为什么孔子, 老子, 佛祖, 风水学都说水好? Why do Confucius, Laozi, Buddha, and Feng Shui all say that water is good?

 为什么孔子, 老子, 佛祖, 风水学都说水好?

 

老子《道德经》里的【第八章】”上善若水。水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶来, 故几, 于道。居善地，心善渊，与善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，动善时。夫唯不争，故无尤。”

老子说，上善若水，最善的人要像水。水善利万物而不争，水不会跟万物争，水不会说你是我的，我给你那你要听我的，水不会管你。所以人最高的境界是取法于水因此上善若水，水善利万物而不争, 水利于万物。

人可以三天不吃饭，但是不能三天不喝水，不喝水，人会干死，如果三天一滴水都没有会死，所以你知道活命的活怎么写？三点水，一个舌头的舌就舌头沾到了水就活了。

在风水学里我们说，山管人丁水管财。山灵人杰，如果那山有灵气，就会出现豪杰。而水是管财的，因为我们人娄靠水而活。世界最早的四大文明如印度河文明，黄河文明都是在靠水而生。重要的城市如新加坡，纽约都在水的旁边。

佛祖還曾说：「善心如水」水利万象万物，水悉滲透性強而滋润生物；水靠浮力大而可行舟船；水流动不息而改善环境，让地球充滿生机；水可降溫，水可去污；水的作用无数，水之善心無边。

从公元前的800年到公元前200年，被称为是《世界文明史》上的第一个轴心时代。在这一时期呢，东西方的文明区域都出现了一个思想解放的黄金时代，尤其是公元前6世纪到公元前5世纪更是达到了高潮。在中国出现了像孔子，老子，庄子，等这样的诸子百家, 在古代印度出现了佛教的创始人释迦牟尼。在古代希腊则出现了苏格拉底，柏拉图等思想家。

历史记载，孔子曾经向老子请教。其中一次见面，孔子向老子请教导就是有关于水。

老子说水，处众人之所恶，故几于道，人往高处走，水往低处流。水把自己摆在最低的位置，水只给不拿，已经最靠近天道，跟孔子所讲的原则’仁者乐山，智者乐水’是一样的道理，有智慧的人为什么喜欢水？

水会变化，水所有的变化都是因为外在的环境导致。水遇热会变成水蒸气呢，很多的水聚聚在一起就变成云，水为什么会有波浪是因为风吹它。如果把水放在这个杯子里，水就不变，因为没有外在的环境，水没有变化，水就安静，安静是它的本性。因为如果没有外在的环境，那水是不变的，两个Hydrogen氢一个Oxygen氧的原本不变，不管它变成瀑布还是变成冰，或者变成水蒸气，两个Hydrogen氢一个Oxygen氧的分子结构不会变。不管是瀑布还是水还是冰，它以生养万物的道理不变，人要跟着外在的环境而改变。人最怕是跟着外在环境一直在变，但是我们往往就是变得变得到最后自己不认识自己而忘记了初心。水如果静了下来，水里面的杂物就会沉淀。我们人的身体有70%是水，所以人也有水的本性，人只要安静下来，慢慢杂念就会沉淀。我们的心不要一直着在追求外在的物质。因此，一个有智慧的人要学习水。

再说回来老子《道德经》里的【第八章】”居善地”的意思是一个人要把自己摆在最低的位置，就像水，这样就能够海纳百川, 所有的河都会流向大海。水不会改变其目标，它的目标是流向大海，但是当它撞到像山一样的坚硬物体时，它会绕着它旋转并在其周围流动而不与坚硬的东西（山）搏斗，但仍然可以到达最终目的地，即大海。

心善渊，渊为深的意思。水要够深才能够生万物，那么鱼虾才可以在水里面生活。

与善仁，仁为仁爱，水帮助万物生养。植物没有水会枯萎，动物也一样。

言善信，人的言语要有诚信，像海洋。海洋在每天都有固定的时间潮汐。早上晚上都固定的时间有规律地潮汐。

而且水很公平，水平线很平。没有风的时候，水就是很平的。它是公正的，那是老子说的政善治，老子在提醒国家领导者必须要公平公正，以人为本。待人处事必须要公平，要像水这样。

事善能，糖如果进到水里面融化，糖就不见了，但是整杯水就会变成很甜。盐也是一样。那个就是水的能干，它能够调和一切。刀不管是多么的坚利都不能砍断水。但水如果是坚立起来，它是能够穿越冰山的。因此水能载舟也能覆舟。

