Confucius and Laozi, the Dragon and the Phoenix

Confucius' life was full of events, large and small, like a cluster of stars, and among them, the four meetings between Confucius and Laozi were the brightest four stars among the brightest cluster of stars.

Confucius was a diligent learner who knew that "when three men walk, there must be a teacher in me". So he decided to go to Lao Tzu, who was some 20 years older than him, to greet him in person and try to learn some of the merits of the essence of Lao Tzu's thought.

Confucius' first visit to Laozi took place in the seventh year of Duke Zhaogong of Lu (535 BC), when Confucius was only 17 years old.

During this meeting, Confucius and Laozi talked a lot about rituals and systems, and the differences between their ideas.

At that time, Confucius and Laozi were out for a walk together, and when they came to the Yellow River, they saw the raging waters of the Yellow River and exclaimed, "Those who pass away are like the Buddha, who never gives up day and night!" Hearing Confucius' words, Lao Tzu continued, "To live between heaven and earth is to be one with them. There are changes in man as young, young, strong and old, just as there are changes in heaven and earth in spring, summer, autumn and winter. If you let nature take its course, you will not be disrupted in your nature; if you do not let nature take its course, but are busy with benevolence and righteousness, you will be bound by your nature. If one's fame is in one's heart, one's anxiety is born; if one's lust for profit remains in one's heart, one's worries increase."

Confucius explained to Laozi, "The student is worried that the Way is not working and that benevolence and righteousness are not being practised. War and chaos are frequent and the people suffer. Therefore, I sigh that life is too short."

Looking at the vast waters of the Yellow River, Lao Tzu said to Confucius, "Why do you not learn the virtue of water?"

Confucius asked, "What are the virtues of water?"

Lao Tzu replied, "It is good as water: water is good at benefiting all things but does not compete, and deals with the evils of all people. No one under heaven is softer or weaker than water, but no one who attacks the strong can overcome it. Because it has nothing, it can enter into nothing. From this we can see the benefit of teaching without words and of doing nothing."

Confucius said, "In that case, everything in this world has a spiritual nature, and you think that the character of water is most conducive to handling people?"

Laozi nodded his head and smiled, "Water is as good as water, and water is good at benefiting all things without striving. It is good at dealing with the evils of all people, so it is better than the Tao. The mind is good, the heart is good, the mind is good, the words are good, the words are good, the rule is good, the work is good, the action is good. The only way to be free from contention is to be free from special circumstances. Water is like the Way, and the sage is like water. If you are like water, you have no worries, if you are like water, you have no grievances, if you are like water, you have no strife, if you are like water, you have no disturbances. Not to compete for fame, not to compete for profit, not to compete for power and victory. If you are good as water, water is good for all things and does not compete".

Confucius said, "What you say makes sense, especially the words 'the best is like water', which I feel most deeply. The key to water's understatement, calmness and greatness of spirit lies in its unique character of being soft and uncontentious, never being self-reliant, self-righteous, self-victimising or self-respecting, but always having a heart to help the world and benefit others, which can be described as the highest goodness and perfection. If everyone could be as humble, soft and uncontentious as water, then the whole society would be free of war and filled with the positive energy of peace everywhere."

When Lao Tzu heard Confucius say this, he smiled but did not say anything. Lao Tzu thought: it seems that Confucius is indeed very enlightened.

The second time Confucius met Lao Tzu was already 17 years later in the 24th year of Duke Zhao. When Confucius met Laozi for the second time, he was overwhelmed by the philosophy of 'going with the flow' that Laozi talked about. This meeting took place in the 24th year of Duke Zhao in the Spring and Autumn Period, when Confucius was 34 years old.

Confucius and Laozi were having tea and chatting.

Confucius asked, "What do you think is the best way to handle things?"

Lao Tzu said, "To do nothing and not to do anything."

The short sentence gave Confucius a deep insight. Confucius combined his thoughts and finally concluded with his new thought: to do nothing and not to do anything, to follow nature. In other words it means to follow the laws of nature, to respect cause and effect, and to let everything be as it is. When we do something, we should do our best, and after we have done our best, we should not force ourselves, but should do our best and follow nature. If we can follow this principle, we will get twice the result with half the effort and will not bring ourselves too much trouble. If you can follow this principle, you will get more out of it than you need to, and you will not cause yourself too much trouble. "Doing nothing" does not mean turning a blind eye or a deaf ear, or doing nothing passively.

The word "wu wei" is used in conjunction with the word "natural", which means "natural wu wei". The word "nature" here means the laws of nature. So "Wu Wei" means not to destroy the laws of natural development with one's subjective desires. At the same time, Wu Wei is both an attitude to life and a realm of life worth pursuing. If one can reach this realm, one will be able to understand the true meaning of Wu Wei: Wu Wei tells us that we should not do whatever we want, let alone do whatever we want, because there are certain rules to follow in everything. The only way to reduce our worries is to follow the laws of things, respect the actual situation and go with nature. If we can follow the natural course of events and go with the flow of things, we will find that everything is so easy and natural.

