Having a bright heart
"My heart is bright, what else can I say?" This is what Wang Yangming said before his death.
I have admired Wang Yangming before, but I really don’t know much about him. I only know that he was a philosopher in the Ming Dynasty and the successor of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. In my mind, Wang Yangming should look like a scholar, or a hermit, or weak, or spiritually powerful. This is what I can imagine him to be like.
During this time, I was reading "Those Things in the Ming Dynasty", in which a lot of pen and ink was used to write about this person - Wang Shouren, also known as Wang Yangming. After reading it, I realized that Mr. Wang was not just a weak scholar. He not only read poetry and books, but also led troops to fight. Not only did he meditate and gain enlightenment, but he also made contributions to the country. He was called the "Four Families" by later generations, namely philosopher, military strategist, politician and writer.
Zhu Xi advocated "preserving the principles of nature and eliminating human desires" and advocated the investigation of things and the pursuit of principles. After nineteen years of hard work, Wang Yangming finally achieved enlightenment and came to the conclusion that "the principles of nature are human desires." He sounded the clarion call for the liberation of human nature, and a great philosophical "Xinxue" in the history of Chinese civilization was born. He believes that no matter when, where, or for whatever reason, human nature cannot and will not be annihilated. It will always stand between heaven and earth.
Wang Yangming advocates the "unity of knowledge and action", which is a matter of theory and practice. Meaning: To realize your lofty and great ambitions, you must have practical and down-to-earth methods. Wang Yangming's teachings also attracted a large group of "fans". During the Meiji Restoration in Japan, the banner of Yangming's theory of mind was held high. The military god at that time, Togo Heihachiro, carried a belt with him and wrote, "I will bow my head and worship Yangming throughout my life." His philosophy of mind had a profound influence on Zhang Juzheng, Kang Youwei, Sun Yat-sen and others. In modern times, an educator strongly praised his "unity of knowledge and action" and changed his name to Tao Xingzhi.
Wang Yangming, his life is just like his name, upright and honorable. He has outstanding achievements, but he does not seek fame and wealth. He lectures everywhere, but does not distinguish between high and low. He has gone through ups and downs in his life, but he is determined. He is involved in officialdom, but he cares about the people. He opposes greed and evil and firmly believes in justice and conscience. .
"Although the world is huge, if you have a good intention and a conscience, even ordinary people can become sages!" Once you understand this truth, you will know everything in the world, be broad-minded, and be indifferent to favors and disgrace. Without fear, you can cultivate yourself, manage your family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world!
Before Wang Yangming died, his disciples stood by his side and asked him if he had any last words. Wang Yangming smiled, pointed to his chest, and left his last words in this world: "My heart is bright, so what else can I say!"
I will use Paul Kocha here instead. Jin's words: The most precious thing for people is life, and life belongs to people only once.
A person's life should be spent like this: when he looks back on the past, he will not regret for being a fool, nor will he be ashamed for violating his conscience; in this way, when he is dying, he can say: "With all my heart, Bright, die without regrets!”