan, where they devoted themselves to cultivating and benefiting the people.
Here he founded Wudou Rice Road.
The disciples honored him as the Heavenly Master, so he was also called the Heavenly Master Dao.
Among his many disciples, only Wang Chang was trusted and loved by Zhang Daoling, because after Zhang Daoling's test, only Wang Chang sincerely studied, his heart was pure, and there were no distractions.
In this way, it is inevitable that he will suffer criticism from other disciples, saying that Zhang Daoling is eccentric.
Zhang Daoling listened to this kind of discussion, shook his head, and simply made the words clear.
"The opportunity I give you is the same, you think about it, but some of you didn't seize it!" As long as you sincerely study, I will definitely teach you the Dao Fa without reservation, lest you be dishonest, unprincipled, and have too many selfish thoughts! ”
When the disciples heard Zhang Daoling's words, some of them felt ashamed and did not dare to say much.
At this time, Zhang Daoling said: "Before long, the sky will snow heavily, and when it is noon on the other day, there is a man who comes from the east, he has a square face, seven feet long, and wears a gray robe, he will become your disciple, he will also become my good apprentice, his Daoist guild will be on par with the king," you will wait quietly!" ”
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="99" > try the apprentice drama, the first try</h1>
Guess what, it didn't take long for it to snow heavily.
On the same day, Zhang Daoling said to Wang Chang: "Your master and brother are on their way to come, I must first test his endurance, and you will cooperate with me well!" ”
Wang Chang gladly took the order, and at noon that day, there was indeed a square-faced man wearing a gray robe and seven feet long. Walked to the gate.
He said that his name was Zhao Sheng, and he had come specifically to worship the teacher.
But the disciples said to him, "We, the Celestial Master, are not here!" You might as well come back another day! ”
After saying that, I slammed the door shut!
Zhao Sheng thought to himself, then wait outside the door for Zhang Daoling to return, and this wait was more than a month.
A month later, Zhang Daoling felt that Zhao Sheng really had the endurance that ordinary people did not have, so he asked Wang Chang to call him in to see him.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="102" > the second attempt</h1>
However, Zhang Daoling did not take him as an apprentice, but sent Zhao Sheng down the mountain and let him work in the crops under the mountain!
There was a thatched hut in the field, and that was where Zhao Sheng lived at night.
Zhao Sheng finished his farm work, the sun was about to set, and suddenly a beautiful girl asked him for help.
The girl said that she had met a bad person and hoped that Zhao Sheng could help him.
Yes, this was Zhang Daoling's second attempt, and he wanted to try Zhao Sheng's concentration.
Seeing that the girl had met the bad guy, Zhao Sheng told her not to panic and I could send you home.
But the girl cried and said, "I don't have a home anymore and I lean on Zhao Sheng's shoulder as I talk." ”
Then the girl said, "Or, you should keep me, and I'll be your wife?" ”
This girl's skin is white and beautiful, almost like a fairy. According to the reason, this is a great thing, Zhao Sheng has no reason to refuse!
However, Zhao Sheng refused, and he pointed to the door and said, "Girl, I only want to ask for the Truth now, lest I live up to your good intentions." ”
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="103" > the third attempt</h1>
In this way, Zhao Sheng passed the second level, and Zhang Daoling let Zhao Sheng temporarily enter his door.
Zhao Sheng was very happy.
But Zhang Daoling's test for him was not over.
On this day, Zhang Daoling sent Zhao Sheng to the market, and asked him to buy some cloth to come back, and on the way a person dropped a box.
Just when he was picked up by Zhao Sheng, Zhao Sheng opened the box and looked at it, and the box was full of gold.
This gold was enough for him to spend a lifetime, but Zhao Sheng was not moved.
He hurriedly picked up the box, found the owner, and returned the box to him.
The lost owner gave him a piece of gold, and the good guy was rejected by him.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="107" > the fourth test</h1>
In this way, he went to the market again, and on the way he met a beggar whose leg was injured and could not walk.
And his body emitted a peculiar smell, and people who passed by hid far away.
But Zhao Sheng saw it, but he lifted him up and sent the beggar home.
He also gave the beggar the few silver taels on his body, but the beggar did not even say thank you.
Zhao Sheng didn't care at all, but he was very happy!
