1 00:00:00,302 --> 00:00:02,940 in the Investiture of the Gods everyone acts on behalf of heaven 2 00:00:02,942 --> 00:00:04,277 and everyone is creating karma 3 00:00:04,581 --> 00:00:06,036 have you ever thought about this 4 00:00:06,341 --> 00:00:07,216 in the Investiture of the Gods 5 00:00:07,501 --> 00:00:08,500 the Shang dynasty falls 6 00:00:08,502 --> 00:00:09,637 the Zhou dynasty rises 7 00:00:09,702 --> 00:00:12,356 and three hundred sixty five spirits are enshrined as gods 8 00:00:12,621 --> 00:00:16,157 it looks like a story where heaven decrees and justice always wins 9 00:00:16,341 --> 00:00:17,996 but think back carefully 10 00:00:18,062 --> 00:00:20,577 what is the strangest thing in the whole book 11 00:00:21,062 --> 00:00:22,381 it is that every single character 12 00:00:22,382 --> 00:00:24,437 whether he is good or evil 13 00:00:24,461 --> 00:00:25,876 no matter which side he stands on 14 00:00:25,942 --> 00:00:27,577 is shouting the very same words 15 00:00:27,942 --> 00:00:29,196 acting on behalf of heaven 16 00:00:29,989 --> 00:00:31,864 Jiang Ziya says he acts on behalf of heaven 17 00:00:32,110 --> 00:00:33,245 to topple King Zhou and destroy the Shang 18 00:00:33,749 --> 00:00:36,444 King Zhou's men say they are loyal ministers guarding the realm 19 00:00:36,469 --> 00:00:37,645 following the will of heaven 20 00:00:38,109 --> 00:00:41,044 the immortals of the Jie sect believe they are upholding heaven's law 21 00:00:41,389 --> 00:00:44,524 and the immortals of the Chan sect believe heaven's mandate is theirs 22 00:00:44,910 --> 00:00:47,205 even Daji seducing King Zhou 23 00:00:47,230 --> 00:00:49,764 was done on Nuwa's own personal command 24 00:00:49,989 --> 00:00:51,844 she can say with a clear conscience 25 00:00:51,910 --> 00:00:53,565 I too am acting on behalf of heaven 26 00:00:53,950 --> 00:00:56,685 everyone believes heaven is on their side 27 00:00:57,029 --> 00:00:58,984 so whose side is heaven really on 28 00:00:59,550 --> 00:01:01,484 the answer might make you uncomfortable 29 00:01:01,789 --> 00:01:01,984 heaven 30 00:01:02,590 --> 00:01:03,885 is on no one's side 31 00:01:04,663 --> 00:01:05,018 hello 32 00:01:05,342 --> 00:01:05,818 everyone 33 00:01:06,063 --> 00:01:07,077 I am Wang Lijie 34 00:01:07,423 --> 00:01:10,798 today we continue our series deconstructing classics through Buddhism 35 00:01:11,023 --> 00:01:14,757 this time we take apart a book almost every Chinese person knows by heart 36 00:01:14,822 --> 00:01:17,238 but may never have truly understood 37 00:01:17,303 --> 00:01:18,438 the Investiture of the Gods 38 00:01:18,743 --> 00:01:20,398 in many people's minds 39 00:01:20,543 --> 00:01:23,758 the Investiture of the Gods is just a crowd pleasing tale of good versus evil 40 00:01:24,062 --> 00:01:25,058 good guys beat bad guys 41 00:01:25,342 --> 00:01:26,437 immortals duel with magic 42 00:01:26,502 --> 00:01:28,918 and in the end heaven decrees that King Wu of Zhou wins 43 00:01:29,062 --> 00:01:31,901 three hundred sixty five spirits each take their place 44 00:01:31,903 --> 00:01:33,398 and cosmic order is restored 45 00:01:33,702 --> 00:01:37,077 but if you look at this book again through a Buddhist lens 46 00:01:37,263 --> 00:01:40,157 you will find something that sends a chill down your spine 47 00:01:40,502 --> 00:01:43,638 it is not at all a story of justice defeating evil 48 00:01:43,942 --> 00:01:46,717 it is an encyclopedia of attachment 49 00:01:47,183 --> 00:01:48,502 and what it reveals 50 00:01:48,502 --> 00:01:51,797 is the highest and most hidden kind of human attachment 51 00:01:51,942 --> 00:01:53,258 it is taking your own judgment 52 00:01:53,543 --> 00:01:54,998 and passing it off as the will of heaven 53 00:01:55,582 --> 00:01:57,118 let us peel it apart layer by layer 54 00:01:57,978 --> 00:02:00,052 first these words acting on behalf of heaven 55 00:02:00,377 --> 00:02:01,552 where exactly do they go wrong 56 00:02:01,937 --> 00:02:04,513 think hard about the logical structure of these words 57 00:02:04,978 --> 00:02:06,233 acting on behalf of heaven 58 00:02:06,737 --> 00:02:08,272 it assumes three things 59 00:02:08,657 --> 00:02:09,012 first 60 00:02:09,537 --> 00:02:10,953 heaven has a will 61 00:02:11,498 --> 00:02:11,812 second 62 00:02:12,178 --> 00:02:14,273 you know what heaven's will is 63 00:02:14,657 --> 00:02:15,012 third 64 00:02:15,417 --> 00:02:18,593 you are qualified to carry out that will for heaven 65 00:02:19,178 --> 00:02:20,012 these three assumptions 66 00:02:20,458 --> 00:02:22,433 none of them holds up under scrutiny 67 00:02:22,966 --> 00:02:23,922 does heaven have a will 68 00:02:24,487 --> 00:02:26,001 Buddhism's answer is very clear 69 00:02:26,327 --> 00:02:26,941 no 70 00:02:27,166 --> 00:02:30,302 the law of dependent origination is not the will of some higher being 71 00:02:30,406 --> 00:02:32,742 it is simply the way things work 72 00:02:32,966 --> 00:02:36,821 just as water flows downhill not