Chapter 159: Filial Piety Comes First Among All Virtues
Since the boy always stayed online when he had nothing to do, people would occasionally ask him questions, and he would patiently reply.
“Beep beep.”
The boy picked up his phone and looked.
“Master, can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Well, my family’s conditions aren’t very good, and I work outside. My salary is only a few thousand yuan each month. I don’t go home for years, I just give my family some money from time to time, but it’s not much. Am I being unfilial?”
The boy replied; “The old saying goes, ‘Filial piety is the first of all virtues,’ and people often use this to teach their descendants, hoping they will be filial. But there is another line after this, which is, ‘Judge the heart, not just the deeds.’ The original quote is, ‘Filial piety is the first of all virtues; judge by the heart, not by deeds. If you judge by deeds, there would be no filial sons from poor families.’ This means that one should focus on the inner motivation and emotions, not just outward actions. If only actions are considered, then people from less affluent families cannot display much filial piety because they may not be able to provide much material support.
Furthermore, it might sound a bit unfeeling, but I hope that filial piety is one-sided. If raising children is only for them to support you in your old age, then there is no need to have children; just get old-age insurance.
In my opinion, raising children is simply raising children, hoping they will be well. Because any kind of love should be willing, not demanding this or that. After all, you didn’t ask the child if they were willing before giving birth, and then demand they do this or that after they are born, which is quite overbearing of personal will.
Parents should lead by example, allowing children to develop their own sense of filial piety, rather than demanding it. Although these words may sound unfeeling, they are not selfish.”
“I understand that principle, but my family doesn’t. Sigh… what should I do?”
“It’s up to you. You can only do your best in these matters. Many wealthy people send their parents to nursing homes and don’t visit them more than a few times a year, which I don’t think is particularly filial. Remembering your parents’ kindness to you, calling them often, and doing your best to make them happy is another form of filial piety. Even if you’re too busy and only call once or twice a month, if you can make them laugh every time, don’t cause them trouble or anger them, then that’s very good. As for money, don’t worry about how much. If you can’t be by their side, don’t fret; it’s a very normal thing.”
“Master, if I don’t have such good economic conditions, wouldn’t having children actually become a burden? Neither good for me nor for the child.”
“Having children, or choosing not to, essentially signifies your individual hope for the future. If you see no hope, or your confidence in the future is insufficient, or not enough. But from another dimension, it is your prediction of the future era, the macro environment, and so on.
You have the right to make any choice. What I’m doing is using my knowledge to teach you how to win in the future. When you are materially abundant, in addition to the spiritual support of cultivation, which is me, family is also very important. Just like what I said about planting trees, having children is the continuation of life, and it is also bearing.
The tree of wisdom and the tree of life should blossom simultaneously. After one gains wisdom, there is no need to evade the continuation of life. Otherwise, wouldn’t humanity go extinct?”
“Master, why do some cultivators remain unmarried and childless, living alone until old age for the sake of cultivation?”
The boy stroked his beard as if he were thinking; “Well, if this life were a game, everyone would play differently. Some like to go solo, some like to travel in groups, some like to farm and live a simple life, and some like to branch out and have a big family. Although the rules of the game are the same, there are many ways to play. It depends on how you like to play.”
“Can I cultivate successfully, then use my cultivation to earn material wealth, and then have a lot of children and teach them?”
“Of course. Cultivation itself is one of the fastest ways to acquire energy. After becoming spiritually wealthy, you can use the laws of the Dao to evolve material wealth. When you possess both, obey the law and the order of this mortal world, and then you can play however you want.”
“Master, can I ask you another question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Sometimes, when there are leftover dishes at home, and they’re thrown away after two days, is that considered a waste?”
“No. Times have changed, and definitions of past matters also shift. For example, when food was scarce, people cherished every bite and the difficulty of obtaining it, and thrift was a virtue. This doesn’t mean it’s no longer a virtue now that we are affluent; it is still a virtue.
But now that food is abundant, some people like to offer food and feed sentient beings according to fate. This is not considered waste; rather, it becomes kindness.
Humans are nourished by all things: sunlight, air, food, water, etc. Even every piece of clothing, whether you wear a cotton-padded jacket or a G-string, all of it comes from the giving of all things in the world.
Sometimes, don’t dwell on these things too much. It depends on your state of mind. Perhaps the things you discard are insignificant to you, but to rats and insects in the trash, or even to microorganisms in the air, it is not a form of offering food.
If someone advocates for cherishing grain, and then uses a handful of rice to feed little birds, are they cherishing it or not? It’s the same principle.
Also, who do you think eats the food offered as tribute? Is it for the paintings on the wall or for the idols made of mud?”
“I don’t know, Master. Everyone else says it’s for deities or something.”
“That’s also correct. Because those things that are invisible, in a sense, can be called deities without issue. Deities in the eyes of ordinary people consume energy. For example, even if you don’t place food in front of an idol, it will naturally decay. So, who ate it? It was the energy you cannot see with your physical eye, those imperceptible beings in the air, microorganisms. In a sense, they are deities, creators, the true masters of this planet. Humans are composed of countless microorganisms. As the saying goes, ‘There are a hundred deities within the body; dispersed, they become energy; gathered, they become deities,’ referring to the various microorganisms within the body. All life forms are created by them, which is what I call ‘Qi’. All human bodily functions, including thinking, are produced by the operational patterns and attribute changes of this energy.
Some people get headaches from overthinking, some are tired and fatigued, or feel hungry, or remember something; it’s all them moving.
Some people can break bricks and stones. In a sense, it’s not that the person is particularly extraordinary, but rather that the energy within them is accustomed to it. Some jump high, some leap far, all related to their physical condition, which refers to the operating state of that energy.
Let’s use the Plague God as a metaphor. The Plague God doesn’t refer to a specific person. In ancient times, when plagues spread, the harmful and bad substance that affected people was called the Plague God. Nowadays, it’s also used to describe bad people; for example, if someone’s arrival negatively affects everyone, people will say that person is a Plague God. These are all descriptions.
Of course, there are other things, like radioactive protons, particles, molecules, or whatever. In short, there are many things, and what we know is only a small part, and there is much we don’t know.
These good and bad things, spirits and deities, shuttle through various materials every day, just that they are invisible to the physical eye.
The reason why all things are one is actually the interconnectedness of this Qi.
“Master, can you explain it more simply?”
“Simply put, there are deities three feet above your head.”
“Master…”
“Alright, go play. Stop overthinking and cultivate your mind well.”
