"Zongxuan Xiansheng Xuangang Lun": Chapter 26 - Revering the Divine Way

Someone asked: People have good and evil; do the Heaven and Earth deities know all of it? I responded: What kind of words are these? What kind of words are these? The mind is the residence of spiritual deities, and the spirit dwells within it. If the mind plans, the spirit knows. If the spirit knows, then the Heaven and Earth deities all know. There is no good or evil that does not pass through the mind. Since it passes through the mind, the divine way can perceive it. There is no escaping the finest detail. When there is no escaping the finest detail, then blessing the good and punishing the wicked will not err.

Asked: Why did Yan the Younger die young, Ran the Son suffer illness, Dao Zhi live long, Zhuang Qiao grow rich, Chu Mu achieve hegemony, and Tian Heng prosper? I responded: The heavenly way is distant, the human way is near; the effects of retribution, their speed is difficult to measure. Therefore, gentlemen encounter fate, while petty people encounter luck. However, good and fortune are intertwined; how can they be seen in only one form? Thus the scriptures say: "The net of Heaven is vast; though wide-meshed, it loses nothing." It also says: "Its affairs return easily." Thus the way of retribution can be understood; why must everything be verified in the present moment?

Explanation:

Someone asked: People have good and evil; how could Heaven and Earth deities know everything? I responded: How can you say such things? The human mind is the residence of divine spirits, and the spirit remains within the mind. Whatever the mind thinks, the spirit naturally knows. And when the spirit knows, the Heaven and Earth deities all know. Because there is no good or evil that does not pass through the mind; since it passes through the mind, the divine way can perceive it. This cannot be escaped, so blessing the good and punishing the wicked are all known.

Someone asked: Why did Yan Hui's son die early, while the talented and modest Ran Qi suffered from serious illness? Why did Dao Zhi, a thief, live long, and Zhuang Qiao, also a great thief, grow wealthy? Why did Chu Mu, a man with a beastly heart who killed his father, achieve hegemony over the world, while Tian Heng, who launched rebellion, prospered in fortune? I responded: The heavenly way is distant, while the human way is near. The speed of retribution varies. Therefore, some gentlemen are destined thus, while some petty people occasionally receive luck. However, good fortune and misfortune are intertwined; how can one look at only one side? The scriptures have said: "The net of Heaven is vast; though wide-meshed, it loses nothing." It also says: "Its affairs return easily." Thus matters of retribution can be understood; why must one fixate on what is currently visible?

Analysis:

This passage explains the bridge of communication between humans and deities, presented in a concise and accessible manner.