because someone orders it to 73 00:02:36,846 --> 00:02:39,941 but because its physical nature leaves it no other way 74 00:02:40,207 --> 00:02:41,242 the way of heaven is a law 75 00:02:41,406 --> 00:02:42,381 not a command 76 00:02:42,527 --> 00:02:43,482 a law has no stance 77 00:02:43,686 --> 00:02:44,646 no preference 78 00:02:44,647 --> 00:02:46,142 and needs no spokesman 79 00:02:46,458 --> 00:02:48,014 so do you know what the way of heaven is 80 00:02:48,498 --> 00:02:49,493 you think you know 81 00:02:49,819 --> 00:02:50,813 but do you really know 82 00:02:51,338 --> 00:02:52,914 all the information you see 83 00:02:52,938 --> 00:02:54,454 has been filtered by your senses 84 00:02:54,778 --> 00:02:56,213 processed by your cognitive frame 85 00:02:56,498 --> 00:02:58,393 and colored by your emotional preferences 86 00:02:58,618 --> 00:02:59,933 in the language of Yogacara 87 00:03:00,299 --> 00:03:01,634 the world you see 88 00:03:01,659 --> 00:03:03,514 is your imagined attachment 89 00:03:03,579 --> 00:03:06,553 a net you yourself have woven out of concepts 90 00:03:06,859 --> 00:03:09,833 you take this net to catch the so called will of heaven 91 00:03:09,898 --> 00:03:10,857 but what you pull up 92 00:03:10,859 --> 00:03:12,914 is always just your own projection 93 00:03:13,679 --> 00:03:14,400 finally 94 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,136 even if you truly saw through how the way of heaven works 95 00:03:17,201 --> 00:03:18,835 are you qualified to enforce it 96 00:03:19,481 --> 00:03:22,576 it is like your robot vacuum suddenly announcing 97 00:03:22,601 --> 00:03:24,160 I have understood gravity 98 00:03:24,161 --> 00:03:26,976 from today I will enforce the laws of physics 99 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,256 you would think the robot had gone mad 100 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,136 but when a person says he acts on behalf of heaven 101 00:03:32,481 --> 00:03:34,296 everyone finds it perfectly normal 102 00:03:34,588 --> 00:03:35,076 why 103 00:03:35,601 --> 00:03:38,256 because human arrogance is unconscious 104 00:03:38,549 --> 00:03:40,405 in the world of the Investiture of the Gods 105 00:03:40,429 --> 00:03:43,084 this unconscious overreach is everywhere 106 00:03:43,429 --> 00:03:46,725 and every overreacher believes he is absolutely right 107 00:03:47,109 --> 00:03:48,565 let us start from the beginning 108 00:03:48,790 --> 00:03:50,204 the origin of the whole affair 109 00:03:50,229 --> 00:03:52,725 is King Zhou offering incense at Nuwa's temple 110 00:03:52,870 --> 00:03:55,044 being struck by the beauty of Nuwa's statue 111 00:03:55,150 --> 00:03:57,644 and writing a poem with a blasphemous tone 112 00:03:57,989 --> 00:03:58,864 Nuwa is furious 113 00:03:59,190 --> 00:04:01,005 she summons the three demons of Xuanyuan's tomb 114 00:04:01,030 --> 00:04:02,965 and sends them to seduce King Zhou 115 00:04:02,989 --> 00:04:05,445 to ruin the six hundred year realm of the Shang 116 00:04:05,870 --> 00:04:08,144 don't you find this opening strange 117 00:04:08,790 --> 00:04:11,484 a mortal writes an inappropriate poem 118 00:04:11,669 --> 00:04:16,005 and a goddess decides to destroy a dynasty that has lasted six hundred years 119 00:04:16,389 --> 00:04:18,624 isn't this cause and effect a little out of proportion 120 00:04:19,749 --> 00:04:22,325 you post an inappropriate comment on social media 121 00:04:22,350 --> 00:04:24,885 and your boss dissolves the entire company 122 00:04:25,109 --> 00:04:27,044 any normal person would find that wrong 123 00:04:28,014 --> 00:04:29,689 and what is Nuwa's reason 124 00:04:30,174 --> 00:04:31,908 the Shang's fortune is spent 125 00:04:32,333 --> 00:04:33,049 in other words 126 00:04:33,374 --> 00:04:35,468 the Shang was destined to fall anyway 127 00:04:35,614 --> 00:04:38,292 King Zhou's poem was just a trigger 128 00:04:38,293 --> 00:04:39,268 an excuse 129 00:04:39,494 --> 00:04:41,949 the real cause runs deeper 130 00:04:42,134 --> 00:04:43,249 in Buddhist terms 131 00:04:43,653 --> 00:04:45,509 the six hundred years of collective karma of the Shang 132 00:04:45,574 --> 00:04:47,749 had built up to a critical point 133 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:48,915 but notice this 134 00:04:49,319 --> 00:04:50,559 right at the start of the story 135 00:04:50,559 --> 00:04:52,055 the will of heaven is already blurred 136 00:04:52,199 --> 00:04:54,374 is Nuwa acting on behalf of heaven 137 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,235 or acting on her own emotions 138 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:58,775 she says the Shang's fortune is spent 139 00:04:58,999 --> 00:05:00,915 but what if King Zhou had not written that poem 140 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:02,394 would she still have issued the command 141 00:05:03,079 --> 00:05:05,134 if the Shang was destined to fall anyway 142 