The Three Teachings Converge into One: The Path of the Mortal and the Saintly is the Same

Poetry:

Despite the raging floods, his righteous heart remained steadfast; along the dike, he spread Confucian teachings and brought peace to the community.

Suddenly, a plague-stricken air disturbed the ancient path, and a ghostly spirit lurked in the well amidst the dust and smoke.

It is said that Su Qingxuan, standing on the Anfeng embankment, witnessed the devastation caused by the raging flood and the suffering of the people. He used the faint light of a Confucian classic to comfort the victims and inspired them with his own compassion to fight against the natural disaster. Although the wind and rain had subsided, the turbid waves had not yet receded. Tens of thousands of acres of fertile land below the embankment had been turned into a vast swamp, and tens of thousands of victims were trapped on the high ground, without food or clothing, their lives hanging by a thread. The boy, though only nine years old, did not flinch. During the day, he worked with the able-bodied victims, moving stones and carrying earth to reinforce the breached embankment and stop the overflowing floodwaters. He bent down in the mud to pick up grains that had not been damaged by the turbid water and dug up edible wild vegetables and roots to share with the elderly, weak, women, and children. He also found wild herbs to treat the wounded and to decoct medicine for the sick. His hands and feet were covered in mud, and his clothes were soaked with sweat and mud, but he did not complain at all.

As dusk fell and the campfire was lit, the refugees sat around it to rest. The weeping gradually subsided, and Su Qingxuan stood beside the fire, softly expounding the principles of Confucianism. He did not speak of obscure passages or recite abstruse phrases, but instead used the benevolent heart of Yu the Great, who passed his home three times without entering while taming the floods, and the steadfastness of Zilu protecting the people and Yan Hui upholding the Way, to encourage everyone to help each other and maintain self-discipline. He said, "Though the world may face calamities like great floods, the human heart must not lose its order. The elderly should be at peace, the young should be cared for, and the strong should strive; mutual compassion is the right path in the world. Even in hardship, maintaining a righteous heart, without discouragement or impatience, without violence or abandonment, is the spirit of a Confucian scholar."

He further stated: "Floods are a natural phenomenon of heaven and earth, which cannot be stopped by human power. However, people can unite their hearts and strength to fight disasters with benevolence and overcome difficulties with kindness. Today, you and I are guarding this dike together and sharing this food, which means we are in the same boat and helping each other. This is what the sages meant by 'loving all people and being close to the benevolent.' When the flood recedes, the fields can be restored and the houses can be rebuilt. As long as people's hearts are not scattered, there is hope for rebirth."

The boy's voice was clear and gentle, his words earnest, like a spring breeze and gentle rain, washing away the despair and bewilderment in the hearts of the disaster victims. Those who had already lost all hope, upon hearing his words and seeing his young age yet tirelessly and selflessly helping others, felt a pang of shame and were filled with renewed determination. The able-bodied men no longer slumped down, but rose to carry stones to build dikes; the women, the elderly, and children gathered firewood to cook and care for the wounded and sick; even the children thoughtfully collected dry grass to fuel the campfire. The once scattered and disorganized disaster victims, inspired by the boy, became orderly, supporting one another, and maintaining a sense of peace and security amidst the devastation of the flood.

Su Qingxuan thus shared meals and labor with the disaster victims, fighting the natural disaster by day and spreading Confucianism to comfort the people by night, for more than ten days in a flash. The righteous energy within his dantian, due to his daily practice of benevolence and compassion for the common people, became increasingly mellow and harmonious; the three ancestral artifacts of the Su family in his arms also resonated more and more with his aura, the small bronze seal exuding warmth, and the withered wood occasionally emitting a faint light, as if resonating with his world-saving deeds.

Early that morning, the distant sounds of carriages and horses filled the air, banners fluttering in the breeze. A large procession of officials, carrying grain carts and medicine chests, arrived at the foot of the dike. Leading them was a high-ranking official dispatched by the Great Xia Dynasty for disaster relief, carrying an imperial edict and overseeing local officials to appease the disaster victims and control the floods. The official climbed the dike and surveyed the scene. He was already astonished to see tens of thousands of disaster victims, though in dire straits, orderly and without any signs of looting or disarray. Upon hearing that a young man in a blue robe was leading the relief efforts, he was even more amazed and immediately ordered someone to find Su Qingxuan.

Su Qingxuan stepped forward to pay his respects, neither servile nor arrogant, and explained the whole story of the disaster and the plight of the victims in detail. His words were clear and logical, and his demeanor was calm and composed, showing no trace of childish naiveté. The disaster relief official, seeing that he was so young yet possessed such knowledge and virtue, repeatedly praised him, saying that he had the demeanor of an ancient gentleman. He immediately ordered the granaries to be opened to distribute food and medicine, and also conscripted laborers to dredge the waterways and reinforce the dikes.