而且水应时而生，跟着风浪而起风浪。风大浪就大风止浪就止，它顺着外在环境而改变。那是老子所说的动善时。水在动的时候是合于时机。应该动的时候动，应该静的时候静。应该说话的时候我们说话，应该听的时候我们聆听。

老子又说夫唯不争，故无尤，水居于最低的地方，水与万物不争，所以他没有什么毛病。一个人只要不争就不会有毛病，有些人会认为这是很消极的想法，但是如果一个人只要把自己提升，知识提升，见识提升，那些需要你的人就会找上你了. 刘备三顾茅庐去请诸葛亮出山，因为刘备知道诸葛亮孔明是很能干的。这样就能够海纳百川, 所有的河都会流向大海。

所以老子说，水有七个德。1. 处在不以别人争强，大智若愚。2. 够宽，够阔，够深可以容纳百川。3. 水能生养万物，那是仁。4. 有诚信有规律的. 5. 水是公正公平的。6. 水是能调和万物的。7. 适合的时机应时而生。

论语有记载，孔子得意门徒子贡常常看到孔子每每走到大江大河，都会把大江大河的水看了很久，子贡就会问孔子为什么老师一直在看水。孔子就对子贡说，水功德是无量的，我们要学习水所以就有后来的智者乐水。

老子又说人在活着的时候，筋骨是柔弱的，但是人死了，筋骨就会僵硬。植物也一样。水以柔可克刚, 太极学里的接力打力, 以柔可克刚, 英雄往往难过柔弱的美人, 这就是《道德经》里的【第七十六章】的意思; 人之生也柔弱，其死也坚强。万物草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。故坚强者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。是以兵强则不胜，木强则兵。强大处下，柔弱处上。

 

Why do Confucius, Laozi, Buddha, and Feng Shui all say that water is good?

老子《道德经》里的【第八章】”上善若水。水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶来, 故几, 于道。居善地，心善渊，与善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，动善时。夫唯不争，故无尤。”

[Chapter 8] in Lao Tzu's "Tao De Jing" "The goodness is like water. Water is good for all things without demanding, and it is stay at the lowest ground which is the evil place of everyone, its heart is good, and benevolent, speak good faith, righteous governance , it is capable and only move at the good times. It does not fight, so there is no weaknesses."

Lao Tzu said that the best person is like water. Water benefits all things without fighting, water won't compete with all things, water won't say you are mine, if I give you what you need, you have to listen to water but water won't control you. Therefore, the highest state of human beings is to follow the law from water, so goodness is like water, water is good for all things without fighting, and water is good for all things.

People is able not to eat for three days, but they cannot live without water for three days. If they don’t drink water, they will die. If there is no a single drop of water for three days, they will die. In Chinese character of “live” and how we write “live” is three drops of water and a tongue which mean we can only live when the tongue get the water.

In Feng Shui, we say that Mountains govern the people and water governs the wealth “Shan Guanren Ding Shui Guancai”. If the mountain is fertile, there is the place with talented people and the people live there are healthy and smart. Water is in charge of finances, because we people live by water. The four earliest civilizations in the world, such as the Indus River civilization, and the Yellow River civilization, were all started next to the water. From the beginning, farmers need water so do the fishermen. Then from agriculture and fishing to commercial, all need water. Important cities such as Singapore and New York are all beside the water.

The Buddha also said: "The good heart is like water." Water conserves all things. Water is highly permeable and nourishes creatures. Water relies on buoyancy to make boats possible to float on water and sail. The continuous flow of water improves the environment and fills the earth with vitality. Water can cool down the surrounding and water can decontamination; water has countless effects, and its kindness is boundless.

From 800 BC to 200 BC, it is known as the first axis era in "History of World Civilization". During this period, a golden age of ideological emancipation appeared in both the eastern and western civilized regions, especially the climax from the 6th century BC to the 5th century BC. Many scholars like Confucius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, etc. appeared in China, and Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, appeared in ancient India. In ancient Greece, thinkers such as Socrates and Plato appeared.

The Confucian classic "Book of Rites: Zeng Ziwen" once recorded the story of Confucius seeking knowledge from Laozi and there were four times they met. The first time was when Confucius was seventeen years old, and the place was in Lu. The second time was around Zhoudu when Confucius was thirty-four years old, the third time was Pei when Confucius was fifty-three years old, and the fourth time was in Kuxian, but the exact time is not very clear.

According to historical records, Confucius once asked Laozi for advice. In one of the meetings, Confucius asked Lao Tzu to teach him about water.

