An ancient aesthetic text that inspires wisdom —— Sima Yi's main divination comments

Liu Ji, a writer at the end of Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of Ming Dynasty, wrote an article in China's View of Ancient Literature entitled Sima Yi's Discussion on Divination, which is a very philosophical article.

The main idea of the article is:

A frustrated person in life thinks that he is in an uncomfortable state for a long time, and he will want to change the opposite state. But he couldn't delve into this truth, so he consulted a fortune teller.

The fortune teller told him a truth to the effect that: first, people should believe in themselves; Secondly, everything in the world, especially those seemingly completely bipolar, is actually the same thing, and they are only the result of mutual changes or achievements.

If you understand this, what needs to be changed deliberately or hastily in life? Everything is the same thing, and sooner or later it will transform into each other.

These thoughts are similar to the wisdom advocated by Laozi.

Laozi said: "Whether they are born together or not, it is difficult to complement each other, the length is the same, the height is competing, and the sound is in harmony, and they go hand in hand."

The seemingly opposite ends are actually closely linked and changing with each other, which is the foundation and predecessor of each other.

In Sima Yi's On Divination, the questioner, that is, the confused person, has a basic understanding of life. He believes that people who stay in a state of pain for a long time will want to change. On the basis of this understanding, he has a positive desire and mentality to change, and wants to know more understandable truth, so as to guide his life.

First of all, this attitude is very valuable, lovely and desirable.

No matter what dynasty, generation and year, people will encounter pain and suffering. With the heart of exploring pain and life, we will not be defeated by pain, but will gradually become clear in confusion or struggle, gradually welcome back the power of life and find the way and direction in the future. Life can survive, develop and perfect in this hope, and be enriched, complete and profound.

Most people want to change when they are in pain But there are too many ideas in my mind, which are confusing. If you can't figure it out, it's a very positive attitude to ask some wise people or read some books to figure it out.

The fortune teller, first of all, highly recognized the fortune teller's understanding that "everything will change after the accident". I think the other person already understands the truth of life, but there is no need to ask again. But he is still very serious, telling some truth to the fortune teller and getting to know each other better.

The fortune teller used yarrow and hawksbill to predict people's fate, but in his heart, he held the idea that "people and themselves are the absolute masters, knowledge and masters of their own destiny".

Maybe divination is just his livelihood. At the same time, some people need to gain psychological strength through divination. So he took this opportunity to do some clever and convenient work to save all beings.

The soothsayer clearly pointed out from the beginning that people don't need to rely on the revelation of ghosts and gods, because ghosts and gods are effective because of people. People don't need to rely on the inspiration of yarrow and tortoise shell, because people are more spiritual than things. People, why do you believe in ghosts and things, but not yourself? In fact, people don't need to ask ghosts or things for divination. Just ask your heart and you will know all the wisdom and answers.

What I particularly admire about the author is that he had this idea of transcending the power of ghosts and gods more than 600 years ago. In people's minds at that time, many people still thought that ghosts and gods, or some unknown forces, were higher than human forces. Many people would rather ask God for ghosts, or go to some people with magical powers, or go to some religious places to ask God for divination and blessing, rather than go back to their hearts to find strength and answers. At this point, this article has given us great shock and enlightenment.

The author believes in himself, listens to himself, quotes many examples of nature and phenomena from the mouth of fortune tellers, and vividly shows the truth that "everything is just a change between the two poles", which makes people see at a glance and thus obtains simple and profound enlightenment.

The fortune teller said:

What you see now is broken walls and tiles, which used to be karaoke bars and dance halls; Dead trees and dead branches used to be shade trees; The chirping of silkworm cicadas in the wind dew is the rhythm of the dragon flute of the former Fengsheng; The ghost phosphorus fire in the grave and the light of fireflies at night are the splendid lights and beautiful candlelight of the past; The most common wild vegetables in spring and autumn are the delicious food made by camels in the past; The red maple in the wild and the white grass by the water are brocade in Chengdu and silk in Shandong.

People know these things every day. They are now in a state, but with the passage of time, these things are quietly and unconsciously changing their own appearance and becoming another appearance and state. This is the truth of all things in nature and life in the universe.

Therefore, the fortune teller said: it is not too much to have something today that was not in the past; What was in the past is not enough today. Because that's how everything changes with each other. So when a flower blooms, it fades, and everything flourishes and wanes. There must be deep pools under high turbulence; There must be a deep valley under the high mountain peak. Everything is so integrated.

The truth told by the fortune teller is really deep and shallow! It clearly points out the wisdom that we are not afraid of where we are today, nor are we desperate. Because everything will change to the opposite state, and it will change constantly, even infinitely.

Therefore, there is no need to be ecstatic about what you have today, to cling to it for a long time, and to worry about losing it, because tomorrow, these things may naturally change and be lost.

Don't be sad about what you don't have or lose today, because maybe tomorrow will be there. Everything in nature and life are the same. What is there to worry about, welcome, urgent, sad and hopeful?

It is enough to know the wisdom of life, adapt to this wisdom and live in peace.

There is a particularly interesting question in the article, that is, the fortune teller clearly knows that everything and the state are changing with each other. Why do he still have doubts and don't know what to do?

This is what people often say now: I understand many things, but why can't I live this life well?

The distance between knowing and doing in the world is really the farthest. Or we can say that if we can't do it, it's because we don't know enough. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve the unity of knowledge and action.

On the one hand, we should deepen the connotation of knowledge, and the clearer the truth and wisdom, the better. On the other hand, we should dare to try and break through in life. Change will definitely break the comfort zone and make people feel unsafe, uncertain and uncomfortable. But after this stage, you will soon enter a new comfort zone and taste the benefits and fun of change. For life, we need to be more open and brave.

The article "Sima Ji's Commentary on Divination" is short in length, but simple and profound in conception, and it is a very beautiful article on traditional culture. It's a feeling of opening the skylight and being suddenly enlightened, lighting the heart lamp and being suddenly enlightened. Reading makes people taste for a long time and nourishes the soul.