Seeking the Optimal Combination

Xuefeng

"A skillful cook cannot prepare a meal without rice." Thunder and lightning are created when positive and negative clouds collide. Explosives require a detonator to ignite. Seeds need moist soil to grow. Fertilization occurs through the union of male and female.

Only when a fine horse is paired with a good saddle, a beautiful woman with a worthy partner, flowers with green leaves, and a singer with a stage, can their true beauty be fully revealed.

A calligrapher needs a responsive brush to create exquisite works; a general manager requires competent assistants to run a company efficiently; a race car driver needs a high-performance car to outshine competitors; a violinist needs a well-crafted violin to produce captivating melodies.

Gasoline releases energy when ignited; fish swim freely in rivers, lakes, and seas; currency circulates in markets; a computer, when connected to power and the internet, shows its full potential; metals combine to create alloys; and a wise person resonating with Lifechanyuan can become a celestial being or a Buddha.

Humans have infinite plasticity and potential. They can be either pillars or great beams; live a life of mediocrity or one of brilliance; become thieves or heroes—it all depends on the environment and conditions they are combined with. Oxygen combines with hydrogen to form water, with copper to create copper oxide, and with aluminum to form aluminum oxide. “Those close to vermilion become red; those close to ink become black.” Worship Buddha and you gain Buddha's nature; pursue immortality, and the unreal can become real. A common person who converses with a saint can soon become wise, while a sage who keeps company with demons may eventually become a monster.

Mencius's mother moved their home three times to create the best environment for him. Liu Bei found Zhuge Liang, which enabled him to secure one-third of the kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period. Xuefeng, with the help of Xianhe celestial, founded Lifechanyuan. Sun Wu met Gui Guzi and became a great military strategist. On the other hand, Yue Fei's ambitions were thwarted by Qin Hui, and Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo due to having a strictly rule-bound subordinate.

Buddhas need golden adornments, horses need saddles, people need clothing, and goods need packaging—utilizing resources wisely enhances value. Climb high to see farther, use a boat to cross a river, take a plane to fly, and use a phone or computer to communicate across distances. Dual cultivation between men and women can explore the blissful realms.

Non-inert gases react chemically; different pigments blend to form new colors; the toxicity of raw pinellia and raw arisaema is reduced by ginger; eating cucumbers with peanuts harms the kidneys and causes diarrhea; mixing tofu with honey can lead to deafness; gypsum paired with anemarrhena significantly enhances its cooling effect; licorice counteracts euphorbia, veratrum counteracts ginseng, aconite counteracts pinellia, croton fears morning glory, and clove is counteracted by turmeric. South oranges transplanted to the north become trifoliate oranges. Einstein, by moving to America, discovered the mass-energy equivalence, leading to the birth of the atomic bomb.

These numerous examples demonstrate that combining things or people with different environments and conditions produces varying results.

There are countless paths, but there is certainly one optimal path. Among millions of people, there is one person best suited to you. Among countless environments, there is one that benefits you the most. Among myriad combinations, there is one that is the best.

1+1=2 is common, but real situations often differ. Two timid people together become more timid; two bold people together become bolder; two saboteurs together become more destructive. A usually docile dog may start biting if paired with a biting dog.

Some combinations amplify energy, while others diminish it. Being with some people brings joy and confidence in life, while others bring sorrow and loss of faith. Certain environments inspire and refresh, while others dishearten. “Beautiful mountains and clear waters produce talented people; desolate mountains and harsh waters breed rogues.” "Like father, like son; like mother, like daughter.” To know a person's character, observe their friends. These all indicate that a person's successes or failures in life are heavily influenced by their environment and combinations.

Some books, people, and environments can turn decay into wonder; certain thoughts, consciousness, and words can quickly cultivate the qualities of celestial being in sages. A chance opportunity, a serendipitous encounter, or a single gathering can profoundly alter one's life's trajectory.

Plants need fertile soil to thrive. To ascend the highest realms of life and existence, one must seek the optimal combination—what books to read, whom to associate with, which websites to visit—all are crucial.

“Whenever humans contemplate, the Greatest Creator laughs,” because of human confusion. But once distinctions are clear, layers are distinct, and the mysteries of space, time, and life are understood—utilizing resources wisely and continuously seeking the best combinations—the Greatest Creator will no longer laugh but instead say, "This person is extraordinary!"

With eyes on all directions and ears attuned to everything, frequently climb out of the well, proactively seek positive energy, combine with people wiser than yourself, and keep company with those who have opened their spiritual awareness—even rotting wood can become a masterpiece.

Electron collisions generate boundless energy. Anyone can be a vast reservoir of energy, or a palace filled with treasures. The key is finding the key that unlocks the treasure. Once the optimal combination is found, the door to endless opportunities will open.