1 00:00:00,303 --> 00:00:02,101 Three heroes of Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2 00:00:02,103 --> 00:00:03,216 Trapped by the same word 3 00:00:03,742 --> 00:00:04,796 Changban Slope 4 00:00:05,463 --> 00:00:07,535 Zhao Yun fought his way out of the Cao army 5 00:00:07,902 --> 00:00:09,035 Covered in blood 6 00:00:09,182 --> 00:00:10,756 With a baby in his arms 7 00:00:11,063 --> 00:00:12,295 He knelt before Liu Bei 8 00:00:12,622 --> 00:00:13,955 And handed him the child 9 00:00:14,303 --> 00:00:16,036 Liu Bei took one look 10 00:00:16,143 --> 00:00:19,556 Then threw his own son to the ground 11 00:00:20,303 --> 00:00:21,115 That single throw 12 00:00:21,143 --> 00:00:23,955 Has been debated for centuries in Chinese literature 13 00:00:24,812 --> 00:00:26,745 Some call it the benevolence of Liu Bei 14 00:00:26,772 --> 00:00:28,784 Others call it political calculation 15 00:00:28,972 --> 00:00:31,605 But few notice something even stranger 16 00:00:32,091 --> 00:00:33,890 Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao 17 00:00:33,892 --> 00:00:35,265 Each had a throw of their own 18 00:00:35,771 --> 00:00:37,445 Three men and three different throws 19 00:00:37,811 --> 00:00:39,371 What they threw away was different 20 00:00:39,371 --> 00:00:41,903 But the reason was the same 21 00:00:42,171 --> 00:00:44,049 I have read the novel many times 22 00:00:44,051 --> 00:00:45,903 When I was young I could not understand this 23 00:00:46,171 --> 00:00:47,850 Then it suddenly became clear to me 24 00:00:47,851 --> 00:00:50,223 And the insight sent a chill down my spine 25 00:00:50,570 --> 00:00:52,170 The three of them fought all their lives 26 00:00:52,171 --> 00:00:53,823 Yet none of them truly won 27 00:00:54,051 --> 00:00:56,129 Liu Bei lay dying in Baidicheng 28 00:00:56,131 --> 00:00:57,610 A man who had founded Shu 29 00:00:57,610 --> 00:00:59,424 Died in greater misery than a wanderer 30 00:00:59,610 --> 00:01:02,304 Zhuge Liang worked himself to death at Wuzhang Plains at fifty four 31 00:01:02,570 --> 00:01:03,943 Cao Cao lived to sixty six 32 00:01:04,051 --> 00:01:06,809 The novel says he arranged decoy tombs before dying 33 00:01:06,811 --> 00:01:08,383 Afraid that others would find his grave 34 00:01:08,731 --> 00:01:09,284 Three paths 35 00:01:09,571 --> 00:01:10,583 Three ways of living 36 00:01:10,651 --> 00:01:12,704 All ending in the same dead end 37 00:01:12,931 --> 00:01:15,770 Today I want to take a rarely used perspective 38 00:01:15,770 --> 00:01:19,399 And see what truly trapped these three men 39 00:01:19,547 --> 00:01:19,899 Hello 40 00:01:20,226 --> 00:01:20,699 Everyone 41 00:01:20,987 --> 00:01:22,119 I am Leo Wang 42 00:01:22,426 --> 00:01:25,080 First let us understand why Liu Bei threw Adou 43 00:01:25,426 --> 00:01:28,559 Zhao Yun risked his life to rescue Adou from a vast army 44 00:01:28,666 --> 00:01:30,919 His body covered with blade wounds 45 00:01:31,026 --> 00:01:31,940 He knelt on the ground 46 00:01:32,226 --> 00:01:34,320 And raised the child above his head 47 00:01:34,506 --> 00:01:35,899 Liu Bei took the child and looked 48 00:01:36,026 --> 00:01:37,399 Then threw him to the ground 49 00:01:37,426 --> 00:01:38,139 And said these words 50 00:01:38,627 --> 00:01:39,660 For the sake of this child 51 00:01:39,987 --> 00:01:41,679 I nearly lost one of my great generals 52 00:01:42,477 --> 00:01:44,031 What was this gesture really doing 53 00:01:44,477 --> 00:01:45,650 Think carefully 54 00:01:45,718 --> 00:01:48,477 Throwing his own son before the entire army 55 00:01:48,477 --> 00:01:49,311 This was not fatherly love 56 00:01:49,597 --> 00:01:50,691 It was a performance 57 00:01:51,158 --> 00:01:52,070 Who was the performance for 58 00:01:52,597 --> 00:01:53,471 For Zhao Yun 59 00:01:53,798 --> 00:01:55,236 For every soldier 60 00:01:55,237 --> 00:01:56,611 For everyone under heaven 61 00:01:56,757 --> 00:01:57,911 He wanted everyone to know 62 00:01:58,237 --> 