Life is learning. Learning is life. Learning the content of life is not like learning a science that must be memorized and repeated. Life is not a daily repetition. Life is like a flowing river, like clouds moving in the sky, changing every moment, different every second.
It is impossible to describe life as something dead, something stagnant. Learning about life occurs as long as one lives. By opening one's eyes. By observing with vigilance and attention. Not by copying existing lessons, because copying is coercion and therefore false, no matter how good it seems. And that falsehood, no matter how beautiful it seems, is still false and therefore unnatural, unclean.
Goodness cannot be learned, it cannot be memorized. Goodness that is learned and memorized is merely hypocrisy, a falsehood, because such goodness is always motivated by an ulterior motive. And ulterior motives are the desire for good, and if it's the self that wants good, it's certainly because the ego sees a benefit in that goodness!
This ego cannot possibly act selflessly for its own benefit, no matter how often that ulterior motive is smuggled, infiltrated, hidden, and given various clothing and names. It's still ulterior motives, and ultimately it's still for the benefit of the ego. This ego is so clever that sometimes ulterior motives can be manipulated in such a way that they no longer appear to be ulterior motives. No matter how neat or ulterior motives are manipulated, actions driven by the ego are still ulterior motives.
The action is free from the ego, clean from ulterior motives, if it is based on love, driven not by lust, thoughts, or the ego, but by the vibrations of a touched feeling, by compassion, by emotion, and compassion.
Love is no longer love when the ego is present, because what is thought to be love is merely lustful love, a lustful love that always expects recompense for its own benefit, goodness, or ultimately, the pleasure.
Time flies by very quickly if you don't pay attention. Those who were listening to the two powerful elder's important words of advice lost track of time.
The sun was beginning to set in the west when suddenly a Shaolin disciple appeared running.
"Master Uncle! Shaolin Temple is being attacked by government troops!" they said to Thian Gi Monk.
Of course, Thian Gi Monk and the Shaolin disciples were shocked. They just remembered that at noon, Shaolin Temple would have a meeting between the Shaolin disciples to discuss the suffering of the common people due to the canal project. They were all so captivated by the teachings of the two powerful figures that they lost track of time, then suddenly they were shocked by the news that Shaolin Sect was being invaded by the government troops!
"Two Elders, forgive us!" said Thian Gi Monk, and he quickly got up and ran up the hill, followed by dozens of Shaolin disciples.
"Sadhu! We must help our friends from Shaolin Temple if they are in danger!" said the taoist monk with the long beard, and he jumped and ran, followed by dozens of other taoist monk.
Seeing this, White Clothed Taoist and BlackFaced Monk took a deep breath and looked at each other. Then BlackFaced Monk said, "Amitabha, everything is predetermined by karma, and humans cannot escape their karma."
"What matters is the present. Yesterday has passed, so let it pass. Tomorrow is just a shadow, so let it come as it may. The present is what matters, and whatever happens now, that is what we must face with full vigilance, which will give rise to wisdom," said White Clothed Taoist.
"That's right, Tao brother. Let's see what's happening there," he said, then got up and climbed the hill. When they saw smoke billowing from the top of the hill, they both stopped and stared with furrowed brows.
"Hmm, there was a fire there", said White Clothed Taoist.
"Amitabha, did it have to come to that?" BlackFaced Monk said, as if asking himself. They then ran quickly up the hill towards Shaolin Temple.
What had happened in Shaolin Temple, in that magnificent and usually very quiet and peaceful monastery? As we know, Thian Cu Monk, the head of Shaolin Sect at that time, had arranged a meeting with the Shaolin disciples that living outside the temple, to discuss the conflict between the Shaolin disciples and the officers recruiting labor for the large canal excavation project.
Thian Cu Monk was a strict and disciplined man. This is indeed the character required of a leader who leads many students. Without discipline, there will be no order, especially if this discipline involves violence. Discipline imposed by others, especially discipline that carries the threat of punishment, inevitably leads to conflict.
This is different from self-discipline, which arises from wisdom and a deep understanding of vigilance. Self-discipline is indeed necessary, absolutely essential for social and family life.
When he heard reports from his disciples about the cruelty of the officials towards the common people, how many people had to flee to avoid being forcibly taken by officials reinforced by government troops, how wives and children were abandoned by their husbands, how elderly people in need of services were abandoned by their sons, how workers were forced to work day and night, treated as prisoners carrying out forced labor. Hearing all this, the Thian Cu Monk became furious.
However, as he listened to the reports one by one from the many disciples, a guard disciple suddenly entered, his face pale, reporting that government troops were coming towards Shaolin! Hearing this, the Shaolin disciples were shocked and they were get ready, but the Thian Cu Monk warned them against violence.
"Remember, without my order, no one is to fight the government troops," he said.
"Pin-ceng myself will meet the troop commander and speak with him. After all, we are defending the people as warriors, not as rebels. We are not rebels, therefore, no one is to attack the troops if they come here!"
Despite their deep concern, the Shaolin warriors declared their obedience to their leader. "And remember, those who have clashed with the officers and are known to be, it's best to hide inside and not show themselves to avoid causing a commotion," said Thian Cu Monk before leaving the meeting room and heading to the front hall.
The disciple's report turned out to be correct. An army of approximately five hundred men had surrounded the Shaolin Monastery. Now the group of officers leading the force had dismounted from their horses and headed toward the gate.
Leading them was a commander in his fifties, clad in dazzling attire, with an indifferent demeanor, and a sword slung at his waist. He strode toward the gate, followed by a dozen auxiliary officers. Several of his guards held flags and rank insignia.
This commander was no stranger to the Shaolin disciples. He was Ciong Hap Ki, a commander who had frequently visited Shaolin, either as a government envoy or as a guest of the Shaolin leader. However, his demeanor now was not that of a friend or a welcoming guest. He appeared angry and arrogant, and even when the gatekeepers saluted him, he didn't respond. Instead, he arrogantly strode through the already opened gate, accompanied by a dozen of his attendants, most of whom wore stiff and stern expressions.
When the group of officers arrived at the front porch, they stopped when they see Thian Cu Monk, dressed in full Shaolin head attire, a yellow robe with red checks, and a head's staff in hand. He was standing in the front hall, accompanied by his attendant monks and the head disciple that most of whom were highly accomplished monks.
The disciples who had arrived from outside the monastery remained hidden. There were approximately fifty monks in total, from the leaders to the lower officials. However, there were a dozen or so people outside the temple with the Thian Gi Monk to confront the taoist monk, leaving just over thirty people in the temple. More than twenty disciples had arrived from outside, bringing the total number of Shaolin disciples inside the temple to approximately sixty.
Seeing the Shaolin leader standing to greet him, along with the Shaolin disciples, Ciong Hap Ki, also known as General Ciong, glared at him. His eyes darted left and right, searching as if he were searching for those hiding inside the temple. Meanwhile, the Thian Cu Monk could see General Ciong's unfriendly attitude, so he took the lead by raising both hands in salute and said, his voice is soft.
"Amitabha, welcome, General Ciong. Officer's visit is surprising, suddenly, and brings troops. What business is it, General?"
Ciong Hap Ki was a commander renowned for his expertise in war arts and martial arts. Because he was a skilled martial arts, he became friends with the Shaolin chief. However, he also had a tough character, befitting his position as a warlord who was constantly confronted with violence. Because he already had prejudices and viewed Shaolin Sect as an opponent and enemy, his attitude became harsh. All of his friendliness toward his friend vanished.