The Constant Nature of All Actions

Xuefeng

The birth, development, movement, and change of all things follow a set pattern. Everything unfolds according to the internal laws governing its movement and transformation. The universe is a unified whole, and nothing exists independently beyond this whole; this is what is meant by "the constancy of all actions."

In this context, "all" refers to "all things," "actions" denote the movements and changes of all things, and "constancy" refers to "a normal state," "law," "principle," or "trajectory."

The universe is governed by the spirit of the Greatest Creator—the "Tao." The scope of "the Tao" is "infinite externally and infinitely detailed internally," with everything operating within "the Tao." "The heavenly net is vast and fine, yet nothing escapes it," hence the universe possesses "constancy."

When observing the movements and changes (actions) of the solar system, whether it’s Earth, Mars, the Moon, or Saturn, they all strictly adhere to the laws (constancy) of the solar system. There are no random events here; everything happens by necessity.

The alternation of seasons on Earth also follows a pattern (constancy): spring is followed by summer, autumn by winter, and this cycle continues throughout the ages.

Human beings also follow the laws of birth, aging, illness, and death (constancy). No matter how many unpredictable factors influence a person, the pattern of birth, aging, illness, and death remains inescapable.

When we superficially observe myriad phenomena, everything may appear random, accidental, unpredictable, and impermanent. However, upon deeper investigation, we discover that everything follows certain laws and patterns (constancy), without exception. For example:

"Any object with mass in the universe interacts with other objects."

"All objects in the universe attract each other. The gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them."

"An object remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force." "An object subjected to a net external force will accelerate in the direction of that force, with the magnitude of acceleration being directly proportional to the force and inversely proportional to the object's mass."

"The forces of action and reaction between two objects are equal in magnitude, opposite in direction, and act along the same line."

"An object submerged in a liquid experiences an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the liquid it displaces."

"For a given area, the pressure increases proportionally with the applied force. When the same force is applied to surfaces of different areas, the resulting pressure will differ; smaller areas result in higher pressure, while larger areas result in lower pressure."

Similarly, in everyday life, we observe constancy. For example, water freezes at temperatures below zero, gasoline and many other flammable substances ignite when exposed to fire, steamed buns take about 15 minutes to cook, and loss of blood leads to death in animals. An overdose of sleeping pills can cause fatality, eating raw onions with honey can lead to severe digestive issues, and prolonged visual strain, lying down, sitting, standing, or walking can respectively harm the blood, qi, muscles, bones, and tendons. Furthermore, excessive frustration can lead to illness, turning off a power switch disables the device, reckless driving causes accidents, and a clean and tidy environment with flowers and greenery uplifts the spirit.

The development and transformation of things follow the law of causation. For instance:

"A great deal of wrongdoing will lead to one's own destruction." "Heaven rewards diligence." "Humility brings benefits; arrogance leads to harm." "Absolute sincerity can affect even metal and stone." "Excessive agitation leads to confusion; extreme calmness brings clarity." "High fame incites jealousy; excessive favor leads to slander." "Excessive joy leads to sorrow; unbridled desires lead to disaster." "Constant dripping wears away the stone; fruits ripen and fall off the stem." "Sow melons, and you will reap melons; sow beans, and you will reap beans." "A virtuous wife reduces misfortunes; a filial son eases his father's heart." "Comfort and plenty lead to indulgence; hunger and cold stir up theft." "To covet the benefits of livestock and poultry is to invite the loss of one’s nature; to take advantage of human affairs brings the loss of heavenly principles." "Excessive enjoyment brings about disaster; unusual behavior signals misfortune."

Buddhism teaches that "all things are impermanent," but this is a misconception that has been passed down for thousands of years. If "all things were impermanent," we would inevitably become confused and live aimlessly, losing our sense of direction and purpose in life. If everything lacked rules, principles, and patterns, and were merely random events and chaotic occurrences, how could we cultivate and practice? What we cultivate in the morning would be gone by the afternoon, so what would we be cultivating? How could weather forecasts be made? What could science explore? We plant seeds in the spring with the expectation of harvesting in the autumn. If "all things were impermanent," could we expect a harvest in the autumn? "Good deeds bring good results, and evil deeds bring evil results." If "all things were impermanent," where would the retribution for good and evil come from?

Indeed, the universe is holographic. A single straw can break a camel's back, and a butterfly flapping its wings in Alaska might cause a storm at the Cape of Good Hope. However, without a pattern, without the development of things reaching a point of saturation or a critical juncture of qualitative change, things will continue along their inherent trajectories. No matter how many unknown factors affect them, they will operate within the laws and principles.

The constancy of all actions implies that every effect is contained within the laws and principles.