Lao Tzu said that water is staying at the lowest ground which people do not like to live in the lowest ground, people normally like to live in the higher land with fresher air and better scenery. People like to move up but water flows to lower places. Water puts itself in the lowest position. Water is only given. It is already closest to the way of heaven/sky can does. Sky or the atmosphere will provide air, water and Sun Light without asking anything in return. It is the same principle as Confucius's principle of "the wise love water". Why do wise people like water?

Water will change, and all changes in water are caused by the external environment. When water is heated, it will turn into steam. When a lot of water gathers together, it will turn into clouds. Why does the water have waves? Because the wind blows it. If you put water in this cup, the water will remain the same, because there is no external environment, the water does not change, the water is quiet, and quiet is its nature. Because if there is no external environment, the water is unchanged. Two Hydrogen and one Oxygen are unchanged. No matter if it becomes a waterfall or ice, or becomes water vapor, the two Hydrogen and one Oxygen molecular structure will not change. Whether it is a waterfall, water or ice, it has the same principle of nourishing everything, and people have to change with the external environment. People are most afraid of constantly changing with the external environment, but we often become until the end we don’t know ourselves and forget our original intentions. If the water is still, the debris in the water will settle. 70% of our human body is water, so humans also have the nature of water. As long as people calm down, distracting thoughts will settle slowly. Our hearts should not always be in pursuit of external matter. Therefore, a wise person must learn water.

Let’s go back to the [Chapter 8] "Ju Shan Di" in Lao Tzu's "Tao De Jing" means that a person should put himself in the lowest position, like water, but all rivers will flow to the sea. Water doesn’t change its goal, its goal is flowing to sea but when it hits something hard like a mountain, it turns and flows around it without fighting with the hard thing (mountain) but still reach its final destination i.e. the sea.

Xinshanyuan means deepness. The water must be deep enough to be able to fish and shrimp live in it.

With kindness, water helps all things grow. Plants will wither without water, and so will animals.

Water Words are faithful and reliable, and people's words must be honest, like the sea. The sea has a fixed time tide every day. There are regular tides at a fixed time in the morning and evening.

And the water is fair and the horizontal line is very flat. When there is no wind, the water is very flat. It is fair. That is what Lao Tzu said about good governance. Lao Tzu is reminding national leaders to be fair and put people first. Dealing with people and things must be fair, like water.

Water is capable. If the sugar melts in the water, the sugar is gone, but the whole glass of water will become very sweet. Salt is the same. That is the ability of water, it can reconcile everything. No matter how strong a knife is, it cannot cut water. But if the water stands up, it can pass through the iceberg. Therefore, water can carry a boat and can overturn it too when it is strong water.

Moreover, water changes from time to time, and it follows the winds. If the wind stops, the waves will stop. It changes along with the external environment. That is what Lao Tzu said is water moves at a good time. When the winds blow, it moves. But when winds stop, it will be still. Hence, we speak when we should speak, and we listen when we should listen.

Lao Tzu also said that water does not fight with others, so there is nothing wrong. Water is in the lowest place and water does not fight with everything, so there is nothing wrong with it. As long as a person does not fight and demand, there will be no problems. Some people think that this is a very negative thought, but if one only needs to improve oneself, you’re your knowledge and improve yourself to be someone who very capable, those who need you will come to you. Liu Beisan Gu Maolu Go ask Zhuge Liang to come out of the mountain, because Liu Bei knows that Zhuge Liang (Kong Ming) is very capable. In this way, all rivers will flow to the sea.

So Lao Tzu said that water has seven virtues. 1. Being in a position not to compete with others, be wise and look foolish. 2. Wide enough and deep enough to accommodate hundreds of rivers. 3. Water can produce all things, which is benevolence. 4. There is integrity and regularity. 5. Water is just and fair. 6. Water can reconcile everything. 7. Act at the right time.

According to the Analects, Confucius's student Zi Gong often saw that whenever Confucius saw large rivers, he would look at the rivers for a long time. Zi Gong asked Confucius why his teacher had been watching the water. Confucius said to Zigong that water merits are infinite, and we have to learn from the water and wise men who love water.

Lao Tzu also said that when a person is alive, the muscles and bones are soft, but when a person dies, the muscles and bones will be stiff. The same goes for plants. Water uses softness to overcome strength, the relay in Taijiology, uses softness to overcome strength, heroes often lose to the weak beauties. This is the meaning of [Chapter 76] in the "Tao De Jing"; human body is soft but stiff in death. The life of all things is soft but their death is also withered. So the strong are those who die, and the weak are those who live. If you are strong, you cannot win, and if you are strong, you cannot win.

Why do Confucius, Laozi, Buddha, and Feng Shui all say that water is good? We have to learn from water. Thank you so much.