Practice Begins with Being a Good Person: Saint Mo on "Three, Six and Nine"

When people think of spiritual practice, many imagine deep philosophy and mysterious experiences. But if we haven't yet mastered the basics of being a good person, how far can our practice really go? In a teaching from almost fifty years ago, Saint Mo uses a few passages from Confucius to give us a lesson in "how to be a person." Practice is not about how lofty our words are. It is about whether every word and every action truly lives up to them.

10/25/20268 min read

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Practice Begins with Being a Good Person: Saint Mo on "Three, Six and Nine"

A Plain-Language Reading of a Teaching by Saint Mo (默真人)

When people think of spiritual practice, many imagine deep philosophy and mysterious experiences. But if we haven't yet mastered the basics of being a good person, how far can our practice really go?

In a teaching from almost fifty years ago, Saint Mo uses a few passages from Confucius to give us a lesson in "how to be a person." Practice is not about how lofty our words are. It is about whether every word and every action truly lives up to them.

About This Teaching

This teaching comes from the Chu Ke Teachings (《处科训文》), printed by the Society's Headquarter in Hong Kong (宗母总驻港办事处) and passed down in the Daoyuan (道院). It was given by Saint Mo on the 20th day of the 2nd lunar month of the Dingsi year, which was 8 April 1977.

Saint Mo's given name was Du Bingyin (杜秉寅), and his courtesy name was Mojing (默靖) (1854–1923). He was one of the founders of the Daoyuan. During the Qing dynasty he served as a local official, including as magistrate of Zou County and of Gaotang Prefecture. In 1920 he joined a spirit-writing altar (扶乩坛) in Jinan, where he was the oldest of its leaders, and he went on to serve in the Daoyuan as Head of the Meditation Chamber (坐院掌籍).

Du Bingyin passed away in 1923. Members of the Daoyuan believe that he attained spiritual fulfilment, and they honour him with the title "Mo Zhenren" (默真人, Saint Mo in English), meaning "Mo the Perfected One." Since then, he has often given teachings to guide the Daoyuan's spiritual practice and charitable work, and he is deeply respected within the Daoyuan.

The teaching is written in simple language and quotes Confucius from The Analects (《论语》) many times. What follows is our plain-language reading, so that readers of every background can take something from it.

The Opening: Three Sayings of Confucius

不知命，无以为君子也；不知礼，无以立也；不知言，无以知人也。

"Without knowing Heaven's mandate, one cannot be a person of virtue. Without knowing proper conduct, one cannot stand firm. Without knowing how to weigh words, one cannot understand people."

The teaching begins by explaining these three sayings from the last chapter of The Analects:

A person who doesn't understand Heaven's mandate, and only calculates gains and losses, cannot become a person of virtue;
A person who doesn't understand proper conduct cannot find a firm footing in society;
A person who can't tell whether what others say is right or wrong cannot see whether someone is honest or not.

Saint Mo calls these the three essential kinds of understanding for being a person. Do we all have them? Not just ordinary people. Even those of us on the path of practice can't say for sure that we do.

1. "Heaven's Mandate" Is Really Our Conscience

Learned scholars could write tens of thousands of words on "Heaven's mandate" (天命) and still not finish, or even make it clear. Young people today might hear it and simply be puzzled.

Saint Mo explains it in one sentence: Heaven's mandate is the sense of what is right that Heaven gave us at birth. It is what the philosopher Wang Yangming called our "innate knowledge and innate ability" (良知良能), or simply, our conscience.

If everyone is born with it, why do people "not know" it? Because when we focus only on what we can gain or lose, we get weighed down by it, our conscience becomes clouded, and we become petty.

2. Humans Are the Wisest of Creatures, Yet Sometimes Fall Behind the Animals

Saint Mo gives some vivid examples:

A small bird, using only its little beak, builds an amazing nest and raises its young. It even knows when the nest is just right and stops there, keeping it safe and secure;
Tiny bees and ants show skill, perseverance and patience that are truly far greater than ours.

They are all making good use of the instincts Heaven gave them. Humans are said to be the wisest of all creatures, so why are we sometimes so confused?

Because we are tied up by selfish desire. Our hearts grow dark. We may not even understand proper conduct, so we cannot stand firm in society, yet we don't notice. Instead, we blame Heaven and blame others. We don't seek to learn, we don't practise, and we can't tell right from wrong.

So Saint Mo asks a few very direct questions that every practitioner should ask themselves:

Why do I practise?
What am I cultivating?
What am I seeking?

If we haven't even achieved the three essentials of being a person, can we really call it spiritual practice?

3. Six Virtues, Six Blind Spots

Confucius once asked his student Zilu: "There are six virtues, and each comes with its own fault. Do you know them?" Zilu said he did not. Confucius said: "Sit down, and I will tell you."