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,535 sending demons to speed up the process 143 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:09,314 is that following heaven or interfering with it 144 00:05:10,079 --> 00:05:10,834 do you see it 145 00:05:11,199 --> 00:05:12,735 even the highest god 146 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:15,655 has personal emotion mixed into her motives 147 00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:16,715 she was offended 148 00:05:16,879 --> 00:05:17,879 she grew angry 149 00:05:17,879 --> 00:05:19,735 then she made a decision 150 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:23,334 and stuck the label of heaven's will onto that decision 151 00:05:23,759 --> 00:05:25,454 this is not acting on behalf of heaven 152 00:05:25,559 --> 00:05:27,199 this is using the name of the way of heaven 153 00:05:27,199 --> 00:05:29,574 to rationalize and dress up your own reaction 154 00:05:30,137 --> 00:05:33,512 Buddhism has a very precise concept called dependent origination 155 00:05:33,938 --> 00:05:37,272 no event happens because of a single cause 156 00:05:37,337 --> 00:05:40,073 it is countless conditions woven together 157 00:05:40,097 --> 00:05:42,352 ripening all at once in a single moment 158 00:05:42,577 --> 00:05:45,472 the Shang did not fall because King Zhou wrote a poem 159 00:05:45,577 --> 00:05:47,496 nor because Daji was too seductive 160 00:05:47,498 --> 00:05:49,472 nor because Jiang Ziya was too powerful 161 00:05:49,657 --> 00:05:53,073 it is that the whole system's conditions reached the tipping point at once 162 00:05:53,378 --> 00:05:56,392 no single person was the sole driver of it 163 00:05:56,698 --> 00:05:59,073 but every character in the Investiture of the Gods 164 00:05:59,097 --> 00:06:01,433 believes he is the key driver 165 00:06:01,738 --> 00:06:04,272 they all believe they are pushing on behalf of heaven 166 00:06:04,607 --> 00:06:06,542 now let us look at King Zhou 167 00:06:06,966 --> 00:06:10,222 King Zhou is the most caricatured character in the whole book 168 00:06:10,646 --> 00:06:11,941 the moment you mention King Zhou 169 00:06:11,966 --> 00:06:15,542 what pops into your head is tyranny debauchery and cruelty 170 00:06:15,966 --> 00:06:17,001 but have you ever thought 171 00:06:17,326 --> 00:06:18,805 within the novel's narrative 172 00:06:18,807 --> 00:06:21,201 how did King Zhou become this way step by step 173 00:06:21,727 --> 00:06:23,461 he was not born evil 174 00:06:23,687 --> 00:06:24,686 at the start of the novel 175 00:06:24,687 --> 00:06:28,581 he is portrayed as a ruler skilled in both arts and arms and immensely strong 176 00:06:28,886 --> 00:06:29,562 his fall 177 00:06:29,727 --> 00:06:31,461 is a long chain of cause and effect 178 00:06:31,927 --> 00:06:32,602 Nuwa issues her command 179 00:06:33,006 --> 00:06:34,102 Daji enters the palace 180 00:06:34,206 --> 00:06:37,662 the fox demon's enchantment erodes his mind day after day 181 00:06:37,966 --> 00:06:40,821 loyal ministers are killed or flee one after another 182 00:06:41,006 --> 00:06:43,381 he is surrounded by flattering sycophants 183 00:06:43,927 --> 00:06:45,742 his vision grows narrower and narrower 184 00:06:45,886 --> 00:06:48,261 his space for choice grows smaller and smaller 185 00:06:48,607 --> 00:06:49,542 in the end 186 00:06:49,566 --> 00:06:52,381 he can no longer see any other possibility 187 00:06:52,676 --> 00:06:53,750 in Buddhist terms 188 00:06:54,115 --> 00:06:55,291 King Zhou's fall 189 00:06:55,315 --> 00:06:58,211 is seeds manifesting under specific conditions 190 00:06:58,435 --> 00:07:00,971 he already had the seeds of greed hatred and delusion within him 191 00:07:01,075 --> 00:07:02,091 who doesn't 192 00:07:02,356 --> 00:07:04,750 but these seeds by Daji by power 193 00:07:04,875 --> 00:07:07,250 by fear by loneliness were watered again and again 194 00:07:07,476 --> 00:07:10,890 when all the outer conditions push in the same direction 195 00:07:10,955 --> 00:07:13,851 those seeds grow into towering trees 196 00:07:14,555 --> 00:07:15,390 what is the point 197 00:07:15,796 --> 00:07:18,450 these seeds are not his alone 198 00:07:18,676 --> 00:07:20,010 everyone has them inside 199 00:07:20,236 --> 00:07:23,091 King Zhou is not a monster different from you and me 200 00:07:23,195 --> 00:07:26,411 he is a mirror magnified by particular conditions 201 00:07:27,499 --> 00:07:28,635 think about yourself 202 00:07:29,099 --> 00:07:30,635 have you ever had this experience 203 00:07:30,940 --> 00:07:32,715 you clearly know something is wrong 204 00:07:32,940 --> 00:07:34,354 but the environment pushes you 205 00:07:34,419 --> 00:07:35,674 emotion wraps around you 206 00:07:35,700 --> 00:07:36,655 inertia drags you 207 00:07:36,940 --> 00:07:38,315 and you just can't stop 208 00:07:38,739 --> 00:07:39,614 looking back afterward 209 00:07:40,020 --> 00:07:42,114 you say what was I thinking back then 210 00:07:42,499 --> 00:07:43,715 