00:01:59,356 That in the heart of Liu Bei 63 00:01:59,358 --> 00:02:00,630 Brothers mattered more than sons 64 00:02:00,957 --> 00:02:02,730 Righteous duty mattered more than blood 65 00:02:02,918 --> 00:02:03,271 But 66 00:02:03,677 --> 00:02:05,636 If benevolence truly comes from within 67 00:02:05,638 --> 00:02:06,771 It needs no proof 68 00:02:06,998 --> 00:02:08,356 If you truly care about someone 69 00:02:08,358 --> 00:02:09,796 Knowing it yourself is enough 70 00:02:09,798 --> 00:02:12,490 You do not need a public performance 71 00:02:13,197 --> 00:02:15,916 Only when benevolence is more than a feeling 72 00:02:15,917 --> 00:02:20,117 When it becomes your identity your brand and your entire stake in life 73 00:02:20,118 --> 00:02:22,690 Do you need to keep proving it to the world 74 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:23,998 Throughout the life of Liu Bei 75 00:02:23,999 --> 00:02:27,212 Half his realm was won under the banner of benevolence 76 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:28,513 He began as a sandal weaver 77 00:02:28,839 --> 00:02:30,932 He was far below Cao Cao in warfare 78 00:02:31,039 --> 00:02:33,133 And far below Zhuge Liang in strategy 79 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,932 But there was one thing no one could match 80 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:36,932 His benevolence 81 00:02:37,279 --> 00:02:38,932 Benevolence was his life 82 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,398 Take benevolence away from Liu Bei 83 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:42,693 And he was nothing 84 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,372 So he could never stop being benevolent 85 00:02:45,559 --> 00:02:46,952 Even if it meant throwing his own child 86 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:48,473 He had to make the whole army see 87 00:02:48,839 --> 00:02:49,712 That for Liu Bei 88 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,452 Righteous duty always came before blood 89 00:02:52,599 --> 00:02:54,039 He was not throwing Adou 90 00:02:54,039 --> 00:02:57,366 He was throwing away every doubt about his benevolence 91 00:02:57,712 --> 00:03:00,086 The entrustment at Baidicheng makes this even clearer 92 00:03:00,473 --> 00:03:03,786 Before dying Liu Bei told Zhuge Liang a famous line 93 00:03:04,233 --> 00:03:05,325 If my son lacks ability 94 00:03:05,392 --> 00:03:07,485 You may rule Chengdu yourself 95 00:03:07,633 --> 00:03:08,186 In other words 96 00:03:08,552 --> 00:03:10,192 If my son is unfit 97 00:03:10,193 --> 00:03:12,445 You may become the ruler of Chengdu 98 00:03:12,592 --> 00:03:13,846 As soon as he said this 99 00:03:13,913 --> 00:03:16,925 Zhuge Liang knelt and bowed until he bled 100 00:03:16,992 --> 00:03:18,425 Vowing to give everything 101 00:03:18,633 --> 00:03:19,949 And repay him with his life 102 00:03:20,257 --> 00:03:23,009 Did Liu Bei truly want Zhuge Liang to replace his son 103 00:03:23,456 --> 00:03:24,509 Of course not 104 00:03:24,896 --> 00:03:27,030 The words produced the opposite effect 105 00:03:27,456 --> 00:03:29,629 Precisely because he said you may take it 106 00:03:29,817 --> 00:03:32,310 Zhuge Liang could never take it for the rest of his life 107 00:03:32,582 --> 00:03:33,383 A single sentence 108 00:03:33,456 --> 00:03:36,310 Locked a brilliant man in place for life 109 00:03:36,697 --> 00:03:38,189 When benevolence reaches this point 110 00:03:38,257 --> 00:03:39,750 It is no longer a virtue 111 00:03:40,016 --> 00:03:41,669 It becomes an invisible lock 112 00:03:42,676 --> 00:03:43,768 Now let us turn to Zhuge Liang 113 00:03:44,315 --> 00:03:46,009 The label of Zhuge Liang was wisdom 114 00:03:46,436 --> 00:03:47,308 Planning within the command tent 115 00:03:47,595 --> 00:03:48,768 Winning from a thousand miles away 116 00:03:48,996 --> 00:03:50,849 But the more I read 117 00:03:50,875 --> 00:03:53,368 The more I see that