Xuefeng's Dialogue with Laozi

Xuefeng

Not long after leaving the Realm of Cool Serenity (the Zero World), I passed through the Celestial Islands Continent and saw an island cloaked in a purple aura. Recognizing it as Purple Cloud Island—the dwelling of Laozi—and having long admired the profound wisdom of his Tao, I decided to pay a visit. Passing through the purple mist, I beheld a land of crystal-clear mountains and waters, picturesque and serene. Amid the scenic beauty stood a refined house of red bricks and green tiles. Beneath its eaves, Laozi was teaching two young celestial children to play chess. Descending from my cloud, I stepped forward.

Xuefeng: “The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. You avoid contention, yet let the children compete. Is acting in the name of non-action still considered non-action?”

Laozi: “Hush now, hush. I wish to observe their game.”

Xuefeng: “The host pays no mind to his guest—is Hundun truly chaos?”

Laozi (turning to look): “Ah! The Honored Hundun Celestial arrives—my apologies for failing to welcome you. Children, quickly serve the Yao Ridge Celestial Tea. Hundun Celestial, please have a seat.”

Xuefeng: “You left behind five thousand words and now dwell here as a Super Celestial Being—how carefree your life has become!”

Laozi: “In pursuing the Tao, one lessens day by day. When the diminishing reaches its limit, one enters the Celestial Realm. Such is the Way of Nature.”

Xuefeng: “Mysterious upon mysterious—the gateway to all wonders.”

Laozi: “What brings you here today?”

Xuefeng: “Following the example of Sun Wukong—when one’s own strength is not enough, ascend to the heavenly realms and seek aid.”

Laozi: “And have you found such aid?”

Xuefeng: “The Greatest Creator granted revelations, Jesus bestowed teachings, and Sakyamuni showed the way through confusion. Now, Venerable Immortal, it is time for you to offer your treasure.”

Laozi: “My Tao Te Ching embodies Taiji thinking—less subtle than Sakyamuni’s formless thinking. You have already received Hundun thinking from the Greatest Creator—what treasures could I still offer you?”

Xuefeng: “Venerable Immortal, you once said, ‘Thus the saint handles affairs through non-action, and teaches without words.’ Was that truly your original intent?”

Laozi: “That line was miscopied by Yin Xi. What I truly meant was: ‘Thus, the Tao handles affairs through non-action, and teaches without words.’ If a saint merely engaged in non-action and taught without speaking, then every stone on the mountain would be a saint.”

Xuefeng: “Thank you for your guidance, Venerable Immortal. Then what does it mean when it says:‘Heaven and Earth are unkind; they treat all things as straw dogs. The saint is unkind; he treats the people as straw dogs’?”

Laozi: “The punctuation was placed incorrectly. The original is: ‘Heaven and Earth, not being unkind, regard all things as straw dogs. The saint, not being unkind, regards the people as straw dogs.’ Do you see the difference?”

Xuefeng: “Marvelous! Truly marvelous! All things carry yin and embrace yang. The upright becomes strange; goodness gives rise to mischief. You are in me, and I am in you. Heaven and Earth are kind—they take all beings as their own root of life. The saint is kind—he takes the people's hearts as his own. Thus, opposites can be united.”

Laozi: “Is there anything else you wish to clarify?”

Xuefeng: “You once said, ‘Sever learning, and you will be free from worry.’ Judging from the context: ‘Sever saints and abandon wisdom, and the people will benefit a hundredfold; Sever benevolence and discard righteousness, and the people will return to filial piety and compassion; Sever cleverness and forsake profit, and there will be no thieves or robbers’—it seems the word sever means to abandon, reject, or cease. Is that correct?”

Laozi: “The word sever has two meanings. First, it means not to be deluded by shallow, chaotic knowledge derived from appearances—one must clarify the mind and see one’s true nature to become a Celestial or Buddha. Second, it means to master or penetrate deeply. To thoroughly master a discipline is to attain the Tao. Only through these two interpretations can one truly be free of worry. To claim that ‘sever learning’ means to abandon all culture and knowledge in order to be free from worry—that would be the height of foolishness.”

Xuefeng: “Well said! Well said! The worldly are bright, I alone am dim; The worldly are clear, I alone am dull. Yet brightness that is not bright is dimness, and dimness that is not dim is brightness; Clarity that is not clear is confusion, and confusion that is not confused is clarity. This is true wisdom! To remain true to one’s nature is endurance; To die without perishing is longevity. I understand your Tao Te Ching, Venerable Immortal.”

Laozi: “When will you come to settle in the Celestial Islands Continent? We could converse day and night.”

Xuefeng: “Soon! Very soon! And I won’t come alone—I’ll bring a whole group of kindred spirits with me. There are tens of billions of islands lying idle—why not fill them with Celestial friends? Each to their own island, visiting one another freely—what joyous liveliness!”

Laozi: “Wonderful! Wonderful! There is no place more delightful in the universe than the Celestial Islands Continent. I await your arrival with your companions.”

Xuefeng: “I have a request.”

Laozi: “Please speak.”

Xuefeng: “Lifechanyuan should have its ‘Eight Sages of Chanyuan.’ They are currently known as the ‘Eight Sages of Chanyuan,’ but in the future, they will become the ‘Eight Chanyuan Celestials’. As the Patriarch of Immortals, it is only fitting that they become your disciples. I ask that you give them your special guidance. So far, we have only Penglai Celestial and Bailing Celestial. Please use your spirit to guide the remaining six to come forth soon. May they unite in one heart, support one another, and journey together to the Celestial Islands Continent.”

Laozi: “A noble request—it shall be done.”

Xuefeng: “Thank you for your time, Venerable Immortal. I take my leave—until we meet again.”

Laozi: “Wait, Hundun Celestial! It seems Mao Zedong is in some trouble. He’s still wandering in the Three Realms Transit Continent. Go lend him a helping hand.”

Xuefeng: “As you command, Venerable Immortal. Until we meet again!”

(See also: “Xuefeng’s Dialogue with Mao Zedong”)