Section 2 : The Nature of Human Life

　　A. The senses of the body: In the human body there are two basic components, as we have noted above, and these are e-tropons and harmonons. These two elemental particles influence each other. Harmonons of course can control e-tropons, but e-tropons can also influence harmonons. Harmonons are “spirit”, and e-tropons are “flesh”. The struggle between harmonons and e-tropons is endless. This is so-called the conflict between spirit and flesh. Within harmonons can be found oxygenic and hydrogenic essence, a certain type of yang e-tropic substance, and a certain special factor (which is termed factor-X). When the force of harmonons suffices to control e-tropons, each constituent element is able to exercise its function, which enables human senses to develop in their normal course. Conversely, when e-tropon force resists and overcomes control by harmonon force, there will occur phenomena of convulsive action that are perverse and contrary to right principles. This is how human life loses its balance.

　　甲、人身之官感—人身之中具有兩種基本要素，一為電子，一為和子，已如上述。此二種質素相互影響，和子固能支配電子；然電子亦能影響和子。和子為「靈」，電子為「肉」，和子與電子間之鬥爭永無已時，即所謂靈肉之衝突是也。和子之中，計有氫氧之精華、某種陽性之電質及某種特殊之原素（即所謂Ｘ原素），當和子之力足以支配電子時，此數種原素即得以充分發展其功能，而使人類之官感得按照其正常之軌道而發展。反之，若電子力反抗壓倒和子力之控制時，則有倒行逆施之盲動的現象發生，而人生遂失其平衡焉。

　　As for functions of each constituent element within the harmonon, they are largely as follows:

　　關於和子之中各原素之功能，大致如下：

　　1. Hydrogenic essence is an impurity in the human bodily essence, and it controls actions of the spirit.

　　一、氫為人生精中之渣末，而支配性靈之活動。

　　2. Oxygenic essence is an element which circulates moisture throughout the body, maintaining the body’s warmth and extending the life of harmonons.

　　二、氧為運轉週身水澤之原素，保持人身之溫度而延長和子之生命。

　　3. Electropic substance regulates physiological activity and consciousness. It also functions in the sense of sight (the penetration of light) and hearing (auditory penetration). It is a fundamental requirement for life as a human being.

　　三、電質指揮人生生理上之運動及知覺，並有視覺（明通）與聽覺（聰通）之功能，即人生生活之基本條件。

　　4. Factort-X possesses spiritual realization and resolve. It guides the three above constituents and directs the operation of nerves. It is the underlying substance among the elements, and the gateway from the mundane to the sacred. It is what Buddhists call Alaya consciousness.

　　四、Ｘ原素具有神明與果決，導引以上三種原素而指揮神經，為諸元之本體，超凡入聖之門，即佛所謂阿賴耶識是也。

　　The above four elements of harmonons, referred to in Taoist terms, are the hun(魂) or “soul”(factor-X), the p’o(魄) or “anima”(e-tropic substance), mei(魅)(hydrogenic essence), and ku(鬼谷) (oxygenic essence). A mei is composed of twelve ku; a p’o is composed of nine mei; a hun is composed of six p’o. Thus their combinative relation can be expressed by the following formula:

　　以上和子中之四種原素，如以道家之名詞配稱之，則為魂（Ｘ原素）、魄（電質）、魅（氫）、[鬼谷]（氧），由十二個[鬼谷]可以組成一個魅，由九個魅可以組成一個魄，由六個魄可以聚為魂，故其化學之公式，可如下列：

　　Harmonon = 3X + 6 e-tropic substance + 9H°(hydrogenic essence) +12 O°(oxygenic essence) + heat.
　　1 hun = 6 p’o; 1 p’o = 9 mei; 1 mei = 12 ku

　　和子＝３Ｘ＋６電質＋９Ｈ°（氫之精華）＋１２Ｏ°（氧之精華）＋溫度，其中１魂＝６魄，１魄＝９魅，１魅＝１２[鬼谷]。

　　Bear in mind that spirit is one in its essence. When we speak separately of the three hun and six p’o, we refer only to function. The four are as one, and the one transforms into four. Fundamentally it still is the harmonon.

　　惟性靈根本是一元的，所謂三魂六魄，不過指其功用而已，四者惟一，一化為四，根本仍為一個和子也。

　　B. Inquiry into human nature: Mencius (孟子) considered human nature good, but Hsun-tzu (荀子) considered it evil. In truth this is a relationship of harmonons and e-tropons. Harmonons are fundamentally innate and pure, having neither goodness or evil. This is so-called “childlike mind”. As soon as they are joined with e-tropons, they mix with inherited relations of e-tropons (from father’s sperm and mother’s ovum). Thereupon comes permeation by good and evil, and conformity to sensual form. If we characterize them separately, harmonons are light, gentle, soft and fundamentally indestructible by fire or water; e-tropons are heavy, ruthless, hard and destructible by fire or water. Harmonons possess spiritual awareness and initiative while e-tropons are devoid of consciousness and act compulsively. Thus for a harmonon and e-tropons to coexist in the same body is truly an integration of conflicting elements, a harmonizing of contraries. The struggle between them continues unceasingly. Not until the e-tropons are victorious, when they achieve their goal of expelling the harmonons (i.e. death), is there an end.