his problem was not too little intelligence 118 00:03:53,475 --> 00:03:55,289 It was too much intelligence 119 00:03:55,355 --> 00:03:57,248 He trusted his own judgment too much 120 00:03:57,276 --> 00:04:00,049 And feared anything escaping his control 121 00:04:00,436 --> 00:04:02,609 One detail reveals this clearly 122 00:04:03,206 --> 00:04:03,919 In the later years of Shu 123 00:04:04,285 --> 00:04:05,898 Zhuge Liang handled everything himself 124 00:04:06,125 --> 00:04:06,879 Historical records say 125 00:04:07,246 --> 00:04:09,564 Even minor military punishments above twenty strokes 126 00:04:09,565 --> 00:04:11,099 Required his personal attention 127 00:04:11,325 --> 00:04:12,724 Why would the chancellor of a state 128 00:04:12,725 --> 00:04:15,278 Refuse to let go of even twenty strokes 129 00:04:15,725 --> 00:04:17,699 Because letting go meant losing control 130 00:04:18,005 --> 00:04:20,859 Losing control meant outcomes beyond his prediction 131 00:04:21,005 --> 00:04:22,578 It was not that he distrusted others 132 00:04:22,606 --> 00:04:25,972 He could not bear a situation he had not calculated himself 133 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:27,632 Take the phrase master strategist 134 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,012 And turn it over 135 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:30,192 What do you find on the other side 136 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:32,212 Fear of losing control 137 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,519 The lifelong intelligence of Zhuge Liang 138 00:04:34,519 --> 00:04:36,332 Was not used to enjoy life 139 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:38,493 It was used to fight uncertainty 140 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:39,712 Every scheme 141 00:04:40,039 --> 00:04:41,532 Every deployment of troops 142 00:04:41,599 --> 00:04:42,753 Was his way of telling himself 143 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:44,733 I still control the situation 144 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:46,892 Once the situation escaped his control 145 00:04:46,919 --> 00:04:49,256 He would no longer be Zhuge Liang 146 00:04:49,403 --> 00:04:51,162 The six campaigns from Qishan in the novel 147 00:04:51,163 --> 00:04:52,657 Were the extreme form of this pattern 148 00:04:53,044 --> 00:04:55,136 Shu was far weaker than Wei 149 00:04:55,203 --> 00:04:56,682 The northern campaigns had little chance of success 150 00:04:56,684 --> 00:04:58,097 He knew this clearly 151 00:04:58,203 --> 00:05:01,042 Yet he marched out once twice three times 152 00:05:01,044 --> 00:05:03,696 Then four five and six times 153 00:05:03,723 --> 00:05:04,237 Why 154 00:05:04,604 --> 00:05:05,963 Because if he did not march 155 00:05:05,963 --> 00:05:09,256 He would no longer be Zhuge Kongming who restored the Han 156 00:05:09,444 --> 00:05:10,636 Marching did not guarantee victory 157 00:05:10,963 --> 00:05:11,883 But refusing to march 158 00:05:11,883 --> 00:05:13,417 Would collapse his identity 159 00:05:13,523 --> 00:05:14,737 He was not fighting a war 160 00:05:14,763 --> 00:05:17,930 He was preserving a definition of himself 161 00:05:18,237 --> 00:05:21,370 He finally died of illness at Wuzhang Plains at fifty four 162 00:05:21,838 --> 00:05:22,730 Worked to death 163 00:05:23,237 --> 00:05:24,670 That is not a metaphor 164 00:05:25,038 --> 00:05:25,970 It is a fact 165 00:05:26,518 --> 00:05:29,350 He poured all his life force into one identity 166 00:05:29,838 --> 00:05:32,891 I am the one whose wisdom can save everything 167 00:05:33,158 --> 00:05:36,651 When that identity required him to burn himself out 168 00:05:36,757 --> 00:05:37,970 He did not hesitate 169 00:05:38,237 --> 00:05:40,170 Giving everything until death 170 00:05:40,237 --> 00:05:42,211 Those eight characters mean more than loyalty 171 00:05:42,317 --> 00:05:44,970 They form a perfect script of self