01 People with many affairs
In Chapter 48 of the Tao Te Ching, it is said: “To conquer the world, it is not enough to have nothing or something.” Laozi told us that if we want the world to be governed, we should not issue too many laws and regulations. If there are too many laws and regulations, the people will feel exhausted, and society may become unstable and difficult to achieve its original intention. The same goes for being a person. Some people are too concerned about details, but they don’t know that simplicity is the true essence of life.
There is a fable about a camel accidentally tripping over an empty wine bottle. In a fit of anger, it kicked the bottle with all its strength. Unexpectedly, the bottle broke and scratched its leg, leaving it bleeding profusely. The smell of blood caught the attention of wolves, camels fled for their lives, wolves chased after them closely, and vultures also came upon hearing the news. In the end, the exhausted camel collapsed near the territory of the cannibal ants and became a delicacy for the ant colony.
The camel never imagined that a small piece of glass would become its deadly object until its death. Those who enjoy multitasking often get entangled in trivial matters, only to end up causing trouble for themselves and others as well. The Yan Family Precepts: Saving Time “also states:” Speak little, speak little; do nothing, do nothing and suffer little. “Doing too many things not only consumes personal energy, but may also lead to unnecessary disasters.
02 Fearful People
In Chapter 20 of the Tao Te Ching, it is said: “What people fear, they should not be fearless.” Laozi tells us that we should maintain a reverent heart towards things that make most people feel afraid. However, in daily life, many people are too timid and afraid of things, their hearts filled with fear, self limiting, and losing the courage to move forward.
There was once a man named Chen Buzhan, whose cowardice was well known, even inferior to that of a rat. Once, the country encountered a war and conscripted one male from each household to participate. Chen Buzhan learned that he would be sent to the front line and was so scared that he couldn’t even hold a rice spoon. On the car heading to the battlefield, he was so scared that he couldn’t even grab onto the railing and fell off the car multiple times. Upon arriving at the battlefield, Chen Buzhan died of excessive fright upon hearing only the collision of weapons and the screams of soldiers.
The inner fear is like an invisible chain that only binds your footsteps. Everyone has their own fears and challenges they are unwilling to face. If you hesitate due to fear, you will ultimately achieve nothing. What should happen will always happen. Only by bravely facing fear and overcoming difficulties can we be invincible.
03 Many Words People
In the “Tao Te Ching – Chapter 41”, it says: “great music has the faintest notes, great form Is beyond shape.” Too much speech will inevitably lead to mistakes. Too much talk will easily lead to disputes and even put yourself in danger.
Restricting one’s words, not revealing one’s weaknesses, and not discussing personal matters are the true cultivation of a person’s inner self. In the Battle of Guandu, Xu You provided advice to help Cao Cao achieve a decisive victory. However, Xu You often spoke wildly because he believed he had made outstanding contributions. Once, after drinking, Xu You loudly slandered Cao Cao in public, and was overheard by Cao Cao’s beloved Xu Chu. Xu Chu angrily rebuked him to shut up, but Xu You didn’t listen and instead became even more reckless, calling Cao Cao by his nickname. In a fit of anger, Xu Chu killed Xu You. After learning about it, although Cao Cao criticized Xu Chu on the surface, he secretly rejoiced in his heart.
Although Xu You made contributions, he ultimately lost his life due to inappropriate language. Being good at words is an ability, but knowing how to remain silent at the appropriate time is a higher wisdom. In life, people who talk a lot often say irrelevant things, which may even harm others and bring disaster to themselves. In life, the more words one speaks, the more disasters they may bring. Learning humility and silence is crucial. Sometimes, humility and silence are our best talismans.