but in that moment 211 00:07:43,739 --> 00:07:46,234 you completely believed your judgment was right 212 00:07:46,659 --> 00:07:47,914 King Zhou was the same 213 00:07:48,299 --> 00:07:50,034 it is not that he had no lucid moments 214 00:07:50,460 --> 00:07:52,275 it is that in those lucid moments 215 00:07:52,340 --> 00:07:53,755 he chose to close his eyes 216 00:07:54,340 --> 00:07:56,114 Buddhism does not call this evil 217 00:07:56,499 --> 00:07:58,195 Buddhism calls this ignorance 218 00:07:58,739 --> 00:07:59,734 it is not being not smart enough 219 00:08:00,220 --> 00:08:01,515 it is not being not kind enough 220 00:08:01,940 --> 00:08:04,434 it is not knowing what is pushing you along 221 00:08:04,717 --> 00:08:05,972 now look at Jiang Ziya 222 00:08:06,318 --> 00:08:09,493 Jiang Ziya is the absolute hero of the whole book 223 00:08:10,077 --> 00:08:12,212 he holds the list of gods and the god beating whip 224 00:08:12,358 --> 00:08:14,012 aiding King Wu of Zhou to topple King Zhou 225 00:08:14,118 --> 00:08:15,392 cutting through every obstacle 226 00:08:15,717 --> 00:08:17,253 and finally achieving glory 227 00:08:17,678 --> 00:08:19,772 he is the spokesman of acting on behalf of heaven 228 00:08:20,157 --> 00:08:22,253 but look closely at his pattern of behavior 229 00:08:22,277 --> 00:08:24,332 and you will find something very subtle 230 00:08:24,878 --> 00:08:26,316 throughout the entire process 231 00:08:26,318 --> 00:08:28,592 how many times did he make a truly free choice 232 00:08:29,358 --> 00:08:30,957 he did not write the list of gods 233 00:08:30,957 --> 00:08:32,693 Yuanshi Tianzun gave it to him 234 00:08:32,918 --> 00:08:34,637 he did not make the god beating whip 235 00:08:34,637 --> 00:08:36,532 it was handed down from Mount Kunlun 236 00:08:36,758 --> 00:08:39,036 whom he would enshrine and whom he would destroy 237 00:08:39,037 --> 00:08:40,652 the list was decided long ago 238 00:08:40,797 --> 00:08:42,373 he is merely an executor 239 00:08:42,754 --> 00:08:45,129 here is a very deep Buddhist question 240 00:08:45,634 --> 00:08:47,749 a person who perfectly carries out orders 241 00:08:48,035 --> 00:08:48,830 is he free 242 00:08:49,634 --> 00:08:50,950 he executes willingly 243 00:08:51,274 --> 00:08:52,810 he identifies with the mission 244 00:08:53,354 --> 00:08:54,629 but identification itself 245 00:08:54,994 --> 00:08:56,330 is a kind of attachment 246 00:08:56,754 --> 00:08:58,310 what does Jiang Ziya identify with 247 00:08:58,795 --> 00:09:00,190 the worldview of the Chan sect 248 00:09:00,514 --> 00:09:02,450 the authority of Yuanshi Tianzun 249 00:09:02,474 --> 00:09:05,649 the belief that justice must win and heaven's mandate cannot be defied 250 00:09:05,915 --> 00:09:09,570 these identifications shape how he sees everything 251 00:09:10,132 --> 00:09:12,307 notice how he behaves on the battlefield 252 00:09:12,652 --> 00:09:14,547 whenever he meets an opponent from the Jie sect 253 00:09:14,571 --> 00:09:17,547 no matter how high their cultivation or how just their cause 254 00:09:17,571 --> 00:09:19,331 his first reaction is always 255 00:09:19,331 --> 00:09:20,486 you are defying heaven 256 00:09:20,691 --> 00:09:21,787 you deserve to die 257 00:09:22,371 --> 00:09:24,667 this is not a judgment after careful thought 258 00:09:25,012 --> 00:09:27,186 this is the autopilot of identity 259 00:09:27,571 --> 00:09:28,907 he does not need to think 260 00:09:29,012 --> 00:09:32,466 because his system has already preprocessed all the information 261 00:09:32,772 --> 00:09:34,490 whatever is Chan sect is right 262 00:09:34,491 --> 00:09:36,387 whatever is Jie sect is wrong 263 00:09:36,652 --> 00:09:40,147 this judgment is complete before it even enters consciousness 264 00:09:40,331 --> 00:09:41,366 in Buddhist terms 265 00:09:41,652 --> 00:09:42,866 this is called attachment to dharmas 266 00:09:43,879 --> 00:09:46,074 attachment to dharmas is harder to notice than attachment to self 267 00:09:46,319 --> 00:09:47,374 and more dangerous 268 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,535 attachment to self is clinging to a false self 269 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:53,974 attachment to dharmas is clinging to a set of beliefs about truth 270 00:09:54,239 --> 00:09:56,454 you can let go of attachment to fame and gain 271 00:09:56,560 --> 00:09:58,775 you can let go of attachment to emotion 272 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:01,035 but can you let go of attachment to justice 273 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,594 can you let go of the belief that makes you feel like a good person 274 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:06,935 this is Jiang Ziya's dilemma 275 00:10:07,119 --> 00:10:09,374 a person can be completely selfless 276 00:10:09,479 --> 00:10:11,214 fight entirely for justice 277 00:10:11,239 --> 00:10:14,094 act entirely according to the will of heaven he believes in 