The Shortcut to Discovering Truth
Every human being possesses vitality. However, as this concept is repeated and overused, its true meaning has gradually been forgotten. Moreover, among those who live the fast-paced life of the modern era, only a few can accurately discern the crossroads between vitality and its absence. At this juncture, what we must strive to achieve is the ability to perceive vitality accurately—a discerning eye.
We recognize the presence of wind when we see dust and leaves stirred along the roadside. While we can hear the sound of the wind, we cannot visually distinguish the wind itself. The key point here is that the wind is not a separate entity but arises and dissipates moment by moment, always existing within the atmosphere as part of nature. Human vitality is much the same—it arises moment by moment and exists constantly, like the atmosphere within nature.
We all possess and utilize vitality. However, merely possessing and using vitality does not mean living a life fully attuned to it. When we move, we are using vitality, but even when still, we are not without it. While it is easy to observe vitality in motion, very few recognize its presence during stillness.
Ultimately, it is crucial to cultivate precise intuition to perceive the hidden wind within dust and leaves. Yet most people, except for a select few, do not strive to develop such intuition; instead, they attempt to understand their surroundings based on their own perspectives. This tendency stems from the way human perception, shaped by personal experiences and knowledge, distorts reality.
When leaves scatter, or dust rises, we can recognize the presence of wind. Similarly, the truth—like the vitality of nature—disrupts the boundaries of perception rooted in personal biases. This disruption often leads to confusion when we cling to our egos. Therefore, shaking off the limitations of our biased perceptions and acquiring clear intuition is the shortcut to discovering truth.
Life is a long journey, filled with unexpected challenges that arise daily and even in moments of achievement. What matters is not the number or complexity of problems but mastering vitality to remain unentangled by these problems and transcend them.
Vitality means being carried by the wind of life rather than centering oneself. If one treats problems as mere inconveniences to be discarded, they may escalate like a small fire on the foot spreading to engulf the whole body and surroundings. For instance, if someone is in debt, the solution is not to be consumed by the debt itself but to continue productive activities. By doing so, the challenging circumstances of debt will stop growing, and the force of personal vitality will discover new paths, creating abundance. In this way, the “debt” you carry today can transform into “light” for a brighter future.
However, if one remains fixated on discarding the burden of debt, it will grow like rain that soaks and washes away a tree with no roots to hold its ground.
The Driving Force of Peace: Vitality
Everyone has problems and difficulties in life. Even if one believes they are pure and just, others might perceive them differently. For example, a walking style someone considers graceful may appear awkward or clumsy to others. Similarly, what feels calm and deliberate to one person may seem slow and frustrating to another.
Everything depends on perspective. If someone sprains their ankle while hurrying, it might be attributed to a lack of composure. However, what’s more important is recognizing the “third wind” arising in such moments. This realization is the vitality that transforms lives filled with challenges into ones of abundance and vision.
Wind stirs the dust on the ground, but this dust is not just dust—it embodies the wind within it. You must recognize this fact and feel the coolness of the wind. Furthermore, you must understand that true rest is not merely the return of dust to the ground but the effortless cycle of rising and returning to the atmosphere. This freedom reflects a technique of life akin to what Sun Tzu described as the art of living.
To achieve this, one must go beyond understanding things within the visible range of personal perception and instead find the refreshing essence of the wind that arises from within. Breaking free from the chaos caused by one’s own perceptual boundaries is essential.
Peace is not always about stillness without dust or disturbance. Nature sometimes harms, sometimes benefits, yet it remains steadfast and harmonious.
To master vitality, the driving force of peace, one must closely observe the ripples within their mind and discern the wind’s seeds amidst the swirling dust. Only then can you create a new life by blooming vitality through a life imbued with it.