The third time was in the 22nd year of King Jing of Zhou (498 BC), when Confucius "went south to Pei to meet Laozi (Laozi)". When Confucius met Laozi for the third time, he was already in his fifties. This time it was the time when Confucius peered into the source and attained the Way. By this time Confucius was already well known, while Laozi was living in seclusion. Confucius had been actively travelling from country to country, advocating his doctrines (etiquette and benevolence), but things were not going his way, and he was frustrated and confused as no king adopted his ideas. Confucius thought of how he had always been enlightened by his previous visits to Laozi, so he had the idea of visiting him again. This time, Confucius and Laozi mainly discussed the question of what is the Way of Heaven.

At that time, Confucius said to his disciple, Nangong Jing Shu, "Laozi, the historian of the Zhou's Hidden Chamber, is knowledgeable about the past and the present, and knows the origin of rites and music and the essentials of morality. Now I wish to go to Zhou to seek instruction, would you like to go with me?" On hearing this, Nangong Jing Shu, a noble student of Confucius, prepared a carriage and horses and went with him to visit Laozi's place.

When Lao Tzu saw Confucius coming from a thousand miles away, he was very happy and asked, "Have you achieved the Way by actively seeking it?"

Confucius replied, "I have devoted myself to seeking the Way for more than 20 years, but I have not yet seen the Way. I would like to ask you, sir, to show me the way."

Lao Tzu said, "If the Tao had its form and quality, and could be touched and given away, then everyone would be competing to give it to the king to claim credit. If the Tao could be clearly stated in words, then everyone would tell the Tao to their loved ones. If the Way could be passed on to others, everyone would pass it on to their own children. What has been said above, however, cannot actually happen; the Tao will not come to take root in a person's heart without a profound knowledge of it."

Confucius said, "I have read through the Book of Songs, the Book of Books, the Rites of the Zhou, the Music of the Zhou, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals, and have explored them in depth. I think I have got the essence of the Duke of Zhou and the Duke of Zhaogong. So I visited more than 70 kings, but none of them would take my advice. It seems that the job of persuading people is indeed too difficult."

Lao Tzu smiled and said, "Your so-called 'six arts' are all old things from the time of the previous kings, so what is the use of trying them? You must know that these old things are like the marks left by one's shoes, which are only footprints; and the 'real body' that steps out of the footprints is invisible to you."

Confucius then humbly asked Lao Tzu, "In your opinion: what is the Way of Heaven and the Way of the Tao?"

Lao Tzu said, "If you want to see the Way, you must first wander your mind to the beginning of things. At the beginning of things, they are all one, invisible and without nature, without differences. If we see the same thing, we will be able to unify all things. The same is true of all things, and the same is true of right and wrong. Therefore, we can see life and death as day and night, misfortune and blessing as one, good fortune and bad fortune as one, no nobility and no lowliness, no honour and no disgrace, a mind like an ancient well, I do what I do, I am happy with myself, where can we not be happy?"

Confucius said, "What you mean by this is that if you want to peep into the Way, you must set your mind on the origin of things. All things are different only on the surface; their origin is the same within; there is no difference."

Lao Tzu added: "When things and I are one, there is no difference between right and wrong, between things and me, between life and death, between day and night, between fortune and disaster, between good and bad luck, between nobility and lowliness, between honour and disgrace. If one's mind is free from the ancient well, then one can be happy with oneself. If one thought does not arise, all thoughts are absent, and there is nothing."

Confucius said, "What you are talking about is how to 'remove my attachment', that is, how to put down the 'I'. Only when we can put down all the rules and regulations in our minds and all our prejudices can we see that everything is the same Only when we can let go of all the boxes in our heads and all our prejudices can we see the essence of everything.

Only when all things are one and I am not divided can the mind be truly at peace and happy."

The dialogue between Lao Tzu and Confucius revealed the mysteries of heaven and benefited Confucius immensely. After returning from Laozi, Confucius said to his students, "The Tao Te Ching written by Laozi is what teaches us how to cultivate our mind and how to open our wisdom. Laozi's wisdom can make one go about worshipping things and gold and greed. Lao Tzu's wisdom can make one's mind like water in the midst of chaotic desires, remove impatience, focus on inner happiness, and enhance morality and spirituality."

Laozi also took Confucius to visit Janghong, the ruling great priest of the dynasty, who was a famous musician of the time and a master of music, and he taught Confucius the art of music. He also led Confucius on a tour of the rituals for worshipping the gods and taught him many rituals, which made Confucius feel a lot of emotions.