278 00:10:14,239 --> 00:10:16,015 yet he is still creating karma 279 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:20,079 because the justice the will of heaven the rightness he clings to 280 00:10:20,079 --> 00:10:24,254 is his justice the heaven's will he assumes the rightness he judges 281 00:10:24,959 --> 00:10:27,598 doing the right thing and being attached to doing the right thing 282 00:10:27,599 --> 00:10:29,159 the distance between these two 283 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:30,734 is so small you can barely see it 284 00:10:31,119 --> 00:10:32,854 but it is exactly this sliver of distance 285 00:10:32,879 --> 00:10:35,694 that decides whether you are cultivating or creating karma 286 00:10:36,403 --> 00:10:40,058 next let us look at the most overlooked hidden thread in the Investiture of the Gods 287 00:10:40,484 --> 00:10:42,418 the conflict between the Chan sect and the Jie sect 288 00:10:43,043 --> 00:10:43,798 on the surface 289 00:10:44,084 --> 00:10:45,578 this is a struggle of good against evil 290 00:10:46,004 --> 00:10:47,359 the Chan sect represents the orthodox path 291 00:10:47,803 --> 00:10:49,859 the Jie sect represents heterodox ways 292 00:10:50,124 --> 00:10:52,003 but if you read the original carefully 293 00:10:52,004 --> 00:10:54,418 you will find a fact that makes you uneasy 294 00:10:54,683 --> 00:10:56,322 many disciples of the Jie sect 295 00:10:56,323 --> 00:11:00,018 have higher cultivation and stronger powers than the Chan sect's disciples 296 00:11:00,443 --> 00:11:02,562 the Jie sect's leader Tongtian Jiaozhu 297 00:11:02,563 --> 00:11:05,018 is one of Hongjun Laozu's three great disciples 298 00:11:05,084 --> 00:11:07,459 of the same school and generation as Yuanshi Tianzun 299 00:11:07,803 --> 00:11:09,119 so what exactly is wrong with the Jie sect 300 00:11:10,247 --> 00:11:11,242 the answer is a single phrase 301 00:11:11,487 --> 00:11:12,583 teaching all without distinction 302 00:11:12,847 --> 00:11:14,823 the Jie sect takes disciples regardless of origin 303 00:11:14,967 --> 00:11:18,943 birds and beasts flower and grass spirits creatures born of moisture and eggs 304 00:11:18,967 --> 00:11:20,323 as long as they have a heart set on the Dao 305 00:11:20,607 --> 00:11:21,663 none are turned away 306 00:11:21,887 --> 00:11:23,122 its core teaching is 307 00:11:23,448 --> 00:11:24,607 the great Dao is fifty 308 00:11:24,607 --> 00:11:25,443 heaven takes forty nine 309 00:11:25,808 --> 00:11:27,583 all things have one thread of life 310 00:11:27,727 --> 00:11:31,462 what the Jie sect does is seize that one thread of life for all beings 311 00:11:31,808 --> 00:11:33,602 does this idea sound familiar 312 00:11:34,328 --> 00:11:36,342 all sentient beings have Buddha nature 313 00:11:36,607 --> 00:11:39,043 isn't this one of the most central propositions of Buddhism 314 00:11:39,568 --> 00:11:41,886 the Buddha said this two thousand five hundred years ago 315 00:11:41,887 --> 00:11:43,462 cultivation does not depend on origin 316 00:11:43,487 --> 00:11:44,242 not on caste 317 00:11:44,528 --> 00:11:46,063 not on whether you are human or beast 318 00:11:46,208 --> 00:11:47,443 whoever has a heart set on the Dao 319 00:11:47,688 --> 00:11:48,783 can all be liberated 320 00:11:49,503 --> 00:11:52,238 but within the narrative frame of the Investiture of the Gods 321 00:11:52,383 --> 00:11:55,258 what label is put on the Jie sect's teaching all without distinction 322 00:11:56,222 --> 00:11:56,937 taking in anyone 323 00:11:57,543 --> 00:11:58,597 not sorting good from bad 324 00:11:59,102 --> 00:11:59,937 not distinguishing right from wrong 325 00:12:00,222 --> 00:12:01,317 not telling good from evil 326 00:12:01,743 --> 00:12:02,378 and the Chan sect 327 00:12:03,102 --> 00:12:04,658 the Chan sect chooses disciples strictly 328 00:12:05,182 --> 00:12:06,182 it looks at spiritual capacity 329 00:12:06,182 --> 00:12:06,898 at character 330 00:12:07,143 --> 00:12:08,077 at origin 331 00:12:08,462 --> 00:12:10,957 it only takes exceptionally gifted human disciples 332 00:12:11,302 --> 00:12:12,057 do you see it 333 00:12:12,663 --> 00:12:15,077 this is exactly a replica of the caste system 334 00:12:15,663 --> 00:12:16,857 who is qualified to cultivate 335 00:12:17,543 --> 00:12:19,297 whose origin is worthy of the orthodox path 336 00:12:19,982 --> 00:12:21,418 who is born inferior 337 00:12:22,182 --> 00:12:25,238 these questions in India two thousand five hundred years ago 338 00:12:25,383 --> 00:12:27,518 the Brahmin priests asked them too 339 00:12:27,863 --> 00:12:28,898 the answer the Buddha gave 340 00:12:29,222 --> 00:12:30,878 is exactly the same as the Jie sect's 341 00:12:31,302 --> 00:12:32,878 but in this novel 342 00:12:32,903 --> 00:12:34,998 the side that gives the more inclusive answer 343 00:12:35,182 --> 00:12:36,077 is the villain 344 00:12:36,739 --> 00:12:38,073 this is no accident 345 00:12:38,338 --> 00:12:41,754 this is a