230. Mind and Matter as Oneness with Dual Functions

¹ The knowledge and experiences that the limitless human mind has accumulated allows us to name events, occurrences, structures, and other phenomena in life and in the universe that it recognizes.

¹ 宇宙之所以為宇宙，人生之所以為人生，現象之所以為現象，抽象言之，根本全都是人類自己不可測度的心之認識，心之體驗。

² What is the mind? It is said that the mind is not a physical organ nor is it a metaphysical faculty of senses, and that the events that are created by the mind come from living beings.

² 心究為何物？曰：既不是形而下，科學上生理的血心，亦不是形而上，哲學上靈明的心君。蓋心靈的現象，源自於生物。

³ The mind cannot exist or function separately from living physical forms. Spirit and matter must coordinate with each other so that the body and the mind can be in harmony with each other, and the mind can develop consciousness. Hence, the definition of the mind is not derived exclusively from idealism or from materialism. Rather, mind and matter are of the same origin with dual functions.

³ 心靈的作用，不能離形而獨具；必須精神物質兩相配合，身心兩種活動協調平衡，然後生命始能開展，然後此心始有靈明自覺的意識。是故心的解釋，當非絕對的唯心論，又非絕對的唯物論，而是心物一元二用論。

⁴ The most exact words that describe the mind are found in an adage that was adhered to and passed down by Emperor Yao, Emperor Shun, and Emperor Yu. It appeared in the Book of Documents. This sixteen- word adage says that “Human hearts are unpredictable and are prone to do evil; the development of everything always begins from something small, thus the ruler of a country needs to be keen in senses and judgment, and always takes preventive measures; he should persistently explore the truths of all matters with an undivided mind and does not allow anything to interfere with his judgment; he needs to follow the law of nature and takes unbiased approach in running the country.”

⁴ 古聖講心最精微的話，便是《書經》上「人心惟危，道心惟微，惟精惟一，允執厥中」的十六字，此為堯舜禹聖聖相傳的心法。

⁵ The minds of saints and sages are superior to others because of their ability to focus. Everyone has the ability to focus without outside help. Recognizing how you can turn your thoughts into actions is recognizing the persistent effort of coordinating the interactions between mind and matter.

⁵ 聖賢之心，在於精一；精一之道，盡在人生之中，而不在人生之外。如何運用心身之關係，厥惟精誠一貫，求得心物之協調。

⁶ The human mind is materialistic and is filled with desires. The flesh is filled with acquired heavy yin etropons. The heart of Dao [the Dao mindset] is filled with yang etropons, which are emitted by the innate natural, pure, and lively spirit, and it is our conscience.

⁶ 蓋人心本是人慾物慾，後天笨重的陰靜肉體中所具有之陰電。道心本是天理良知，為先天自然真純活潑的性靈中所放射之陽電。

⁷ It is said that “the development of everything always begins from something small, [thus the ruler of a country needs to be keen in senses and judgment, and always takes preventive measures]” is referring to the buoyancy of the yang etropons, which is hard to maintain. Once the worldly human mind is stirred up with desires, that is, as the mind becomes vicious, the yang etropons become denatured and turn into heavy and murky yin qi. That is why “human hearts are unpredictable and are prone to do evil.”

⁷ 是故「道心惟微」，言其陽電之輕微，難於保持。稍動凡心慾念，遂即變質，而成為邪惡之人心，重濁之陰氣，故曰「人心惟危」。

⁸ Hence, the two mindsets influence each other. The Dao heart can dominate the human heart and vice versa, the human heart can influence the Dao heart. The Dao heart is spirit, the human heart is flesh. The conflict between the two has never ceased to exist. The conflict between spirit and flesh is why we cannot keep the conscience and human desires balanced.

⁸ 因此兩種心理相互影響，道心固能支配人心，然人心亦能影響道心。道心為靈，人心為肉。道心與人心之矛盾，永無已時，是即所謂靈肉衝突，亦即吾人天理人慾不能保持平衡狀態之故。

Red Heart Monthly, August 1, 1946

紅心月刊－民國三十五年八月一日