A few days later, Confucius bade farewell to Laozi; he did not force him to stay and sent him beyond his official residence. Laozi said, "I have heard that a rich man gives away his wealth, but a benevolent man gives away his words. I am not rich or noble, and I have no wealth to give you; I would like to give you a few words. In this day and age, those who are wise and perceptive are in trouble and die because they ridicule the wrongs of others; those who are eloquent and knowledgeable are in trouble and die because they promote the evils of others. As a son of man, do not think of yourself as superior; as a minister of man, do not think of yourself as superior. I hope you will remember this." Upon hearing this, Confucius said with emotion, "I will certainly engrave your words on my heart."

Confucius bade farewell to Laozi and went back to Lu with Nangong Jing Shu in his car.

The fourth time Confucius had visited Laozi, by this time both Laozi and Confucius had acquired the divine power of predestination - that is, the ability to know clearly what had happened in the past. When they met and took a look with their divine powers, they knew each other's true identities and the purpose of their reincarnation: both had come to earth to teach and educate all beings, to improve the morality and spirituality of human beings, and to prepare the ground for the Mahayana Buddhism to be successfully The two had come to earth to teach beings, to elevate human morality and spirituality, and to pave the way for the Mahayana Buddhism to be introduced to China and accepted by the people. From then on, Confucius considered Laozi a dragon, while Laozi praised Confucius as a phoenix.

When Confucius returned from Laozi's place for the fourth time, he was speechless for three days. Confucius' pupil Zigong was surprised and asked Confucius why this was so.

Confucius replied, "When I meet someone whose mind is as active as a bird of prey, I can subdue him by shooting at him with arguments as sharp as a bow and arrow. If the opponent's thinking is as indulgent and uncontrolled as that of an elk, I can drive the hounds after him, and I can subdue him with my arguments. If the opponent's mind swims like a fish in a theory like an abyss, I can catch him with a hook. If, however, the other's mind is like a dragon, soaring in the clouds, but swimming in the realm of illusion, invisible and inscrutable, I cannot chase and capture it. When I met Laozi, his mind was like a divine dragon swimming in the heavens, so that I had no words to refute him. Lao Tzu is really like a divine dragon!"

The student then asked, "Why is Lao Tzu a divine dragon?"

Confucius said, "Laozi is a dragon among men, do you know? I have never seen it until now! It is a human form formed by the aggregation of spiritual energy, and when it disperses it transforms into colourful clouds. Amazing, look at him sitting side by side with you, yet he can travel in the underworld, free between yin and yang."

After hearing this, the students looked at Confucius in puzzlement. Only Confucius knew that the carefully cultivated Confucius had already attained divine powers at that time, and it was only at this time when he attained the Way that he really saw the true face of Laozi, who turned out to be the reincarnation of the Buddhist Daggar, and the reason why Confucius visited Laozi many times was also because before his reincarnation Guanyin Bodhisattva had instructed Confucius that he could visit Laozi sometime.

And there is a related story about Laozi calling Confucius a phoenix: once, when Laozi saw Confucius travelling with some disciples, he asked who they all were. Confucius said that the one at the front of the group was called Zi Lu, who was strong and powerful; the next were Zi Gong, who was wise, Zeng Zi, who was virtuous and filial, Yan Hui, who was kind, and Zi Zhang, who was brave.

Laozi praised him, saying, "I have heard that there is a bird in the south called the phoenix. Its tree is called Qiong, and its branches are a hundred feet high, and it is treasured for its tinkling and rangan. The tree is called Qiong and its branches are a hundred feet high. The text of the phoenix bird, Dai Sheng and Infant Ren, Right Wisdom and Left Virtue." Laozi praised Confucius for his unparalleled mastery, his high apprenticeship, and his right wisdom and left virtue, just like the phoenix, the king of all birds flying in the sky, whose master is respected and whose apprentices are virtuous, and whose path is clear and virtuous.

Laozi used the phoenix as a metaphor for Confucius because of his supreme virtue and benevolence.

In comparing Confucius to the phoenix, Laozi is praising Confucius' noble and holy character, as well as his heartfelt affirmation of Confucius' positive and enterprising spirit like fire, which is also the respect, admiration and praise of a highly virtuous elder to a relatively young educator.

It is thus clear that Confucius uses the dragon to compare Laozi with the divine nature of the dragon, which rises to the heavens and dives into the abyss, and is apt to change, in order to compare it with Laozi's quiet and free movement, and his ability to think and argue across the world. In comparing the phoenix to Confucius, Laozi has taken the phoenix's divine nature of pro-deity and benevolence to compare it to Confucius's character of wisdom, goodness and harmony, and his holy virtue of loving kindness and disciplining oneself and benefiting others.

The ideas of Laozi and Confucius, like the dragon and phoenix, brought the gospel to the troubled warring times of the time. Their ideas were different, but they both originated from the positive energy of light and love in the universe, bringing together the essence of morality and spirituality. Seeking the eternal joy deep within, seeking the priceless treasure of the goodness of man's nature, spreading the light and love of mutual respect, love and assistance throughout the world.