sacrifice 172 00:05:45,237 --> 00:05:47,687 And he followed it to the final word 173 00:05:48,153 --> 00:05:49,247 Now let us turn to Cao Cao 174 00:05:49,473 --> 00:05:51,987 Cao Cao once said a line quoted for a thousand years 175 00:05:52,513 --> 00:05:54,352 I would rather betray the world 176 00:05:54,353 --> 00:05:56,047 Than let the world betray me 177 00:05:56,234 --> 00:05:57,807 Notice the structure of this sentence 178 00:05:58,033 --> 00:05:59,966 An ordinary person who has done wrong 179 00:05:59,994 --> 00:06:01,966 Does not proclaim a personal doctrine 180 00:06:02,314 --> 00:06:04,927 Only someone who makes power an identity 181 00:06:04,953 --> 00:06:07,287 Needs to declare his logic in public 182 00:06:07,513 --> 00:06:08,386 This was not an admission 183 00:06:08,593 --> 00:06:09,687 It was an oath 184 00:06:09,874 --> 00:06:11,026 He was telling the whole world 185 00:06:11,353 --> 00:06:12,633 This is who I am 186 00:06:12,634 --> 00:06:13,807 And I will not change 187 00:06:14,778 --> 00:06:16,031 There is another scene 188 00:06:16,218 --> 00:06:17,250 Cao Cao was napping during the day 189 00:06:17,697 --> 00:06:19,231 His blanket fell to the floor 190 00:06:19,298 --> 00:06:21,670 An attendant hurried over to cover him 191 00:06:22,057 --> 00:06:24,591 He leaped up drew his sword and killed the man 192 00:06:25,057 --> 00:06:26,831 Then returned to bed and kept sleeping 193 00:06:27,257 --> 00:06:28,651 Only much later did he get up 194 00:06:29,017 --> 00:06:30,091 And pretend to ask in shock 195 00:06:30,577 --> 00:06:31,771 Who killed my attendant 196 00:06:32,538 --> 00:06:34,670 Others told him that he had done it 197 00:06:34,897 --> 00:06:35,891 He wept bitterly 198 00:06:36,218 --> 00:06:37,430 And gave the man a grand burial 199 00:06:37,741 --> 00:06:39,193 Notice the order of events 200 00:06:39,460 --> 00:06:40,013 He killed a man 201 00:06:40,380 --> 00:06:42,914 Then calmly lay down and slept again 202 00:06:43,060 --> 00:06:45,193 Only later did he rise and perform his surprise 203 00:06:45,541 --> 00:06:47,673 Someone who truly killed by mistake in a dream 204 00:06:47,741 --> 00:06:49,113 Would not react this way 205 00:06:49,541 --> 00:06:51,294 Did he truly care for the attendant 206 00:06:51,926 --> 00:06:52,726 Perhaps 207 00:06:53,020 --> 00:06:55,294 But he also needed everyone to know one thing 208 00:06:55,981 --> 00:06:58,433 Even asleep Cao Cao was dangerous 209 00:06:58,661 --> 00:07:00,405 Do not come near 210 00:07:00,753 --> 00:07:03,325 He lived his entire life in a defensive posture 211 00:07:03,672 --> 00:07:05,645 Not one day was relaxed 212 00:07:06,073 --> 00:07:07,386 How deep was his suspicion 213 00:07:07,912 --> 00:07:09,926 He guarded against others even in dreams 214 00:07:10,393 --> 00:07:14,165 If someone constantly believes others are plotting against him 215 00:07:14,393 --> 00:07:17,046 Then he is constantly plotting against others 216 00:07:17,393 --> 00:07:19,311 This was not the pleasure of power 217 00:07:19,313 --> 00:07:21,165 It was the prison of power 218 00:07:21,433 --> 00:07:22,592 He conquered the realm 219 00:07:22,592 --> 00:07:25,391 But never once defeated what was inside him 220 00:07:25,393 --> 00:07:27,926 That fear engine that never stopped running 221 00:07:28,592 --> 00:07:29,904 Now look at how the three men ended 222 00:07:30,111 --> 00:07:30,964 It becomes even more revealing 223 00:07:31,272 --> 00:07:33,125 After Guan Yu was killed 224 00:07:33,192 --> 00:07:35,284 Liu Bei insisted on avenging his brother 225 00:07:35,311 --> 00:07:37,044 And suffered a crushing defeat at Yiling 226 00:07:37,072 --> 00:07:39,245 Losing nearly everything Shu possessed 227 00:07:39,471 --> 00:07:41,070 He was not defeated by the enemy 228 00:07:41,072 --> 00:07:43,164 He was dragged down by his own benevolence 229 00:07:43,392 --> 00:07:45,284 Benevolence would not let him abandon revenge 230 00:07:45,392 --> 00:07:46,911 So even knowing he