　　乙、人性之研究—孟曰性善，荀曰性惡，實即為和子與電子之關係。和子根本為先天的真純的，無善亦無惡，所謂赤子之心是也。一與電子配合，遂與電子之遺傳性的關係（父精母血）相混，而有善惡之薰染，色相之附合。若細析之，則「和子便是輕的，和善的，柔軟的，根本入火不焚，入水不溺的」；「電子則是重的，凶惡的，剛烈的，可以焚溺的」。一方面和子又是具有「靈覺的，主動的」；電子則是「漫無知覺的，盲動的」。是以和子與電子同處一軀之內，實為矛盾之統一，對立之調和，其鬥爭始終繼續不已，直至電子最終達到其勝利之目的，將和子排擠於外（即所謂死）而後已。

　　In the modern field of abnormal psychology there is the “subconscious”, which is the effect of e-tropic resistance. Regarding this point, in Chapter V, Section 2–“Relation of Bonding and Harmonizing Forces”–there is a detailed discussion. But due to the differences in the constituent elements forming the harmonons (the varying proportions of the four elements), harmonons also differ in their makeup. Therefore the nature of human beings has innate variations. This accounts for the differences in personalities among human beings. Moreover, acquired differences in e-tropon makeup go further to cause all the more differences in individual nature. These are, by and large, as follows:

　　在現代變態心理學上有所謂潛意識者，亦即電子力之反抗作用也。關於此點，在第五章第二節「親和力之關係」內再詳論之。然和子因其配合原素之有異同（即四種原素比例之輕重），故亦有質分之不同，因此在後天時，性情亦不同，且以後天之電子成分不等，故此性情又不同，大體如下：

　　Strong harmonons + strong e-tropons: An endowment that is rigid and charismatic
　　Strong harmonons + weak e-tropons: Keen and resolute
　　 Weak harmonons + strong e-tropons: Grasping and coarse
　　 Weak harmonons + weak e-tropons: Refined and elegant
　　{Endowed by physiological heredity(e-tropons) and innate nature (harmonons)}

一、和子強＋電子強→物質暴而威
二、和子強＋電子弱→物質精而果
三、和子弱＋電子強→物質吝而粗
四、和子弱＋電子弱→物質文而雅
以上皆秉有生理之遺傳（電子）及先天之遺性（和子）

　　C. The crux of self-nature and physical desire: All charged bodies exert a force which attracts others with incomparable speed. The push and pull of feelings and physical desires are a response to attraction by e-tropicity. In the human body there is a distinction between yin and yang e-tropicity. When such e-tropicity is emitted, it becomes an initiator of thoughts and a manifestation of character. That which is emitted from the e-tropic substance in harmonons is yang e-tropicity, representing kindness and compassionate feelings; what is emitted from e-tropons is yin e-tropicity, representing feelings of greed, resentment, and delusion. Love is a feeling that compromises the two. It too is a je-chun. When Christianity takes love as an expression of the highest state of feeling, it is based on this. As for Buddhism, it takes nothing other than yang e-tropicity as its “right mindfulness”.

　　丙、性與欲之關鍵—一切電體均有引力，相互吸引，其速無比。人類性及欲念之起伏，即為電力之引合。人身中之電有陰電與陽電之別，此種電力之放射即形成意念之動因與性格之表現。在和子之電質中所射出者為陽電，代表和善與慈悲之情緒；在電子中放射者為陰電，即代表貪瞋癡等情緒，而愛則為折中的情緒，亦即為「熱準」也。基督教以愛為最高情緒之表現，蓋基於此。至於佛教則逕以陽電為正念矣。

　　Emanations of yang e-tropicity are straight, intuitive and thus most likely to get a direct response. Emanations of yin e-tropicity are indirect and curved. When a human being has evil thoughts, a great degree of vacillation, hesitation or violent mental disturbance will certainly occur. At this time the e-tropic substance in his harmonons will undergo an electrochemical change; the yang e-tropic substance will transform into a yin e-tropon. The emanation from this yin e-tropon will become determination that stems from this evil thought, and action will follow. Therefore if human beings often have evil thoughts, their harmonons will repeatedly go through yin e-tropon transformation, and will become harmonons containing great numbers of yin e-tropons. Evil actions will then become habitual, and though one may wish to suppress them, it will be impossible.

