鐔津文集 6.16

6.16

One who instructs others rectifies what they preserve; thus they are able to instruct. One who preserves the mind examines what it resonates with; thus they are able to preserve it. If one preserves benevolence in the mind, the category of benevolence responds to it; if one preserves evil in the mind, the category of evil responds to it. The mind has no fixed form; it resides in what is preserved. The response has no fixed designation; it resides in what is resonated with. If what is resonated with is preserved, the response is swift indeed, and the recurrence of resonance and response has never faltered. I have tested this: when people hear that someone's mind is initially benevolent, few do not love him; when they hear that someone's mind is initially evil, few do not hate him. Even before joy and anger are expressed by oneself, the love and hatred of others have already arrived. Therefore, one who preserves the mind must be cautious about how it resonates, and one who assesses people must observe how they respond. Thus, the sage resonates with the human mind and the world is harmonious and peaceful. Therefore it is said: "Observe what it resonates with, and the disposition of heaven, earth, and the myriad things can be seen." Suppose someone here says: "No one knows it," and deceives others with an evil mind; when evil accumulates and disaster arrives, who can say the mind cannot be known? Suppose someone here says: "The mind cannot be deceived," and treats others with a benevolent mind; when benevolence accumulates and blessing arrives, who can say people can be deceived? Therefore it is said: "Disaster and blessing intersect with good and evil." Alas, it has been long since people have had complete faith: they believe in their own thoughts, but do not believe in their resonances! Heaven and earth are supremely distant, yet sincere resonance penetrates them; the nature and principle are supremely spiritual, yet the resonance with external things can extinguish them. Yao and Shun did not go from door to door urging people, yet the world became genuine; this was the resonance of genuineness. Jie and Zhou did not induce people one by one, yet the world became deceitful; this was the resonance of deceit. Can what is called resonance and response be neglected? Auspicious portents respond to the resonance of benevolent governance; inauspicious portents respond to the resonance of evil governance. The five blessings are what good people preserve, the verification of good fortune; the six extremities are what evil people preserve, the verification of misfortune. Heaven and humanity interact, never separated. Ah, does Heaven cause it? Humans themselves invite it! Governance demonstrates what the world shares in common; it is what the myriad people follow. Whether governance is good or bad is what the people follow. Thus, verifying it through rain, sunshine, heat, cold, and wind—these five demonstrate what the world shares in common. A person is the master of their own body; whether a person is good or bad is how the body stirs. Verifying it through blessings and extremities demonstrates what proceeds from one's own body. The square mirror resonates with the moon and draws water; the burning-glass resonates with the sun and draws fire. Clouds follow the dragon; winds follow the tiger. When southerners sing, the [...] grass dances; when the bronze mountain collapses, the Jingyang bell rings. This is how physical things resonate with one another. The human way resonates through emotion; thus generation and regeneration are inexhaustible. The sage resonates through spirit; thus the unseen and the seen are unified. Therefore, preserve the mind in worthiness and the worthy will arrive; preserve the mind in unworthiness and the unworthy will come. Preserve the mind in parents and their children will be filial; preserve the mind in learning and their disciples will be encouraged. As the saying goes: "What proceeds from you returns to you"—this saying is close to it.