should not fight 231 00:07:46,911 --> 00:07:47,964 He still had to fight 232 00:07:48,513 --> 00:07:49,145 And Zhuge Liang 233 00:07:49,432 --> 00:07:51,112 He was not defeated by Wei 234 00:07:51,112 --> 00:07:53,246 He was exhausted by his need for control 235 00:07:53,393 --> 00:07:54,871 He had to manage everything himself 236 00:07:54,872 --> 00:07:57,045 Until his body could bear no more 237 00:07:57,513 --> 00:07:59,126 Cao Cao won countless battles 238 00:07:59,232 --> 00:08:02,446 Yet suspicion made him kill many innocent people 239 00:08:02,633 --> 00:08:06,845 His defeat at Red Cliffs was also tied to trusting no one 240 00:08:07,393 --> 00:08:08,145 Three attachments 241 00:08:08,472 --> 00:08:10,285 Three forms of self destruction 242 00:08:10,593 --> 00:08:11,511 Different seeds 243 00:08:11,513 --> 00:08:14,460 Yet the bitter fruit tasted the same 244 00:08:14,688 --> 00:08:14,881 Now 245 00:08:15,328 --> 00:08:16,741 We have seen all three men 246 00:08:17,088 --> 00:08:18,080 What did you notice 247 00:08:18,807 --> 00:08:20,480 Liu Bei was bound by benevolence 248 00:08:20,888 --> 00:08:22,821 Zhuge Liang was bound by strategy 249 00:08:22,888 --> 00:08:24,660 Cao Cao was bound by power 250 00:08:25,008 --> 00:08:25,886 On the surface 251 00:08:25,888 --> 00:08:28,381 They pursued completely different things 252 00:08:28,648 --> 00:08:29,640 One wanted to be a good man 253 00:08:29,967 --> 00:08:31,326 One wanted to be a clever man 254 00:08:31,328 --> 00:08:33,020 One wanted to be the strongest man 255 00:08:33,328 --> 00:08:34,780 But strip away the shell 256 00:08:34,888 --> 00:08:36,441 And the inner structure is identical 257 00:08:36,967 --> 00:08:40,060 Each welded a label onto himself 258 00:08:40,127 --> 00:08:43,180 Then spent a lifetime maintaining that label 259 00:08:43,367 --> 00:08:43,881 In the end 260 00:08:44,247 --> 00:08:45,926 They lived for the label 261 00:08:45,928 --> 00:08:47,677 Rather than for themselves 262 00:08:47,984 --> 00:08:49,543 Buddhism has a concept 263 00:08:49,545 --> 00:08:51,344 That describes exactly this 264 00:08:51,344 --> 00:08:52,557 It is called manas consciousness 265 00:08:52,905 --> 00:08:54,383 The term may sound unfamiliar 266 00:08:54,384 --> 00:08:56,557 But its work is familiar to everyone 267 00:08:56,864 --> 00:08:58,958 Manas consciousness is the force within you 268 00:08:58,984 --> 00:09:02,037 That constantly grasps at an idea of me 269 00:09:02,384 --> 00:09:03,537 It does not appear only now and then 270 00:09:03,864 --> 00:09:05,677 It stays online all day and night 271 00:09:05,705 --> 00:09:07,758 It keeps running while you sleep 272 00:09:07,984 --> 00:09:09,537 It has only one job 273 00:09:09,984 --> 00:09:12,277 To maintain the definition of who I am 274 00:09:12,665 --> 00:09:14,998 The manas of Liu Bei grasped benevolence 275 00:09:15,344 --> 00:09:17,557 The manas of Zhuge Liang grasped wisdom 276 00:09:18,065 --> 00:09:20,238 The manas of Cao Cao grasped power 277 00:09:20,825 --> 00:09:21,697 Three different words 278 00:09:22,024 --> 00:09:23,538 The same act of grasping 279 00:09:24,085 --> 00:09:26,459 Buddhism calls this grasping self attachment 280 00:09:26,686 --> 00:09:28,219 Attachment means refusing to let go 281 00:09:28,406 --> 00:09:29,319 You can cling to goodness 282 00:09:29,646 --> 00:09:30,398 You can cling to wisdom 283 00:09:30,766 --> 00:09:31,939 You can also cling to evil 284 00:09:32,166 --> 00:09:33,898 But whatever you cling to 285 00:09:33,926 --> 00:09:36,699 The act of clinging comes from the same force 286 00:09:37,085 --> 00:09:39,699 This is the most sophisticated disguise of manas 287 00:09:40,006 --> 00:09:42,018 It does not make you do evil 288 00:09:42,245 --> 00:09:44,124 It gives you a beautiful garment 289 00:09:44,125 --> 00:09:45,859 And makes you think this is me 290 00:09:45,926 --> 00:09:48,018 Then you can never take it off 291 00:09:48,526 --> 00:09:50,359 The garment of Liu Bei