As soon as the imperial decree was issued, grain, medicine, and clothing were continuously transported to the area, finally providing the disaster victims with food and clothing, and treating the injured and sick. Officials in charge of flood control personally went to the dikes to plan the river channels and divert the floodwaters. The raging torrents of water gradually receded, revealing the flooded fields and villages. The disaster at Anfeng Dike was finally alleviated, and the disaster victims rekindled their hope for life. They were all deeply grateful to Su Qingxuan, praising him unanimously as a living bodhisattva.

Seeing this, Su Qingxuan felt relieved, knowing that there was no need for him to stay. He then bid farewell to the disaster relief officials and the disaster victims. The victims were reluctant to part with him and offered him their last remaining dry rations and wild fruits. The young man politely declined, saying only, "It is the duty of a Confucian scholar to help the world and bring peace to the people. Today, as we part, I hope you will rebuild your homes soon and live out your days in peace."

Having said this, he shouldered his bag and embarked on his journey north once more, heading towards Qingxu Temple on Langya Mountain to continue his pilgrimage of learning and seeking knowledge. Along the way, he saw the floodwaters receding and the countryside gradually returning to life, which filled him with joy. He also realized that the way of the sages lies in practice, not in empty talk.

After traveling for several more days, they passed through an ancient town called Anling Town. Located on the ancient Huai-Si Road, this town was originally a bustling place for merchants and travelers. However, as soon as Su Qingxuan entered the town, he felt a heavy and oppressive atmosphere. The streets and alleys of the town were deserted, with few pedestrians. Every household had its doors closed, and those who did venture out all had sallow complexions, were coughing and wheezing, and had bluish-black patches on their skin, looking extremely painful. Everywhere in the streets and alleys, one could see people lying sick and groaning, their cries and coughs intertwined, creating a scene of utter desolation.

Su Qingxuan was alarmed and sought out an old man leaning against a door, panting, to inquire. He learned that a strange disease had recently broken out in the ancient town. Those afflicted initially felt weak and drowsy, followed by incessant coughing and wheezing, and skin spots appeared. Medicine was ineffective, and in just over ten days, hundreds of people in the town had fallen ill, with several dying. The town's doctors were helpless; prescriptions and medicines were completely ineffective. Some villagers invited Taoist priests to set up altars and perform rituals, burning talismans and performing elaborate steps, but the strange disease continued to spread. Monks also came to chant scriptures and pray for blessings, their chanting of Buddhist prayers and compassionate incantations failing to stop the spread of the plague. The townspeople were filled with fear, all believing they had angered the gods or that a calamity had descended from heaven. No one dared to venture out, and the ancient town fell into a deathly silence.

Upon hearing this, Su Qingxuan's compassion rekindled, and he immediately decided to stay and investigate the cause of the illness to relieve the town's calamity. He walked the streets and alleys, carefully observing the situation, and discovered that all those afflicted, regardless of age, gender, or social status, shared one thing in common—they had all drunk or come into contact with water from an ancient well in the town center. This well was a thousand-year-old well in Anling Town, its water clear and pure, serving as the town's drinking water source for generations. Before the outbreak of the strange illness, the well water was normal; however, from the onset of the illness, the water had faintly taken on a dark hue, and its aura had become somewhat murky, though ordinary people could hardly detect it.

The young man understood immediately that the root of the strange illness must lie in this ancient well. He decided to go and investigate. Just as he reached a few feet from the well, the ancestral withered wood he kept close to his body suddenly trembled violently. A faint yet clear thought entered his mind through the withered wood—a kind of obscure emotion mixed with sadness and bitterness, and with a bone-corroding, eroding feeling, which clung to his heart like a cold mist, making him feel inexplicably compassionate, and also making him feel a slight stagnation in his blood and qi.

Su Qingxuan pressed the withered wood in his arms, surprised. This withered wood was an ancestral heirloom of the Su family. It was usually gentle and calm, only faintly glowing when he was cultivating. It had never shown such violent movement before. He slowly approached the well platform and leaned down to look into the well. He saw that the well water was deep and dark, the surface calm and still, but it exuded an eerie aura that was not of this world, cold and obscure, faintly echoing the emotions conveyed by the withered wood.

After a moment's thought, he knew there must be something strange at the bottom of the well. He immediately found a rope, tied it around his waist, and carefully hid the withered wood and the small bronze seal close to his body. Holding a short stick, he had several brave young men from the town help pull the rope, slowly lowering it into the ancient well. The well was several meters deep, and the deeper he went, the stronger the cold aura became, and the more intense the eerie feeling grew. The withered wood in his arms trembled more violently, conveying increasingly complex emotions—a strong sense of repulsion, yet also a trace of indescribable pity and a feeling of shared origin, as if the object at the bottom of the well and the withered wood were originally connected, but had been inexplicably corrupted and turned into something evil.

Descending to the bottom of the well, Su Qingxuan used the dim light from above to examine it closely. Embedded in the mud was a palm-sized, dark fragment. The fragment was neither gold nor jade, its surface etched with twisted, obscure patterns, emanating an ancient and sinister aura. The corrosive, heart-corroding energy emanated from this fragment, seeping into the well water and affecting the townspeople. The fragment's aura belonged neither to earthly plants nor to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth; it seemed to carry a pressure from chaotic filth, as if the remnant soul of some extremely malevolent being had been abandoned here for millennia.

