There's an old saying, "Heaven sees all," meaning that there are gods watching over us, observing our every word and deed. No matter the occasion or the action, it's all meticulously recorded by these gods, influencing our future fortune and misfortune. Unfortunately, many are blinded by momentary cleverness, seeing only the temporary benefits of wrongdoing, unaware that the retribution will affect not only themselves but also their descendants; one person's words and actions can potentially impact the interests of the entire family.
Taoism is a religion that emphasizes encouraging good deeds. While the gods of heaven and earth constantly monitor people's words and actions, their purpose is not to record wrongdoings and calculate corresponding consequences. On the contrary, Taoism's concept of "divine beings watching from above" reminds people to maintain certain boundaries in their conduct; crossing these boundaries will result in divine punishment. Similarly, if one lives a life of good deeds, the gods will record their virtuous words and actions and use this to calculate future good karma. Being kind to others is the fundamental essence of faith.
In Taoist theory, good and evil coexist; no one in the world is purely good or purely evil. What we can do is to harmonize all our words and actions with the principles in our hearts, maintaining our own legitimate interests without infringing upon the reasonable rights of others. This is a very delicate balance; a slight deviation can lead from good to evil. Unfortunately, many in the world slip into this state without realizing it. This leads one to ask: since the gods possess supreme power, why don't they prevent those who do evil from acting in advance?
To answer this question, three aspects of Taoist doctrines need to be considered:
First, what is the standard of good and evil in Taoism?
Secondly, where does the root of good and evil lie?
Thirdly, how should we interpret the meaning of Taoism's exhortation to do good?
When discussing good and evil, the debate between the theories of inherent goodness and inherent evil is unavoidable, a topic explored by numerous schools of thought throughout history and across cultures. Taoism's view on the original nature of humanity differs from the various schools' concepts of good and evil. It neither believes in the existence of good nor evil, because good and evil are products of human civilization and their standards change over time. Lao Tzu said, "(People) all know what is good, therefore evil is already known." This means that once people are given the concepts of good and evil, it becomes an artificial standard and a manifestation of desire. Taoism's pursuit of spiritual cultivation aims to eliminate human desires, remove all human effort, and return to a state like that of an infant, where all words and actions arise naturally. Therefore, Taoism does not emphasize whether human nature is inherently good or evil, but rather the natural state of a newborn infant. This is Taoism's answer to the first question, "What is the standard of good and evil?" In Taoism's view, good and evil are not fixed standards; they are essentially the pursuit of desire. Doing good and doing evil are both driven by desire.
Based on this, we can find the answer to the question of "where does the root of good and evil lie?" because all desires originate from people's unsatisfied hearts. Thinking more about the interests of others is the prerequisite for doing good; prioritizing personal interests easily leads to the breeding of evil. Whether it's the belief that "the gods are watching from above," or the many classic texts on exhortation to good, such as the *Taishang Ganying Pian* , they all aim to tell people not to indulge in personal selfishness, but to learn from the spirit of "water benefiting all things without striving," to give more care to others and society, and to build a practical ideal society of "small country with few people" through the power of truth, goodness, and beauty.
The divine records every good and evil deed people commit in this world with unwavering accuracy. However, Taoist beliefs are not meant to intimidate or instill fear. While Taoism does contain the theory of karmic retribution—good deeds bring good rewards and evil deeds bring evil consequences—it does not deliberately emphasize the specifics of evil deeds and their consequences. Instead, it tells people that all good and evil originate from one's own thoughts and intentions. Every choice you make in the present moment and the consequences you will bear in the future are inextricably linked to yourself. If you wish for everything to go smoothly, it is best to start by doing three good deeds a day. Only by becoming your own savior can you truly be your own savior.
Therefore, the third question, "The significance of Taoist exhortation to do good," lies in enabling people to perceive the power of righteous thoughts and actions in their daily lives and spiritual beliefs. It is a true awakening from within, a restraint of desires. Another saying goes, "There is a clear sky three feet above your head. Man can be deceived, but Heaven cannot." Whether we can become better people largely depends on whether we can constantly examine our thoughts and actions. The process of ceasing evil and doing good is also about cultivating the heart and nature . Taoist practice emphasizes reducing selfishness and desires, and further, achieving selflessness and desirelessness. From a sudden awakening from evil, to joyfully following good, and then to making good a part of daily life, this is the process of moving from action to non-action. The "not good" mentioned by the Taoist patriarch does not mean not doing good, but rather that the concept of good no longer needs to be deliberately emphasized, because it has been internalized into everyone's specific words and deeds. Exhortation to do good is not simply about exchanging countable good deeds for good results in the divine merit book, but about enabling people to achieve self-improvement from mind to behavior. Do no evil, do all good – this is a perfect echo of the Taoist belief that " my destiny is in my own hands ".
This explains why deities don't stop evildoers from committing evil. " Heaven's way is impartial "; from the divine perspective, good and evil are simply a certain order in human life, imbued with human subjectivity, and not universally applicable principles. The journey from evil to good is a process of yin giving way to yang, of purification and clarity within the laws of humanity, thus requiring self-awareness. In this process, different rewards and punishments for good and evil deeds are merely means to enhance awareness. If we impose our will on deities, attempting to punish certain individuals using human standards of good and evil—or simply our own—this is turning faith into a tool for profit, a manifestation of insatiable greed. How then can there be any talk of awakening? Only by understanding the meaning of cultivating one's nature can one truly appreciate the life spent navigating the seas of love and desire.
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