was benevolence 292 00:09:50,646 --> 00:09:51,618 It looked respectable 293 00:09:51,965 --> 00:09:53,878 The garment of Zhuge Liang was total devotion 294 00:09:54,085 --> 00:09:54,939 It looked moving 295 00:09:55,325 --> 00:09:57,199 The garment of Cao Cao was heroic greatness 296 00:09:57,445 --> 00:09:58,459 It looked imposing 297 00:09:58,686 --> 00:10:00,099 But the garment is not the problem 298 00:10:00,365 --> 00:10:03,562 The problem is believing you are the garment 299 00:10:04,029 --> 00:10:05,861 Think of the people you know 300 00:10:06,188 --> 00:10:07,121 Is there someone 301 00:10:07,149 --> 00:10:09,308 Who already seems excellent to everyone else 302 00:10:09,308 --> 00:10:10,741 Yet never feels good enough 303 00:10:11,428 --> 00:10:12,182 Not kind enough 304 00:10:12,548 --> 00:10:13,261 Not smart enough 305 00:10:13,548 --> 00:10:14,361 Not strong enough 306 00:10:14,948 --> 00:10:16,881 That endless anxiety of insufficiency 307 00:10:17,029 --> 00:10:18,562 Does not come from truly lacking something 308 00:10:18,668 --> 00:10:21,961 It comes from manas needing constant proof that it exists 309 00:10:22,548 --> 00:10:23,621 It creates a sense of scarcity 310 00:10:23,989 --> 00:10:25,802 Like an engine needing fuel 311 00:10:26,109 --> 00:10:26,902 The more you feed it 312 00:10:27,188 --> 00:10:28,042 The hungrier it becomes 313 00:10:28,653 --> 00:10:30,892 Liu Bei practiced benevolence throughout his life 314 00:10:30,893 --> 00:10:33,706 Yet died still doubting whether he was benevolent enough 315 00:10:33,853 --> 00:10:35,693 Zhuge Liang calculated strategies throughout his life 316 00:10:35,694 --> 00:10:38,627 Yet died still fearing he had missed something 317 00:10:38,773 --> 00:10:40,532 Cao Cao guarded against people throughout his life 318 00:10:40,534 --> 00:10:42,946 Yet was still arranging decoy tombs at death 319 00:10:43,454 --> 00:10:45,213 All three fed it for a lifetime 320 00:10:45,214 --> 00:10:46,702 And none ever satisfied it 321 00:10:46,970 --> 00:10:51,023 A passage in volume four of the Maharatnakuta Sutra stayed with me 322 00:10:51,490 --> 00:10:52,643 The original words say 323 00:10:53,169 --> 00:10:55,143 Do not cling to good or evil 324 00:10:55,570 --> 00:10:56,482 If you cling to wholesome things 325 00:10:56,889 --> 00:10:58,862 You will also cling to unwholesome things 326 00:10:59,289 --> 00:11:00,722 This may sound difficult at first 327 00:11:01,049 --> 00:11:02,182 Let me translate it 328 00:11:02,529 --> 00:11:03,322 It means 329 00:11:03,689 --> 00:11:05,649 Once you grip goodness too tightly 330 00:11:05,649 --> 00:11:08,182 You also grip what is not good 331 00:11:08,450 --> 00:11:11,263 Because grasping itself does not distinguish good from evil 332 00:11:11,649 --> 00:11:13,742 The tighter you hold benevolence 333 00:11:13,889 --> 00:11:16,303 The deeper your fear of lacking it 334 00:11:16,689 --> 00:11:18,682 Liu Bei feared one thing throughout his life 335 00:11:19,130 --> 00:11:20,623 That others would call him unrighteous 336 00:11:20,970 --> 00:11:22,082 He was not pursuing goodness 337 00:11:22,529 --> 00:11:24,102 He was fleeing from its opposite 338 00:11:24,529 --> 00:11:27,582 Grasping and fleeing are two sides of the same motion 339 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:32,174 Volume one of the Diamond Sutra says it more directly 340 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:33,513 The Buddha told his disciples 341 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:34,873 Monks 342 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:36,333 Understand my teachings 343 00:11:36,361 --> 00:11:37,233 Through the parable of the raft 344 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:38,633 Even the Dharma must be released 345 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:40,133 How much more what is not Dharma 346 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:41,113 What does this mean 347 