The world is full of half-enlightened masters.
Overly clever, too “sensitive” to live in the real world,
they surround themselves with selfish pleasures and bestow their grandiose teachings upon the unwary.
Prematurely publicizing themselves, intent upon reaching some spiritual climax, they constantly sacrifice the truth and deviate from the Tao.
What they really offer the world is their own confusion.
The true master understands that enlightenment is not the end, but the means.
Realizing that virtue is her goal, she accepts the long and often arduous cultivation that is necessary to attain it.
She doesn’t scheme to become a leader, but quietly shoulders whatever responsibilities fall to her.
Unattached to her accomplishments, taking credit for nothing at all, she guides the whole world by guiding the individuals who come to her.
She shares her divine energy with her students, encouraging them, creating trials to strengthen them, scolding them to awaken them, directing the streams of their lives towards the infinite ocean of the Tao.
If you aspire to this sort of mastery, then root yourself in the Tao.
Relinquish your negative habits and attitudes.
Strengthen your sincerity.
Live in the real world, and extend your virtue to it without discrimination in the daily round.
Be the truest father or mother, the truest brother or sister, the truest friend, and the truest disciple.
Humbly respect and serve your teacher, and dedicate your entire being unwaveringly to self-cultivation.
Then you will surely achieve self-mastery and be able to help others in doing the same.
-#80, Hua Hu Ching: The Unknown Teachings of Lau Tzu by Brian Walker
GUIDE TO REFLECTING ON THIS PASSAGE:
While it is helpful and clarifying for me to have these clear distinctions of “half-enlightened” vs. “true” masters, in regards to looking out into the world of leaders and identifying who fits which description, the real value of this passage is in asking myself these questions of self-reflection, self-examination, self-scrutiny:
When have I attempted to “prematurely” publicize myself because I was “scheming to become a leader”?
When have I been able to shoulder the arduous task of committing myself to the long journey of self-cultivation for the sake of service to others and the world?
What do I need to get real about and like go of, right now, in order to align more fully with the narrow path of the “true master”?
Thank you for your commitment to your arduous path of self-cultivation for the sake of protecting Life for the children and future generations. It’s not easy, but it sure is more simple than the chaos and confusion of the worldly life of chasing desires.