The Tripod: Body, Mind, and Soul

To gain clarity about your existence, it is essential to reflect on the following three questions:

1. What am I?
2. Who am I?
3. Why am I here?

What Am I?

You are a fusion of the body system and the spiritual system—an amalgamation of the tangible and intangible.

• The body is a physical vessel created by your parents, while the soul is the spiritual essence that animates it.
• The soul often carries residual impurities from past experiences, leaving a unique imprint on your being. As a result, no two beings are the same.
• The human soul encompasses consciousness, enabling perception, reaction, and governance of the physical body. This consciousness is what we recognize as the mental mind.

When the soul inhabits a physical body, it breathes life into it. Similarly, when a soul resides in other vessels—such as a doll or a room—those vessels can also become animated. When the body perishes, the soul transitions into another body, continuing its cyclical journey of life.

This fusion of body and soul shapes your identity and ego, defining your experiences of birth, aging, illness, and death.

Who Am I?

You are the controller of your body, perceiving the world through your senses. Imagine your soul as if it were inside a container, looking out through the windows of your eyes. But why are you inhabiting your body and not someone else’s?

To understand this, you must trace your existence back to its origins:

• Before the existence of heaven and earth, there was a Being—a limitless, subtle entity emerging from infinite nothingness.
• This Being is all-encompassing, containing infinite elements. It operates under the natural law of truth, transforming into all creations, including the universe and individual beings.
• Through processes of splitting, merging, and transformation, influenced by timing and the mind cast, your Being separated from this whole.

You have been evolving for countless ages, undergoing cycles of self-purification and self-pollution. By the time you were born into this world, your soul had already stored the residual seeds of memory from your previous life’s last moment.

Though your physical and mental aspects appear separate and individual, your core essence is the same as that of all other beings. On a deeper level, I and everything in the universe are one. This is not just a concept but a truth that transcends ordinary understanding.

Why Am I Here?

You are here because the timing of your existence is ripe. Your presence is not a coincidence but a necessity, comparable to the ripening of fruit.

You have existed for countless ages, evolving and maturing through various life cycles. At this moment, you are once again fully formed and ready for the next phase of your journey.

• Being is immeasurable, nameless, and imageless. It can transform into "it," "him," "her," or "them" at any time.
• This Being is the root of all beings, the imperishable foundation within you. It is always present, though often unrecognized.

Your Journey: The Essence of Being

You are a unique individual—physically and mentally—but within you lies a core Being that shares the same essence as everything in heaven and earth. Your life is innately connected to your parents, surroundings, and past lives, carrying these connections into the present moment.

However, you are unable to return to your eternal home due to the impurities in your soul. As a mortal, you are like a transient traveler, temporarily lodged in this world. But while you are mortal now, it is possible for you to become immortal in the future.

Returning Home: Purifying the Soul

The path to returning home lies in decreasing your impurities until your soul is completely pure. To achieve this, pay attention to three key aspects of your life:

1. The Degree of Your Impurity

• Some impurities originate from past lives, while others stem from your current thoughts and actions.
• You can gain insight into your impurity levels by observing your emotional state, physical health, and life circumstances. For example, recurring emotional struggles or intermittent health issues may indicate accumulated impurities.

1. The Resources You Possess

• These include your physical body, the necessities that sustain your life, and the awareness to cherish immortality. Your body is the vessel that supports your journey toward purification.

1. The Mind Cast

• By focusing your mind on Te and acting in accordance with the WuWei way (effortless, selfless action), you can gradually dismantle the impurities within your soul, leading to its ultimate purification.

Cultivating Te for Purification

Te is an intangible and powerful resource that can purify the soul. To cultivate Te:

• Perform acts of goodness through your thoughts and deeds without attachment to recognition or rewards.
• Live in the WuWei way:
• Accomplish things, but do not brag.
• Perform good deeds, but do not dwell on them.

As you cultivate Te, it will naturally purify your soul, removing the impurities that prevent you from returning to your eternal home. This process requires effort to gain Te and effortlessness to let go of attachment.

Conclusion

Your existence is not random but a necessary part of the greater whole. Though you are mortal now, you carry within you the potential for immortality. By reflecting on the questions of being—What am I? Who am I? Why am I here?—and by purifying your soul through the cultivation of Te, you can progress on your journey toward returning to your eternal home.

Your core essence, shared with all beings, is always present. Recognizing and nurturing this essence will guide you toward a state of purity, unity, and ultimate liberation.