Lao Tzu: Honoring the Birth of a Great Sage

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• published: 24 May 2011
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http://SupremeMasterTV.com -- Lao Tzu: Honoring the Birth of a Great Sage (In Chinese). Episode: 1646, Air Date: 18 March 2011. Script 1 Today's A Journey through Aesthetic Realms will be presented in Chinese, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Greetings noble viewers, welcome to A Journey through Aesthetic Realms. Over two and a half millennia ago, the great enlightened Master Lao Tzu was born in a small village in the Chu State, near the present-day Luyi County in Henan Province of China. His timeless teachings are expounded in "Tao Te Ching," the key scripture of Taoism. To celebrate this auspicious day in history, let us enjoy a few folk stories of Lao Tzu and excerpts of "Tao Te Ching" to have a glimpse of his wisdom and eloquence. When he was just a child, Lao Tzu was already distinguished for his sharp mind, deep insights and lofty ideals. He contemplated the rise and fall of countries, the future of the world and ways to reduce the sufferings of the people. To satisfy his endless quest for knowledge, his mother hired a revered teacher named Shang Rong. One day, Shang Rong discussed with young Lao Tzu about Heaven. Between Heaven and Earth, humans are the most precious; among all humans, kings are the most important. What is Heaven? Heaven is the pure one above. Then what's the pure one? The pure one is emptiness. What's above emptiness? Above emptiness is the purer of the pure. Then what's above that? Above the purer of the pure is the purer of the purer of the pure. What is the purest? It is not taught by past sages, nor is it recorded in ancient writings. I dare not make groundless comments. That evening, Lao Tzu could not get the answer from his mother nor from the servant. Staring at the starry sky, he was absorbed into a deep contemplation about the highest Heaven. After being Lao Tzu's teacher for three years, Shang Rong bade farewell: I resign today not because I don't want to carry it through to the end; nor is it because Dan (Lao Tzu) is not diligent. It is because my knowledge is limited, but Dan's quest is unlimited. The Capital of Zhou has a sea of ancient scriptures and countless talents. That's the place Dan should go in order to become a man of the biggest potential. Following Shang Rong's advice, Lao Tzu's mother sent him to Zhou State. At the age of 19, Lao Tzu became the head of the royal archive and was known near and far for his scholarship. His realization of the Tao was unfathomable. In another elaboration of the Tao conveyed to Confucius, Lao Tzu said: Tao is as deep as the ocean, as high as the mountain. It permeates the universe. It circulates endlessly, and resides in all beings. But one cannot attain it by seeking, and cannot describe it by worldly languages. Tao gives birth and nurtures Heaven and Earth yet it doesn't subside; it supports all creations yet it is inexhaustible. Heaven gets it and becomes vast; Earth gets it and becomes strong; the Sun and the Moon get it and go into motion; the four seasons get it and become orderly; all creations get it and come into existence. One day in 523 BCE, the great philosopher Confucius paid a special visit to Lao Tzu from Lu State. At the time of his departure, Lao Tzu saw him off from his lodge. It is said that the rich gifts people with properties; the virtuous offers people their words. I'm not a rich man nor nobility, so I have no property to present to you. I would like to give you a few words of advice. In today's world, smart people often get into trouble, or even fatal tragedy, because they like to point out others' weaknesses. Similarly, eloquent people often invite disasters to themselves because they like to reveal others' wrongdoings. Try to be people's son and subject, and don't put yourself above others. I wish you will remember these words. I will surely remember these words of advice. During his tenure as a royal archive keeper, Lao Tzu was not interested in worldly power or profit. He remained in the same position until his retirement. Thereafter, he decided to pursue a recluse's life. One day, his disciple Yang Ziju came to visit him. What are you working on these days? I come here to visit my ancestor's land, purchase a property, build a house, hire some servants, and establish rules to manage my family. It's enough to have a place to sleep and eat, why show off so much? As a spiritual practitioner, I need a quiet place to sit, travel in a relaxed manner, drink simple and clean water, and sleep in a safe place. Without a single large family house, without servants and equipment, how can I maintain such a lifestyle? If I hire servants and purchase furniture, without rules, how can I manage it? Hearing Yang Ziju's explanation, L