　　陽電之放射為直線的、直覺的，故最易得到直接之感應；陰電之放射則為間接的、曲線的。蓋人類當起惡念之時，其腦中必起極大之徘徊與猶豫或狂亂之思潮，此時其和子中之電質即發生電氣化學上之變化，陽電質一變而為陰電子，此陰電子之放射，乃形成為該人之惡念的決心而有行動隨之。故人類若常起惡念，其和子屢經陰電子之化合，即成為包容極多數陰電子之和子，而行惡乃成為習慣，雖欲制服之，亦不可能矣。

　　Thus self-nature and physical desire in humans become respectively goodness or evil. Electropic radiation given off by the harmonon includes qualities of joy, kindness. amiability, true love, benevolence and tolerance. But conversely it also can harbor yuan(怨, opposition) and delusion. All are initiated by characteristics of the various elements contained in the harmonons:

　　是故人類之性與慾即為善惡之兩端，凡和子中所發出之電射—包括喜悅、和善、溫良、真愛、仁德、寬裕等性，然其反面亦潛伏有怨與癡之情緒—皆由其所包含之各種原素之特性所促成：

　　1. Oxygenic essence is the source of human and animal vitality, and it contains congenial force, rejecting nothing. Thus it has qualities of tolerance and kindliness.

　　一、氧為人生及動物生機之動源而含有和氣，無所不容—故含有寬大性與和善性。

　　2. Hydrogenic essence possesses qualities of moistness. All things take joy in the living moistness it brings. Thus, it has qualities of amiability and delight.

　　二、氫具有潤澤性，萬物莫不悅其滋潤—故有溫良性與喜悅心。

　　3. Electropic substance is pure, bright and rapid in its motions. In all life force there are signs of it, and its attractive force has considerable duration. Thus, it has qualities of true love and yuan(a reaction to love).

　　三、電質皎潔無翳，速度迅捷，生機莫不有其跡，引力異常悠久—故有真愛性與怨性（愛之反應）。

　　4. Factor-X has adulterants such as cosmic and corporeal ch’i, and is prone to attachment. Thus it has qualities of delusion.

　　四、Ｘ原素中有氣炁等之混合素且易執著—故有癡性。

　　Harmonons have in them these qualities which are innately conferred. Thus all qualities of true goodness, beauty, love and uprightness are emitted from within harmonons. But because harmonons will enter anywhere and bond with anything, they can become either good or evil. They can easily be permeated and are prone to be changeable. That is, e-troponic substance holds true love, but also yuan. Yuan, in turn, is of two types, with a distinction of positive and negative. From positive yuan, true love issues forth. From bad yuan comes evil qualities, and these become pride and bloodlust, so that there is no end to the delusiveness. Thus human want is never satisfied, and physical desire surges up without end, while the transmigiration and submersion of harmonons goes on without end. If one can draw ceaselessly on one’s true intention and nature to conquer the bonds of desire, then transcendence of constraint by natural law will come of itself, and transmigration will be avoided.

　　和子中有此若干之特性皆由先天流來，因此一切真善、真美、真愛、真正之性莫不由和子之中發出，然亦因其無所不入，無所不親之故，而可以為善，可以為惡，易予薰染，善有變幻。蓋電質中含有真愛，亦含有怨性，怨又有二種，有善惡之別，善怨中即發出真愛，惡怨中即發出惡性，乃變為驕矜殺伐而癡性永無窮盡。是故人欲亦無滿足之期，性慾勃發不已，而和子之顛倒沉淪，遂亦無有盡期。苟能始終用其真意真性而制勝欲倫，則自能超出自然之律，而免顛倒。

　　Because harmonons are dynamic and good by nature, they are zestful and thriving. An example is the mood of happiness, which is spirited and buoyant. E-tropons, on the other hand, are static and negative by nature, like a dried-up tree which eventually decays. The good is pure in its ch’i and becomes life; the evil is of turbid ch’i and becomes an object. What has life can endure; what lacks life makes no more than a fleeting appearance. Thus spirit extends onward in time, but matter is not sufficient to be passed on. Thus are good and evil distinguished. E-tropons rely on a moment’s attraction of like by like. Their nature is brutal and lustful. They are like evil people who use each other just to get by. They form into groups for a time, but these groups are not sufficient to endure. Like incompetent, small-minded persons, they must eventually shrivel up, decay, fester and fall apart.

