In the cultural heritage of Taoism, the ancient saying ‘Do not transmit the law to the six ears’ deeply embodies its unique wisdom of inheritance. It requires that the transmission of spells between masters and disciples must be carried out in an absolutely private environment, avoiding external interference. This principle may seem contradictory to the broad concept of Taoism on the surface, but in reality, the two are parallel and carry different aspects and profound significance for the development of Taoism.
The profound understanding of the uniqueness of individual cultivation in Taoism lies behind the phrase ‘Dharma does not transmit to the six ears’. Taoism believes that although there is one great path, the path taken by each person varies greatly due to differences in temperament and circumstances. Therefore, secret transmission is not only to protect the purity of cultivation and avoid external noise disturbing the practitioner’s state of mind, but also based on the principle of teaching students according to their aptitude, ensuring that each disciple can receive the most suitable guidance according to their own conditions. This approach is not only responsible to the disciples, but also shows respect for the Dao itself, ensuring that the true teachings are not lost and the essence is continued.
However, Taoism also has a strong desire to spread its teachings and wisdom, hoping to benefit people. Faced with external doubts about the conservatism of Taoist inheritance methods, Taoism is also seeking balance and change. On the premise of maintaining the core doctrines and essence of practice unchanged, Taoism gradually opens its doors to the public with a more diverse and inclusive attitude, aiming to popularize Taoist knowledge through education, lectures, cultural exchanges, and other forms, guide more people into the world of Taoism, and experience its profound philosophical ideas and wisdom of self-cultivation.
Therefore, the concept of “not transmitting the six ears of the Dharma” and the widespread use of Taoist teachings are actually like the two sides of yin and yang in Taoist practice, complementing each other and jointly promoting the inheritance and development of Taoist culture. The former is a manifestation of depth and accuracy, ensuring the pure continuation of the essence of Taoism; The latter is the expansion of breadth and breadth, allowing more people to have the opportunity to come into contact with and benefit from Taoist wisdom. The parallelism of the two not only satisfies the rigor of the internal inheritance of Taoism, but also takes into account the universal value of promoting Taoism to the outside world, jointly building the richness and inclusiveness of Taoist culture.
In short, while Taoism adheres to the principle of “not transmitting the Dharma to the six ears”, it also opens up a wide range of Dharma doors and embraces the world with an open mind. This attitude of both conservatism and openness, as well as inheritance and innovation, is the key to the longevity and renewal of Taoist culture.
