The morning bell rang out, and the mist had not yet dispersed. Inside the temple, the Taoist practitioners were already lined up in the hall, chanting the morning altar rituals together as the gong sounded. The voice of "Infinite Compassion for All Beings" pierced through the morning mist, reverberating throughout the mountains and forests.
Most people's impression of Taoism is often limited to terms like "hermit" and "mountain forest", and they think that Taoism is an "otherworldly religion", always maintaining a deliberate distance from the complex society. However, when delving into Taoist classics and history, it becomes clear that the concept of "benefiting the world and helping people" is deeply embedded within it, and Taoism is also a "worldly path".
How to understand and practice the "saving the world" spirit of Taoism, and make it move from the classics to reality, and from temples to society, is a question that every Taoist should seriously consider.
Benefiting Society and Benefiting People: The Historical Echo of the Excellent Traditions of Taoism
The "Taoist Canon" states, "The path of immortals emphasizes the preservation of life and the extensive salvation of people." In the "Supreme Lord's Indications," numerous virtuous deeds are listed, ranging from saving people in distress to forgiving their mistakes - all of these are very specific daily behaviors in human relationships and daily life, rather than esoteric cultivation techniques. The "Taiping Canon" even directly proposed that practitioners of Taoism have the responsibility to safeguard the well-being of all living beings in the world. These classics fully demonstrate that seeking truth and attaining enlightenment, as well as caring for the common people, are concurrent aspects in the Taoist practice system. Saving the world and benefiting people are the inherent intentions of practice, and practitioners of Taoism should take this as their mission.
This concept was fully expounded in the practical activities of the Taoist masters throughout history. Master Ge Hong was highly skilled in medicine and authored "The Compendium of Materia Medica for Emergencies", treating the poor and needy. Interestingly, this book, written over a thousand years ago, later became an important clue for Tu Youyou's research on artemisinin. Master Qiu Chuji, upon reaching old age, set out on a journey and met with Genghis Khan. With his own efforts, he persuaded the ruler to stop violence. It was said that "a single word to stop killing brought benefits to the entire people." The "benefiting the people" actions of the Taoist masters, with their profound spiritual foundation, lie in the understanding and practice of "the Tao", and in the respect and protection of "life".
Patriotic Conduct: The Intrinsic Requirements of Taoist Doctrine
The "Taiping Jing" contains the concept of "assisting the country and upholding the people's well-being", emphasizing that practitioners of Taoism have the responsibility to maintain the stability of the country and society. In "Baopu Zi", it is clearly stated that "Those who wish to achieve immortality should base their efforts on loyalty, righteousness, harmony, kindness and trustworthiness". Loyalty and righteousness are listed as the prerequisite conditions for practicing Taoism. This ideology is rooted in Taoism's understanding of the relationship between heaven and humanity. The operation of the celestial law has its own order, and the human society also requires harmony and order. Maintaining this order is precisely the manifestation of obeying heaven and conforming to human nature.
Patriotism and law-abidingness, as well as service to society, are natural extensions of the inherent logic of Taoist beliefs. Today, the manifestations of patriotism and devotion to Taoism are more evident in ordinary activities such as observing laws and maintaining self-discipline, as well as participating in volunteer services. Observing laws and abiding by discipline is conforming to the Heavenly Way at the level of human order; participating in social services and maintaining social harmony is the implementation of the spirit of benefiting without harming and acting without contention in public life; actively promoting ecological civilization construction and promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature is a vivid practice of Taoists' implementation of the concept of "following nature's ways".
Practice and Daily Life: The Therapeutic Practices of Temple Life
Daoism has always placed great emphasis on practice. Within Daoism, there is a term called "oral Daoism", which is specifically used to criticize those monks who talk nicely but have no concrete actions. Similarly, if the spirit of saving the world merely remains in the rituals of chanting scriptures and performing ceremonies, without being implemented in daily behavior, it can also be regarded as a form of "oral Daoism".
The mission of patriotism and benefiting the world is reflected in every detail of one's daily spiritual practice. Releasing and protecting living beings is the embodiment of the spirit of saving lives; administering medicine to help those in need is to turn the words in the classics into concrete actions; protecting mountains and forests and participating in ecological protection are the most simple expressions of following nature's laws in reality. Nowadays, many temples and temples have launched various public welfare activities such as free medical consultations, student assistance, and psychological counseling. Although these activities seem far removed from traditional spiritual practice, they are actually the extension of Taoism's "benefiting the world" spirit in different eras.
When receiving pilgrims in temples, one may encounter unreasonable people. When participating in public welfare activities, one may encounter misunderstandings and indifference... From the perspective of spiritual cultivation, these experiences are precisely opportunities to temper one's character. "The greatest kindness is like water; water is kind to all things without competing." Being able to remain calm even when misunderstood requires even more effort for self-cultivation. Just as when reading the "Qingjing Jing", using the text to correct one's inner state. When a person truly recites the scriptures and calms down, they will discover that many so-called troubles actually stem from one's own selfish desires. Only by calming the inner self can one truly generate concern for others, rather than having kind intentions with ulterior motives.
Are these good deeds part of the practice of cultivation, or are they social responsibilities beyond the practice? The Daoist concept of merit emphasizes that external good deeds serve as a mirror for internal cultivation. Whether a person can truly let go of selfish desires and help others is one of the ways to test the depth of their cultivation. The process of "carrying out the path" is the process of integrating internal cultivation with external actions. Saving the world and cultivation are two aspects of the same thing, mutually confirming and complementing each other.Patriotic conduct, benefiting others, the mission and responsibility of modern Taoist believers lie in every ordinary day's choice, and in every moment of inner impulse. Cultivating the Tao within oneself and benefiting the world through actions - this is both a practice and a mission, and at the same time, it is the most simple response of a Taoist to this era.