　　和子因屬善性與動態，故能欣欣向榮，如喜氣之蓬勃上升；電子則屬惡性與靜態，如枯木之經久而腐朽。善者氣清而為命，惡者氣濁而成物。有命者可以悠久，無命者究其極不過曇花之一現，故精神可以垂持，物質不足悠傳，善惡即由分矣。電子基於一時之同引，其性粗暴淫蕩，如同惡者相互利用而苟安，臨時結夥，不足以維久遠，正如小人之不足以成事，終必枯乾腐朽發酵冰解也。

　　But the nature of e-tropons is static and passive. They are still driven and guided by harmonons. If the harmonons are apt in their guidance, static things must follow them and tend toward the good. Otherwise, if harmonons emanate evil intentions, e-tropons will behave as if attracted by like force and surely proceed into utter depravity. Harmonons are like the superior man, and e-tropons are like the lowly person. The lowly man takes the superior man’s mind to be his own mind. If the superior man moves toward the good, the lowly man will follow and they will walk together. If the superior man is false in his intentions (a hypocrite), the lowly man will curry favor by the vilest acts of servitude.

　　然電子之性，終屬靜態，而為被動，仍在和子之驅使領導之下，如和子領導得宜，則靜者自必隨之而趨向於善，否則若和子發出惡性之意念，則電子以為同性來引，更必趨於窮惡。和子若君子，電子若小人，小人之心，以君子之心為心，君子向善，小人亦必從而俱往；若君子有虛偽之意（偽君子），則小人必以極惡之趨奉以奉承君子。

　　Thus the key to handling self-nature and desire lies first of all in turning the harmonons toward truth and goodness. The defining characteristic of human life is this struggle between mind and matter.

　　是故性慾之關鍵首在於和子之向真與向善，人生之性質亦即此心物的戰鬥也。

　　D. Oneness and dual function of mind and matter: Is human life ultimately of the mind, or is it material? This is an ageless enigma. Most religious believers and philosophers of the past have argued from idealism. In recent times, most scientists and materialists have tended toward materialism. In actuality, not only do mind and matter both exist for a fact, they arise mutually and fulfill each other. From the above discussion, we can see that the cosmos is in truth an arena for mind and matter to coexist, unify and find harmony. This is a world in which e-tropons and harmonons are a oneness with dual function. The nature of human life, also, is none other than oneness with dual function of mind and matter.

　　丁、心物一元二用論—人生究係唯心，抑係唯物，此亙古之謎也。過去之宗教及哲學家多從唯心立論，近日科學界及唯物論者多偏向於唯物。實則心之與物，不僅皆有其存在之事實；且係相因相成而互助者也。由上所論，可見此宇宙之中實為心物並存統一調和之場所，即和子與電子之一元二用之世界也。人生之性質亦無他，心物之一元二用耳。

　　E. Self-initiated striving in human life: Therefore the defining nature of human life is in fact closely related to its ultimate end. For those who grasp well the goodness in life, there will be less likelihood of succumbing to e-tropons. The reason is that the harmonon is pure, buoyant and active. As soon as it gets free of its clumsy bodily frame, it can surely fly far and high, unrestrained by the natural laws of attraction and vortical wind (see Part I). Its realm of life will be the heavens, the place of immortals. Conversely, people who do not keep a good grasp of their harmonons will certainly be taken over by compulsive e-tropons. After passing away they will sink into the ground, with no way to travel far. They will be harmonons reduced to obeying random laws; and impermanence will be their fate. In this life they were human; in the next they may be a dog or chicken, perhaps a tree or stone. Such a wretched fate is what the Buddha spoke of as an “endless hell with mountains of knives and trees of swords”. If one does not pursue cultivation while alive, after death there will be no help for it, and all will be summitted to control by nature. Thus we can see that striving to cultivate oneself morally is not only a necessary condition of human life in this world, but furthermore is the one and only path for humans to save their soul and gain eternal life. Thus, the ultimate end of human life is to create oneself and strive within oneself.

　　戊、人生之自奮—是故人生之性質實與生命之究竟具有密切之關聯，凡善能把握人生之善性者，則電子沾染較少。蓋和子清輕而活潑，一旦脫離其笨重之軀殼必能遠走高飛，不為自然律之引力及風力（見物質之自然觀）所制。其生活之境界，即是天國、仙境。反之，如人不善自把握其和子，則必為盲動之電子所佔滿，而逝後沉淪地面，無法遠行，即淪為偶然律之和子而歸於無常之命運。今生為人，來生或為雞犬，或為木石，其悲慘之命運，即佛所謂刀山劍樹無間地獄者是。生前不修，逝後即無能為力，一切唯有服從大自然之支配。由是可見道德之修養，不但為人生在世時之必要條件，更為人生自救其靈魂及永恆生命之不二法門。故人生之究竟，即為自我創造與奮鬥。