Making sense out of the seemingly no sense of life can be an issue to many. Why do we live just to die and then live again? Why do some eat to live and others live to eat? Why some say there is no God and others say there is. For those who say there is, some say he is the creator and others say he is not? Which is the correct sect or religion? Men are so concerned about all these. Why is this so? Does these serve any purpose?
All these have to do with doubt. Doubt exists when we do not understand and want to know more. Lord Bo Tien advises members of his mission not be be overly perturbed when others have doubts and disagree with them. When they know more and understand, they will have more confidence and faith.
But sometimes, knowing more can mean knowing less and knowing less can mean knowing more. "What is important is not to be overwhelmed by the leaves in the forest but to know the leaves in his hand" so said the Buddha Gautama. The Buddha said that he taught only the knowledge that could lead men to bliss or enlightenment and this was like the leaves in his hand.
There is no point in worshiping God and saints and be awed by their glory and majesty if we cannot have peace at heart and if like a drowning man, we need to hold on to them for dear life. What we need is to see the doctrine in them and live in the doctrine. Lord Bo Tien wants us to see the doctrine in the saint (image) and the saint (image) in the doctrine. The doctrine or Tao (Tou-li) is that there is life and with life, there is the yin and yang.
When there is no mastery and balance of yin and yang, there is restlessness and the person is swept around like in a whirlpool. When a prophet of a religion taught this, people expect more and think this is too simple or too good to be true. They disown the prophet and offer men with more knowledge of gods, more saints and rituals. They offer the leaves in the forest which would be terribly impressive but overwhelming. We may well then need a thousand lifetimes to decipher and make sense out of life.
So don't try to make sense out of all the issues in life. Don't be divergent though good to be so at times. Do have habit to be convergent and down to earth. Do not make it as though Tao is so complex and beyond reach. You do not have to read the whole works on Tao. You will never finish reading. Just know the simple Tao and live in Tao.
In the practice of Tao, go for the Tao of here and now. Do not run away from nature but be with nature. The here and now is the beginning and the end. The here and now is the Tao. It is everything that affords the man of Tao with peace.
Such a man neither runs from life nor try to have too much of life. He will neither starve himself of life nor bite off too much that he can chew. He will neither live with regret of yesterday nor with yearning for tomorrow. He is well prepared for life to come. He will never live as though tomorrow will never come. He is ready for tomorrow. He is at peace with life - yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is atop life and not swept around by life, for he is in trinity with yin and yang.