Benevolence

Pure Benevolence (Shan) has no notions. It is a natural expression and the manifestation of one’s true nature. Pure benevolence is not fragile, yielding or intentional. It has no restriction or apprehension. Pure benevolence is the harmonious unification of matter and spirit. Pure benevolence encompasses and understands everything, and communicates with all matter and existence. Reaching the utmost purity and utmost benevolence: this is the process of returning to one’s true self.

Yet, different types of matter and different lives have different standards. Just as steel can never understand how ceramic does not ever get rusty, ceramic will never comprehend the strength of steel. This is because the composition of different types of matter is different. If a person judges others with his own notions, he will never be tolerant and will forever be painfully shackled by his own notions, feeling frustrated and dissatisfied. He can never understand others because he doesn’t realize that there are different types of lives and different types of people. One should always respect others, because people have different standards; if one can handle oneself this way, one’s spirit will have the vastness of the ocean, and one will be able to learn from the positive aspects of every person he meets. Formation-stasis-degeneration[-destruction] is natural law; only when one believes in the harmonizing mechanism of the universe, can one face everything with ease. At the same time, one should never expect others to live according to one’s own standards, or else things will feel artificial and be short-lived; after all, lives all have their own characteristics.

Benevolence can be called benevolence only because the person who does good deeds is not aware of his own benevolent action. When benevolence is applied for the sake of being benevolent, it is then stained with selfishness and pursuit, so it becomes not as pure and can’t be regarded as true benevolence. Being benevolent for the sake of benevolence not only won’t bring about good results; it can even hurt others. The ancient Chinese character for benevolence is composed of a sheep and a patch of grass. One is benevolent only by giving the sheep grass, not by forcing one’s favorite things onto the sheep. Only by being considerate of characteristics of others, including their ability to adapt, can a good deed bear fruit.

Assimilating into Truthfulness, Benevolence and Forbearance, a life will naturally reach the highest degree of benevolence and purity without complacency.