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="110" > the fifth test</h1>
Zhao Sheng did not expect that this next mountain had already undergone two tests.
When he entered the market and went to a place that sold cloth to buy cloth, Zhao Sheng paid silver to buy cloth, but when he just walked out of the door!
The cloth seller shouted loudly, "Hey, you guy, you want to leave without paying the silver!" You give me back! ”
At this time, everyone looked at Zhao Sheng with strange eyes.
But Zhao Sheng was not panicked at all, the silver was obviously paid, but why did this boss do this to him?
Zhao Sheng didn't try to argue anything, but said to the boss, "Well, I have a jade pendant for you!" ”
But the boss did not hesitate: "No, how much silver can this broken jade pendant be worth!" ”
Zhao Sheng took off his clothes and gave them to the boss, who let him go.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="114" > final try</h1>
Zhang Daoling secretly thought to himself, "Ordinary people have endurance, but they can't have concentration, and of course they can have both, but there are very few people like Zhao Sheng who can be magnanimous, broad-minded, and have good intentions and never forget their original intentions." ”
Zhang Daoling's test for Zhao Sheng was over, and he still wanted to carry out a test, this time for everyone.
On this day, Zhang Daoling ordered all his disciples to reach the top of a mountain.
Zhang Daoling said, "Do you see that there is a peach tree on that cliff, and whoever can pick peaches will teach him the Dao Fa!" ”
Everyone was discouraged, and below that was the abyss, and where to fall there was still a chance to live.
Zhao Sheng thought to himself, "Master asked me to pick peaches, there must be his reason, he will certainly not harm me!" ”
So he didn't say a word, he went down to pick peaches, and you can see from here that Zhao Sheng is smart. He insisted that the master would not harm him, which must be a good thing.
As he expected, the cliff was just a terrible sight, and he picked up the peach with ease.
After Zhao Sheng climbed up.
Zhang Daoling said to everyone, "This is the Tao! Self-victory is strong! The person who can overcome himself is the real strong.
After saying that, Zhang Daoling jumped off the cliff as soon as he jumped, and the disciples panicked when they saw it. At first glance, Zhang Daoling was obviously gone.
At this time, Zhao Sheng and Wang Cai looked at each other and jumped off the cliff, and guess what.
At this time, the two Zhao Wangs just landed on a stone slab, and Zhang Daoling was waiting for them on it.
Zhang Daoling laughed and said, "I knew it was just the two of you!" will come down! ”
Later, Zhang Daoling passed on all his life's Dao Fa to Zhao Sheng and Wang Chang!
This is the story of Zhang Daoling's trial disciple, although this is a story, but it reflects Zhang Daoling's perception of the Tao.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" data-track="116" > life insights</h1>
According to legend, Zhang Daoling read through the "Tao Te Ching" when he was 7 years old, which is his favorite book, he had a thorough understanding of Lao Tzu's thoughts, and he wrote a book called "Lao Tzu Wants to Er", which can be said to be a kind of understanding of the "Tao Te Ching", a kind of sublimation.
There is such a sentence in the book
"The mind is not righteous, but the beast of innocence is not worthy, so it is mad"
This sentence simply means that a person must be innocent in his heart and must not have too many selfish thoughts.
There is another saying that goes like this.
"When people are the water of the Law, their hearts are happy and kind"
What does it mean, that is, people should be like water, people should be like water, moisturize all things, have the character of tolerance.
He believes that the Tao is a kind of singleness, sincerity, benevolence, tolerance, and bravery. Only when people have these good qualities can they attain enlightenment and prolong their lives
But these are simpler said than done, Zhang Daoling knows that although he has many apprentices, the only people who can really do it are Zhao Sheng and Wang Chang.
The historical Zhang Daoling was born in the Jianwu decade of the Han Guangwu Emperor Liu Xiu,000 years old, and did not die until the second year of the Han Huan Emperor Yongshou, living for a full 123 years.
Being able to live so long is inseparable from his long-term self-cultivation.
His hometown was in the eastern HanFeng County at that time, which is now Xuzhou Feng County.
Later, he used the ideas of the Tao Te Ching to find another way and became the founder of Taoism.
This is definitely a kind of ancient wizard.
So what Lao Li wants to say through this issue of the story is that if we want to do a successful thing, we should learn from Zhao Sheng.
Don't forget the original intention to always, in order to get the Tao!