Su Qingxuan's heart skipped a beat, knowing that this was the root of the strange illness. He reached out and grasped the fragment, feeling a chilling, bone-corroding aura spread from his fingertips, threatening to invade his meridians and disturb his mind. He immediately activated the Confucian mental cultivation method, his righteous energy surging from his dantian, upright and peaceful, resisting the invasion of evil. He then gripped the fragment with both hands and struggled to pull it out of the mud.

The moment the fragment left, the chilling aura at the bottom of the well vanished abruptly, the well water gradually returned to its clear state, and the trembling of the withered wood in his arms slowly subsided. The feeling of sorrow and compassion still lingered, as if lamenting the fate of the fragment.

Su Qingxuan was pulled onto the well platform by the strong young man, holding the dark fragment in his hand. As soon as he appeared, the townspeople gathered around him, their eyes full of anticipation. The young man placed the fragment on the bluestone and said, "The strange illness in this ancient town is not caused by ghosts or gods, nor by wind, cold, dampness, or heat, but by this strange object polluting the well water. Now that the strange object has been removed, the well water is clear again, the plague will dissipate, and those who are sick will soon recover."

The townspeople were skeptical, but some immediately fetched well water for drinking and used it to wipe the skin of the sick. Within half a day, a miracle indeed appeared: those with mild symptoms gradually stopped coughing and their complexions improved; those with severe symptoms experienced less pain and their skin blemishes faded; and no new cases appeared in the ancient town. The townspeople were overjoyed, and some knelt and kowtowed to Su Qingxuan, calling him a celestial being who had saved the town from annihilation.

Su Qingxuan helped everyone up, offering gentle words of comfort. He then wrapped the dark fragment in cloth and carefully kept it close to his body. Gazing at the cloth bundle in his hand and gently stroking the withered wood in his arms, his thoughts surged, giving rise to many insights.

In the past, while fighting the disaster at Anfeng Dike, he realized the Confucian ideal of unity of knowledge and action, and benevolence in helping the world. Today, while battling leprosy in Anling Town, he understands that not all suffering in the world can be relieved by human power; some also have a supernatural origin beyond the mundane. Doctors' medicines, Taoist priests' rituals, and monks' chanting all fail to address the root cause, hence their ineffectiveness. Only by finding the root of the leprosy and eliminating the foreign substance can this calamity be cured. Perhaps this is the ultimate truth of Taoism: seeking the root and tracing back to the source, aligning with the Great Way.

Faced with the eerie fragments at the bottom of the well, the withered tree conveyed a sense of compassion, and he too felt pity. He knew that these eerie things might not be inherently evil, but rather had been inexplicably polluted and corrupted, leading to their tragic state. Therefore, he felt compassion and did not harbor thoughts of destruction, but simply collected them, waiting to find a way to resolve them in the future. Perhaps this is the essence of Buddhist compassion for all beings, transcending the superficial appearances of good and evil.

With the pragmatism of a Confucian scholar, he delved deep into the well, eradicating the heretics and practicing acts of saving the world; with the discernment of a Daoist, he traced the roots and dispelled confusion; with the compassion of a Buddhist, he perceived the origins of evil and felt pity. The principles of the three religions quietly merged during this epidemic, giving him a deeper understanding of the great Dao of "the unity of the three religions and the common path of the ordinary and the holy."

What resonated with him even more was the shared origin between the withered wood in his arms and the eerie fragment. The withered wood was left behind by the ancient ancestors of the Su family, and along with the Confucian mental cultivation method and the bronze seal, it was known as one of the three ancestral artifacts. The fragment, however, possessed an obscure and malevolent aura, unlike anything found in the mortal realm. The withered wood both repelled and pitied it, indicating a deep connection between the two. The fragment seemed to have been corrupted by some kind of impure force, thus becoming an evil entity. This mysterious connection was like a hidden thread, drawing him to explore the secrets of the Su family's ancestors and to touch upon the unknown source of the Great Dao hidden between heaven and earth.

Knowing the plague had been dispelled and the townspeople were safe, Su Qingxuan bid farewell to the people of Anling Town and continued his journey north. The withered wood in his arms had calmed down; the fragments of evil energy had been quietly purified by the wood's spiritual energy, wrapped in cloth, and no longer emitted any trace of life. Only in the young man's heart had he gained a greater understanding of the strange powers of heaven and earth, a greater compassion for the suffering of all living beings, and a greater determination to explore the hidden path.

His journey of learning and seeking knowledge was not just about finding wise teachers and studying the three teachings; he also had a mission—to explore the roots of his ancestors.

It is:

The plague arises from different substances; the mind, encompassing the three teachings, dispels the darkness.

The withered roots sensed the calamity in the mortal world, and thus began to recognize the hidden form of the Demon Lord.