00:11:41,641 --> 00:11:43,934 Practice is like crossing a river on a bamboo raft 348 00:11:44,121 --> 00:11:44,753 Once you reach the other shore 349 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:46,880 You should put the raft down 350 00:11:46,881 --> 00:11:48,054 And travel lightly 351 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,253 Even the raft of Buddhist teaching must be left behind 352 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,774 How much more your cards of benevolence or strategy 353 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,414 Letting go does not mean goodness is bad 354 00:11:57,560 --> 00:11:58,694 Goodness is good 355 00:11:58,761 --> 00:12:02,654 But when a natural response becomes welded to identity 356 00:12:02,761 --> 00:12:04,893 It changes from a tool into a prison 357 00:12:05,121 --> 00:12:07,093 Liu Bei Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao 358 00:12:07,121 --> 00:12:10,654 All crossed the river but kept carrying the raft 359 00:12:11,401 --> 00:12:14,512 Because they could no longer separate themselves from it 360 00:12:14,939 --> 00:12:16,912 You may think this belongs to the ancient world 361 00:12:17,260 --> 00:12:17,973 But think about it 362 00:12:18,339 --> 00:12:20,352 The three forms of self attachment in modern life 363 00:12:20,459 --> 00:12:21,132 Wear different clothes 364 00:12:21,339 --> 00:12:22,673 But make the same motion 365 00:12:23,099 --> 00:12:27,352 People at work who always help and never say no 366 00:12:27,420 --> 00:12:28,532 Could it be 367 00:12:28,979 --> 00:12:30,272 That they are not simply too kind 368 00:12:30,300 --> 00:12:33,532 But have made kindness their only identity 369 00:12:34,140 --> 00:12:35,252 The moment they say no 370 00:12:35,579 --> 00:12:37,032 They fear more than offending someone 371 00:12:37,059 --> 00:12:38,433 They fear losing themselves 372 00:12:38,859 --> 00:12:42,152 People who must understand everything before acting 373 00:12:42,260 --> 00:12:43,372 Could it be 374 00:12:43,699 --> 00:12:44,939 That they are not simply too cautious 375 00:12:44,939 --> 00:12:48,453 But have made intelligence their entire sense of safety 376 00:12:49,020 --> 00:12:51,059 When they meet something they cannot fully understand 377 00:12:51,059 --> 00:12:52,338 They fear more than failure 378 00:12:52,339 --> 00:12:54,512 They fear no longer being the smart one 379 00:12:55,219 --> 00:12:58,352 And people who must dominate every relationship 380 00:12:58,459 --> 00:12:59,412 Could it be 381 00:12:59,699 --> 00:13:00,978 That they are not simply too forceful 382 00:13:00,979 --> 00:13:03,612 But have welded the label of strength into their hearts 383 00:13:04,020 --> 00:13:04,732 The moment they show weakness 384 00:13:05,020 --> 00:13:06,272 They fear more than losing out 385 00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:07,824 They fear disappearing 386 00:13:08,171 --> 00:13:10,224 Many leadership courses today 387 00:13:10,291 --> 00:13:12,584 Teach you to become a benevolent leader 388 00:13:12,612 --> 00:13:15,224 A leader with strategic vision 389 00:13:15,252 --> 00:13:17,425 A leader with courage and force 390 00:13:17,572 --> 00:13:18,625 Do you see it 391 00:13:18,651 --> 00:13:22,625 These models map exactly to Liu Bei Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao 392 00:13:22,972 --> 00:13:25,090 The courses teach you to wear different garments 393 00:13:25,092 --> 00:13:26,405 But never ask one question 394 00:13:26,972 --> 00:13:28,484 Why do you need the garment 395 00:13:29,051 --> 00:13:30,665 The culture of power games is the same 396 00:13:31,011 --> 00:13:32,864 It teaches you how to win the game 397 00:13:33,171 --> 00:13:34,165 But what happens after you win 398 00:13:34,651 --> 00:13:36,905 Look back at Cao Cao and you will know 399 00:13:36,972 --> 00:13:38,210 The man who conquered the realm 400 00:13:38,212 --> 00:13:42,625 Still could not defeat the fear