deeply rooted pattern in human consciousness 346 00:12:42,338 --> 00:12:45,193 once you have built a system about what is correct 347 00:12:45,499 --> 00:12:47,673 anything that does not fit your system 348 00:12:48,019 --> 00:12:50,994 gets automatically classified by your mind as a threat 349 00:12:51,698 --> 00:12:53,433 you don't need to understand it deeply 350 00:12:53,538 --> 00:12:55,193 you don't need to grasp its reasoning 351 00:12:55,499 --> 00:12:57,817 you only need to know it is not your system 352 00:12:57,818 --> 00:12:58,634 that is enough 353 00:12:59,259 --> 00:13:01,754 in Buddhism this is called imagined attachment 354 00:13:02,298 --> 00:13:03,754 you put labels on the world 355 00:13:03,938 --> 00:13:06,673 then you assume the label is the world itself 356 00:13:07,499 --> 00:13:10,634 the label the Chan sect puts on the Jie sect is heterodoxy 357 00:13:11,178 --> 00:13:12,693 but who put on this label 358 00:13:13,178 --> 00:13:14,093 did heaven put it on 359 00:13:14,586 --> 00:13:15,385 no 360 00:13:15,779 --> 00:13:17,514 the Chan sect put it on itself 361 00:13:18,218 --> 00:13:20,673 then they take this label they stuck on themselves 362 00:13:20,739 --> 00:13:22,033 to act on behalf of heaven 363 00:13:22,658 --> 00:13:23,533 do you see it now 364 00:13:24,058 --> 00:13:25,514 the whole Investiture of the Gods 365 00:13:25,578 --> 00:13:28,154 is a crowd of people holding labels they made themselves 366 00:13:28,218 --> 00:13:30,114 proving to each other that the other side is wrong 367 00:13:30,458 --> 00:13:33,073 each side is certain it represents justice 368 00:13:33,379 --> 00:13:35,433 each side is acting on behalf of heaven 369 00:13:35,938 --> 00:13:36,413 while heaven 370 00:13:36,899 --> 00:13:37,693 from start to finish 371 00:13:38,139 --> 00:13:39,274 says nothing at all 372 00:13:39,715 --> 00:13:42,250 finally let us look at the list of gods itself 373 00:13:42,635 --> 00:13:45,691 three hundred sixty five spirits are enshrined as gods 374 00:13:46,076 --> 00:13:48,311 do you think this is a reward or a punishment 375 00:13:49,076 --> 00:13:50,350 many people instinctively feel 376 00:13:50,676 --> 00:13:52,034 being enshrined is a good thing 377 00:13:52,036 --> 00:13:53,051 you become a god after all 378 00:13:53,556 --> 00:13:54,850 but think carefully 379 00:13:55,275 --> 00:13:56,750 those placed on the list of gods 380 00:13:57,076 --> 00:13:58,350 who are most of them 381 00:13:58,956 --> 00:14:00,010 they are the dead 382 00:14:00,436 --> 00:14:03,850 they are those killed in this great war of acting on behalf of heaven 383 00:14:04,275 --> 00:14:06,211 some died on the battlefield 384 00:14:06,395 --> 00:14:08,171 some died under magic weapons 385 00:14:08,355 --> 00:14:10,650 some died in betrayal by their own 386 00:14:11,115 --> 00:14:12,890 they did not choose to become gods 387 00:14:13,235 --> 00:14:15,850 they were arranged into godhood after death 388 00:14:16,224 --> 00:14:17,678 enshrinement is not a promotion 389 00:14:18,063 --> 00:14:19,239 enshrinement is a placement 390 00:14:19,543 --> 00:14:20,558 think about it 391 00:14:20,624 --> 00:14:23,239 a name on a monument to the fallen 392 00:14:23,303 --> 00:14:25,678 and a notice of promotion and raise 393 00:14:25,783 --> 00:14:27,178 are these two the same 394 00:14:27,904 --> 00:14:30,078 the list of gods is closer to the former 395 00:14:30,423 --> 00:14:31,578 it does not reward you 396 00:14:31,984 --> 00:14:33,158 it records you 397 00:14:33,504 --> 00:14:35,999 it records your position in this collective karma 398 00:14:36,264 --> 00:14:37,718 in Buddhist terms 399 00:14:37,783 --> 00:14:40,558 the list of gods is a settlement statement of collective karma 400 00:14:41,024 --> 00:14:43,119 everyone who took part in this great drama 401 00:14:43,183 --> 00:14:45,359 whether you are just or evil 402 00:14:45,463 --> 00:14:48,558 whether you joined the fight willingly or were swept into it 403 00:14:48,624 --> 00:14:52,239 you have all left your trace in this network of cause and effect 404 00:14:52,504 --> 00:14:56,239 each of your choices each strike each time you picked a side 405 00:14:56,264 --> 00:14:58,718 adds a thread to this net 406 00:14:59,284 --> 00:14:59,639 finally 407 00:15:00,004 --> 00:15:01,098 the great war ends 408 00:15:01,484 --> 00:15:03,458 and all the threads must be settled 409 00:15:03,963 --> 00:15:04,678 you die 410 00:15:05,124 --> 00:15:06,298 your body is gone 411 00:15:06,644 --> 00:15:08,659 but your position in this collective karma 412 00:15:08,723 --> 00:15:11,058 is precisely recorded by the list of gods 413 00:15:11,284 --> 00:15:15,098 you are assigned to the thunder the fire the plague or the star department 414 00:15:15,284 --> 00:15:17,058 not because of the size of your merit 415 00:15:17,164 --> 00:15:20,739 but because your karmic nature decides which position you belong in 416 00:15:21,124 --> 00:15:22,978 so enshrinement is not a gift 417 