Dao ("Tao"): The Way Back To Godhood

I am a big fan of Lu Hsiang-shan (Lu Chiu-yuan, 1139-1192), Yang Chien (1140-1226), and Wang Yang-Ming (Wang Shou-jen, 1472-1629). I have read Lu and Yang numerous times in The History of Chinese Philosophy by Fung, and Lu and Wang in Sources of Chinese Tradition vol. 1 (Introduction to Oriental Civilizations, Wm. Theodore Bary, Ed. 1960. New York and London: Columbia University Press). If I copied out what they said and put Neville's name on it, you'd think, "This guy was so perceptive." They were neo-Confucianists. "The principle of the universe is mind. Mind IS the principle." God's principle/mind is what we are getting back to, and dao is the path there. Everyone's path. The path starts wherever you are. Regarding his teaching Lu said, "Recently someone has commented of me that aside from Mencius' one saying, 'First build up the nobler part of your nature,' I had nothing clever. When I heard this, I said, 'Very true, indeed'" (emphasis mine). He just kept hitting the same truth day after day.

Mencius said, "First build up the nobler part of your nature, and then the inferior part cannot overcome it." That is not just a little bit like John 1:4 and 5, it is John 1:4 and 5. It is the common truth for all the universe. Wherever you are, whatever your situation, it is the first step of dao.