engine within him 401 00:13:42,972 --> 00:13:44,625 You may have felt this too 402 00:13:44,932 --> 00:13:47,224 A label has been attached to you for years 403 00:13:47,371 --> 00:13:49,785 And you cannot tell if it is what you truly enjoy 404 00:13:49,812 --> 00:13:52,704 Or if stopping would make you no longer yourself 405 00:13:53,052 --> 00:13:54,611 This inability to tell 406 00:13:54,612 --> 00:13:57,025 Is manas consciousness at work 407 00:13:57,531 --> 00:13:59,131 It works so quietly 408 00:13:59,131 --> 00:14:03,087 That you mistake its voice for your own 409 00:14:03,554 --> 00:14:05,553 What moves me most in Romance of the Three Kingdoms 410 00:14:05,554 --> 00:14:07,528 Is not who won or lost 411 00:14:07,674 --> 00:14:09,367 It is these three men together 412 00:14:09,394 --> 00:14:12,408 Like three mirrors of the same human predicament 413 00:14:12,674 --> 00:14:15,768 The Liu Bei mirror says I must be good 414 00:14:15,955 --> 00:14:19,207 The Zhuge Liang mirror says I must be smart 415 00:14:19,314 --> 00:14:22,687 The Cao Cao mirror says I must be the strongest 416 00:14:22,914 --> 00:14:24,514 Turn the three mirrors around 417 00:14:24,514 --> 00:14:26,008 And the same wall stands behind them 418 00:14:26,154 --> 00:14:27,987 That wall has one name 419 00:14:28,355 --> 00:14:29,748 I must be 420 00:14:30,014 --> 00:14:30,888 Practice begins 421 00:14:31,134 --> 00:14:32,667 Not by learning what to do 422 00:14:32,734 --> 00:14:34,148 But by seeing this wall 423 00:14:34,575 --> 00:14:35,167 Seeing it 424 00:14:35,494 --> 00:14:36,787 Does not mean tearing it down 425 00:14:37,134 --> 00:14:38,368 Kindness still matters 426 00:14:38,734 --> 00:14:40,334 Intelligence still matters 427 00:14:40,335 --> 00:14:42,628 And strength still matters when strength is needed 428 00:14:42,815 --> 00:14:43,888 But your relationship with them 429 00:14:44,175 --> 00:14:45,893 Is no longer welded in place 430 00:14:45,894 --> 00:14:47,508 It becomes a relationship of choice 431 00:14:47,774 --> 00:14:49,207 Today I choose kindness 432 00:14:49,534 --> 00:14:51,494 Because kindness fits this moment 433 00:14:51,494 --> 00:14:54,268 Not because I must be a kind person 434 00:14:54,695 --> 00:14:56,187 The difference is subtle 435 00:14:56,215 --> 00:14:59,853 But it decides whether you are free or bound 436 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,054 When Luo Guanzhong wrote this novel 437 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:03,814 He probably was not thinking about Yogacara 438 00:15:04,121 --> 00:15:06,333 But what he observed through stories 439 00:15:06,521 --> 00:15:09,973 And what the Buddha saw inwardly twenty five centuries ago 440 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,174 Point to the same map 441 00:15:12,481 --> 00:15:15,574 Ancient eyes can sometimes see more clearly than theory 442 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,213 He did not need the term manas consciousness 443 00:15:18,281 --> 00:15:20,454 He only needed to watch people long enough 444 00:15:20,521 --> 00:15:22,502 To see through them 445 00:15:23,064 --> 00:15:23,255 Now 446 00:15:23,698 --> 00:15:24,939 Here is my question for you 447 00:15:25,125 --> 00:15:28,388 Do you carry a garment you have worn for many years 448 00:15:28,534 --> 00:15:32,094 Until you cannot tell whether you wear it or it wears you 449 00:15:32,615 --> 00:15:33,560 The garment of being good 450 00:15:33,923 --> 00:15:35,032 The garment of being smart 451 00:15:35,033 --> 00:15:35,898 Or something else 452 00:15:36,460 --> 00:15:39,920 Have you tried gently taking it off in your mind 453 00:15:40,067 --> 00:15:42,140 And looking at who you are without it 454 00:15:42,286 --> 00:15:43,349 What remains 455 00:15:43,831 --> 00:15:46,855 I would love to hear your answer in the comments 456 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:47,985 I am Leo Wang 457 00:15:48,350 --> 00:15:49,630 See you next time