00:15:23,164 --> 00:15:25,259 enshrinement is the automatic sorting of cause and effect 418 00:15:26,425 --> 00:15:28,800 there is one more detail that is especially thought provoking 419 00:15:29,066 --> 00:15:31,160 Jiang Ziya himself was not enshrined as a god 420 00:15:31,425 --> 00:15:33,760 he presided over the entire enshrinement ceremony 421 00:15:33,826 --> 00:15:36,520 arranging everyone's soul clearly and precisely 422 00:15:36,706 --> 00:15:38,640 but he himself is not on the list 423 00:15:38,905 --> 00:15:40,821 Yuanshi Tianzun said he was born with a thin fate 424 00:15:41,226 --> 00:15:42,321 the immortal path was hard for him to attain 425 00:15:42,425 --> 00:15:44,120 he could only receive worldly blessings 426 00:15:44,466 --> 00:15:46,880 the subtext of this setup runs very deep 427 00:15:47,145 --> 00:15:48,140 the one who runs the system 428 00:15:48,466 --> 00:15:50,120 is himself outside the system 429 00:15:50,425 --> 00:15:52,201 the referee does not play in the game 430 00:15:52,466 --> 00:15:54,380 but does the referee have no karma 431 00:15:55,472 --> 00:15:56,386 Buddhism's answer is 432 00:15:56,791 --> 00:15:57,606 of course he does 433 00:15:57,832 --> 00:15:59,351 you decide the fate of others 434 00:15:59,352 --> 00:16:01,366 you think you are a neutral enforcer 435 00:16:01,472 --> 00:16:03,986 but every judgment you make carries your frame 436 00:16:04,271 --> 00:16:06,606 your bias your identity 437 00:16:06,871 --> 00:16:09,766 you enshrine a Jie sect disciple as a god of malevolence 438 00:16:09,952 --> 00:16:11,967 this enshrinement does not come from the will of heaven 439 00:16:12,111 --> 00:16:16,646 it comes from the version of heaven's will you see standing on the Chan sect's side 440 00:16:16,991 --> 00:16:19,006 Jiang Ziya is not on the list of gods 441 00:16:19,031 --> 00:16:21,087 not because he transcended cause and effect 442 00:16:21,192 --> 00:16:22,591 but quite possibly because 443 00:16:22,592 --> 00:16:24,766 his karma is greater than anyone's 444 00:16:25,072 --> 00:16:27,687 because he did not just take part in this collective karma 445 00:16:27,712 --> 00:16:30,406 he defined the settlement rules of this collective karma 446 00:16:31,023 --> 00:16:31,658 at this point 447 00:16:31,824 --> 00:16:32,839 you might ask 448 00:16:32,944 --> 00:16:34,739 so what is the Investiture of the Gods really about 449 00:16:35,263 --> 00:16:36,983 the most profound thing about this book 450 00:16:36,984 --> 00:16:39,103 is not how rich its imagination is 451 00:16:39,104 --> 00:16:40,219 how cool its magic weapons are 452 00:16:40,503 --> 00:16:42,439 how earth shaking its battles are 453 00:16:42,663 --> 00:16:46,719 but that it unintentionally built an extremely precise Buddhist model 454 00:16:46,903 --> 00:16:48,119 in this model 455 00:16:48,143 --> 00:16:50,678 everyone thinks he is acting on behalf of heaven 456 00:16:50,704 --> 00:16:53,319 but no one truly knows what the way of heaven is 457 00:16:53,503 --> 00:16:55,998 everyone thinks he is on the side of justice 458 00:16:56,064 --> 00:16:59,119 but the definition of justice depends on which side you stand on 459 00:16:59,383 --> 00:17:01,839 everyone thinks he is carrying out destiny 460 00:17:01,864 --> 00:17:05,038 but destiny itself is created by everyone together 461 00:17:05,303 --> 00:17:06,979 isn't this exactly our world today 462 00:17:07,503 --> 00:17:08,878 look at the arguments online 463 00:17:09,623 --> 00:17:11,679 each side thinks it is just 464 00:17:11,743 --> 00:17:13,758 each side thinks the other is a monster 465 00:17:14,264 --> 00:17:16,078 each side is acting on behalf of heaven 466 00:17:16,463 --> 00:17:18,199 look at your own relationships 467 00:17:18,584 --> 00:17:20,278 have you ever had a moment like this 468 00:17:20,663 --> 00:17:23,343 you are one hundred percent sure you are right 469 00:17:23,344 --> 00:17:24,598 and the other is wrong 470 00:17:25,064 --> 00:17:26,338 you are defending principle 471 00:17:26,623 --> 00:17:28,278 the other is being unreasonable 472 00:17:28,663 --> 00:17:29,659 then a few years pass 473 00:17:30,024 --> 00:17:30,818 you look back 474 00:17:31,264 --> 00:17:32,318 and suddenly realize 475 00:17:32,344 --> 00:17:33,538 what you saw back then 476 00:17:33,824 --> 00:17:35,879 was only what you were able to see back then 477 00:17:36,354 --> 00:17:38,994 the Investiture of the Gods uses a grand mythological story 478 00:17:38,995 --> 00:17:42,289 to act out one of the deepest programs in human consciousness 479 00:17:42,715 --> 00:17:43,929 and that program is 480 00:17:44,074 --> 00:17:47,810 you always unconsciously equate your own perspective with the will of heaven 481 00:17:48,195 --> 00:17:49,810 you think you are seeing the world 482 00:17:50,235 --> 00:17:53,170 but really you are only seeing the world through your filter 483 00:17:53,554 --> 00:17:55,469 then you give the filter a name 484 00:17:55,795 --> 00:17:56,729 you call it