Immortals of the Mortal World Gather at the Inn!

"A celestial realm!"

Li Daoxuan heard about an unfamiliar realm.

The old doctor was somewhat surprised and said, "Don't you know?!"

Li Daoxuan asked curiously, "Should I know?"

The old physician looked at Li Daoxuan and, finding he wasn't lying, explained, "Mahayana is not the pinnacle of the cultivation path. No, it should be said that the cultivation path has no pinnacle. The current realms are only established by the cultivator who reached them first. The reason there are no higher realms is because no one can transcend these realms!"

"And XZ's current highest realm is the Primordial Golden Immortal, which is also a saint!"

Upon hearing this, Li Daoxuan asked, "Then, senior, are you a sage?"

The old doctor shook his head and said, "No, and I disdain that holy position!"

Li Daoxuan didn't understand, but he didn't ask any further questions.

"Alright, now that you have the answer, go back and prepare for tomorrow's lessons!"

After the old doctor finished speaking, he left the space.

After thinking for a moment, Li Daoxuan also left this space.

the next day,

"Have you finished all the arrangements from yesterday?"

Li Daoxuan asked!

"Sit down!"

As he spoke, the students below handed over their copies of the quote "Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me!" and its meaning to Li Daoxuan.

After looking at it, Li Daoxuan said, "Alright, today we'll learn another famous saying!"

As Li Daoxuan spoke, he wrote on the writing board behind him:

"At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I stood firm; at forty, I had no more doubts; at fifty, I knew the will of Heaven; at sixty, my ear was attuned to the truth; at seventy, I could follow my heart's desire without transgressing the rules."

"Can anyone explain what this sentence means?"

The people below remained silent.

Little Tiger raised his hand!

"Little Tiger, tell us!"

Xiao Hu stood up and said, "That old man is in good health; even at seventy, he can do whatever he wants!"

"wrong!"

Li Daoxuan shook his head and asked again, "Who else knows?"

No one answered.

Seeing that no one answered, Li Daoxuan explained, "The saying, 'At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I stood firm; at forty, I had no more doubts; at fifty, I knew the will of Heaven; at sixty, my ear was attuned to the truth; at seventy, I could follow my heart's desire without transgressing the rules,' is Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, summarizing his life's learning and self-cultivation. This statement not only reflects Confucius's personal growth but also contains the profound connotations of Confucian thought regarding personal cultivation and moral境界 (jingjie, a state of being).'"

"Let's explain one by one!"

Li Daoxuan spoke while writing!

"At fifteen, I set my heart on learning." This means that fifteen is the age when one begins to understand things, and Confucius, at this age, clearly defined his pursuit of knowledge and learning. Here, "learning" encompasses not only book knowledge but also moral cultivation, etiquette, and so on. Confucius emphasized that learning and self-cultivation should begin in youth; this is the foundational stage of life.

"And that's what I thought when I first saw you. The oldest of you is already twenty, yet you don't know a single word. How can you possibly define your goals?"

"Among the millions of people in this world, how many are like you? I feel a deep sorrow and pity for this world!"

When Li Daoxuan got excited, his tone became a bit loud, but he quickly returned to normal!

"Sir, are you alright?"

Xiao Hu asked worriedly.

"It's alright, let's continue!"

Li Daoxuan gestured for Xiaohu to sit down and continued explaining the meaning of this famous saying:

"At thirty, one should be established. The word 'established' here has multiple meanings. On one hand, it refers to being able to live independently in society, having one's own profession and economic foundation; on the other hand, and more importantly, it means being independent in thought and morality, having one's own opinions and judgment, and not being easily swayed by external influences. A thirty-year-old should possess a certain sense of social responsibility and moral values."

"Sir, what is society, what is a profession, and what is the economic base?"

Xiao Hu stood up and asked!

Li Daoxuan thought for a moment and said, "How about this, I'll tell you a story, and maybe you'll understand!"

As he spoke, Li Daoxuan began to tell a story:

"Once upon a time, there was a small merchant who ran a small business in his town. Later, he found that the place was too small and there was no room for development. He wanted to expand and become stronger, so he decided to go to a larger city to do business. However, there were already established groups there, so how could they let a merchant get a share of the pie? In the end, the merchant returned to his old small town because he didn't have enough money."

After Li Daoxuan finished speaking, he asked the students below, "Do you all understand?"

Everyone shook their heads!

Upon seeing this, Li Daoxuan explained, "In this little story, the merchant represents the profession, and the small town where the merchant resides, as well as the large city he travels to, all represent society. As for wealth, everyone should understand that. So, do you all understand now?"

"clear!"

Although everyone still had some doubts, they generally understood!

"Alright, now let's move on to the next section!"

Li Daoxuan smiled and nodded, then began to speak the next sentence:

"At forty, one is no longer perplexed." This saying means that after ten years of learning and practice, by the age of forty, one's understanding of things has become deeper, enabling one to distinguish right from wrong and no longer be confused by the complexities of the outside world. Here, "no longer perplexed" refers not only to an understanding of knowledge but also to a firm commitment to life goals and values.

Li Daoxuan did not stop and continued speaking:

"At fifty, one understands the mandate of heaven. Here, 'the mandate of heaven' can be understood as the laws of nature, one's life mission, or moral principles. Having experienced half a lifetime, a fifty-year-old begins to understand the true meaning of life and comprehends their place and responsibility in this world. This is a profound understanding of the meaning of life and the laws of the universe."

Li Daoxuan smiled and said, "You might not understand the meaning of this, but perhaps you will when you grow up!"

Li Daoxuan continued his sermon:

"At sixty, one's ears are attuned to the truth. As mentioned earlier, 'attuned to the truth' has two interpretations. One is the ability to calmly listen to various voices without being swayed by emotions; the other is the ability to understand the true meaning behind others' words. People in their sixties have a more peaceful mindset, are able to tolerate and understand different viewpoints, and are not easily disturbed by external influences."

"The meaning of 'At seventy, one can follow one's heart's desires without transgressing the rules' is that by the age of seventy, one's mind has reached a high degree of freedom and open-mindedness, and one can act according to one's own wishes, but this freedom is based on morality and norms. Confucius emphasized that even in the later years of life, one should not violate morality and law, which is the highest realm of self-cultivation."

"This passage is not only a summary of Confucius's life, but also a model of self-cultivation in Confucianism. It emphasizes learning, growth, and moral cultivation at different stages of life, reflecting the Confucian emphasis on personal development. From resolving to study at the age of fifteen to following one's heart's desires at seventy, Confucius demonstrated a process of continuous self-improvement and the pursuit of moral excellence. This thought has had a profound influence on later generations, becoming a guide for many on their life's journey."

Just after Li Daoxuan finished speaking, a child in the audience asked:

"Sir, did Confucius only live for a hundred years?"