the truth 485 00:17:57,235 --> 00:17:59,449 Buddhism calls this program ignorance 486 00:18:00,074 --> 00:18:01,150 it is not that you are not smart enough 487 00:18:01,515 --> 00:18:02,850 it is not that you are not kind enough 488 00:18:03,275 --> 00:18:05,170 it is that you don't know that you don't know 489 00:18:05,634 --> 00:18:08,130 you don't know that what you see is not everything 490 00:18:08,634 --> 00:18:11,370 you don't know that your justice is only your justice 491 00:18:11,755 --> 00:18:13,969 you don't know that your acting on behalf of heaven 492 00:18:14,074 --> 00:18:16,289 may be exactly creating new karma 493 00:18:17,216 --> 00:18:18,331 so what is cultivation 494 00:18:18,776 --> 00:18:22,950 cultivation is not finding a bigger truth to replace your old truth 495 00:18:23,216 --> 00:18:25,950 it is not swapping your truth for the Buddha's truth 496 00:18:26,216 --> 00:18:28,950 that is just switching to a more refined filter 497 00:18:29,335 --> 00:18:30,690 cultivation is learning to see 498 00:18:30,976 --> 00:18:32,295 that all your truths 499 00:18:32,296 --> 00:18:33,391 have boundaries 500 00:18:33,815 --> 00:18:35,470 the Diamond Sutra has a saying 501 00:18:36,016 --> 00:18:37,250 the Buddha speaks of prajnaparamita 502 00:18:37,655 --> 00:18:39,190 which is not prajnaparamita 503 00:18:39,335 --> 00:18:40,950 and is therefore called prajnaparamita 504 00:18:41,456 --> 00:18:43,950 even the highest wisdom the Buddha himself gave 505 00:18:44,016 --> 00:18:45,710 he immediately negates once 506 00:18:45,815 --> 00:18:47,230 and then takes it back to use 507 00:18:47,482 --> 00:18:47,970 why 508 00:18:48,615 --> 00:18:52,950 because once you grasp prajnaparamita as a fixed thing 509 00:18:53,135 --> 00:18:55,111 you are acting on behalf of prajna 510 00:18:55,456 --> 00:18:58,230 you become a Jiang Ziya holding the Diamond Sutra 511 00:18:59,267 --> 00:19:00,801 the Investiture of the Gods has played out 512 00:19:01,267 --> 00:19:03,361 everyone is dead or enshrined 513 00:19:03,867 --> 00:19:05,121 a new dynasty is established 514 00:19:05,587 --> 00:19:06,182 and then 515 00:19:07,067 --> 00:19:09,081 the Zhou dynasty also fell after eight hundred years 516 00:19:09,507 --> 00:19:12,001 the Qin dynasty that replaced it collapsed in fifteen years 517 00:19:12,466 --> 00:19:15,041 every dynasty that believed it acted on behalf of heaven 518 00:19:15,186 --> 00:19:18,561 became the reason for the next dynasty to act on behalf of heaven 519 00:19:19,067 --> 00:19:20,902 when will this cycle ever stop 520 00:19:21,648 --> 00:19:22,243 Buddhism says 521 00:19:22,648 --> 00:19:24,983 when you stop acting on behalf of heaven 522 00:19:25,487 --> 00:19:26,602 it is not that you stop acting 523 00:19:27,007 --> 00:19:28,422 it is not that you stop doing things 524 00:19:28,807 --> 00:19:30,142 it is that when you act 525 00:19:30,247 --> 00:19:33,023 you no longer assume you know what the way of heaven is 526 00:19:33,568 --> 00:19:34,943 you do what should be done 527 00:19:35,088 --> 00:19:38,223 but you don't label yourself an agent of justice 528 00:19:38,807 --> 00:19:40,023 you do your best 529 00:19:40,047 --> 00:19:43,142 but you don't treat the outcome as heaven's endorsement of you 530 00:19:43,648 --> 00:19:44,322 this state 531 00:19:44,687 --> 00:19:46,382 the Diamond Sutra has a phrase for it 532 00:19:46,527 --> 00:19:48,582 give rise to the mind that dwells nowhere 533 00:19:49,088 --> 00:19:49,523 to act 534 00:19:49,928 --> 00:19:52,783 but not dwell in the sense of identity that acting brings 535 00:19:53,114 --> 00:19:53,915 to walk the path 536 00:19:53,967 --> 00:19:57,223 but not dwell in the righteousness that acting on behalf of heaven brings 537 00:19:58,323 --> 00:20:00,739 the list of gods holds three hundred sixty five gods 538 00:20:01,164 --> 00:20:04,138 but the moment closest to awakening in the whole book 539 00:20:04,204 --> 00:20:06,019 may belong to none of them 540 00:20:06,364 --> 00:20:10,099 it may belong to those who suddenly stopped in the chaos of battle 541 00:20:10,483 --> 00:20:12,322 those who in the instant of swinging their sword 542 00:20:12,323 --> 00:20:14,299 felt a flicker of doubt in their heart 543 00:20:14,724 --> 00:20:17,039 do I really know why I am fighting this battle 544 00:20:17,724 --> 00:20:18,839 that moment of doubt 545 00:20:19,083 --> 00:20:20,579 that tiny pause 546 00:20:20,603 --> 00:20:22,539 is the starting point of all cultivation 547 00:20:23,231 --> 00:20:24,031 my friends 548 00:20:24,164 --> 00:20:27,559 have you ever unconsciously acted on behalf of heaven in your life 549 00:20:28,164 --> 00:20:30,963 that moment when you were a hundred percent sure you were right 550 00:20:30,964 --> 00:20:32,839 and later it turned out to be just your filter 551 00:20:33,523 --> 00:20:35,099 I am curious about your story 552 00:20:35,364 --> 00:20:36,118 I am Wang Lijie 553 00:20:36,444 --> 00:20:37,250 see you next time