If we don't love learning and don't seek to understand, these six virtues can turn into six faults:

Loving kindness, without learning, can make us foolish, easily taken advantage of;
Loving cleverness, without learning, can make us scattered and unfocused;
Loving trustworthiness, without learning, can lead us to harm ourselves or act against what is right;
Loving honesty, without learning, can make us harsh and hurtful in our words;
Loving courage, without learning, can lead us to cause trouble;
Loving firmness, without learning, can make us reckless and wild.

Zilu was brave in doing good and was "glad to hear when others pointed out his faults." Even so, Confucius wanted him to love learning and understand the principles, so that he could truly succeed.

Good character also needs wisdom to guide it. As practitioners, what are we learning? What do we understand? What have we achieved? Do we reflect on ourselves at all times, in all places, in everything we do?

4. Nine Things to Keep in Mind

Confucius also taught the "Nine Reflections" (九思), nine things to keep in mind at all times:

When looking, think about seeing clearly;
When listening, think about hearing clearly;
In your expression, think about being gentle;
In your manner, think about being respectful;
When speaking, think about being honest;
When working, think about being careful;
When in doubt, think about asking others;
When angry, think about the consequences, and be patient;
When you see a chance to gain, think about whether it is right.

These "three, six and nine" were how Confucius taught each student according to their needs, so that they would love learning, understand the principles and reflect on themselves constantly. At no time, in no moment, in nothing we do, should we let our guard down.

5. The Most Common Fault in Practice: Reaching Too High, Too Soon

Saint Mo says he often sees people who believe they have practised for a long time. When they talk about the teachings, their words are dazzling, but when you look at how they actually live, they can't live up to any of it. Some cling rigidly to rules; some have hidden motives; some never reflect on themselves and only chase lofty, mysterious things.

It's like leaving your own field to grow weeds while you go and plough someone else's, and still thinking you're right. These are all faults along the path of practice.

Zilu made this mistake too. He once asked Confucius about death. Confucius replied: "If you don't yet understand life, how can you understand death?" He then asked how to serve spirits. Confucius replied: "If you can't yet serve people with sincerity and respect, how can you serve spirits?"

Confucius was reminding him: don't reach too high, too soon. You haven't even mastered the practice that's right in front of you, in every word and every action.

6. The Heart Is Like a Pool of Spring Water

This is the most beautiful image in the whole teaching.

Our heart is like a pool of clear spring water. But we stir it up ourselves until it's muddy, with dirt swirling everywhere. How can water like that reflect the blue sky, or the light of the sun and moon?

If we can't even see the reflection of the sky, how could we ever see the real sky?

So practice should follow a steady order:

Learn and understand → Cultivate heart and nature → Understand Heaven's mandate → Develop understanding and ability → Do good → Reflect on yourself → Practise sitting meditation → Cultivate the Dao and compassion

Sitting meditation calms the waves in the heart and lets the dirt slowly settle. When the water is still as a mirror and clear to the bottom, we naturally understand the true meaning of goodness and compassion.

The true path is nothing other than doing good, and this understanding comes naturally through sitting meditation. As Saint Mo says: "Truly, truly, there is no other way."

7. No Difference Between New and Long-Time Practitioners

There are no shortcuts in practice, and it can't be gained by empty talk or luck. Whether you've just begun or have practised for many years: those who do it, gain it; those who don't, lose it. Those who understand, gain it; those who don't, lose it.

Confucius said that to know a person, look at what they do, how they do it, and what gives them peace. When a person is sincere inside, it naturally shows on the outside, and everyone can see their practice and character.

So what difference is there between new and long-time practitioners?

Saint Mo closes by encouraging everyone: practise for real, train for real, and truly put in the effort.

Five Simple Tips for Beginners

1. Learn to be a good person first: practice doesn't start with the mysterious. Treating people and handling things well is where it begins.

2. Ask yourself three questions often: Why do I practise? What am I cultivating? What am I seeking?

3. Pair good character with wisdom: kindness, honesty and courage all need learning and understanding to guide them.

4. Think about the "Nine Reflections" every day: start with how you look, listen, speak and act, and reflect a little at a time.

5. Let your heart settle: sit quietly each day, and let the pool of water in your heart slowly grow clear.

Going Deeper: Notes for Fellow Practitioners

The following notes touch on deeper practice and are offered for fellow members of the Daoyuan.

"三六九" (Three, Six and Nine): The passages quoted in the original teaching come from The Analects: "Yao Yue" (knowing Heaven's mandate, proper conduct and words), "Yang Huo" (the six virtues and six faults), and "Ji Shi" (the nine reflections of a person of virtue). Saint Mo takes these as the "first examples and first methods" for a practitioner to stand firm, and encourages fellow practitioners to measure themselves against them through constant self-reflection.
"能知知能二字，为更重要" (Knowing and being able: these two are most important): The original teaching places special emphasis on "knowing" (知) and "being able" (能): understanding the principles, and even more, being able to put them into practice.
"舍己之田，耘人之田，而自好自是，皆是修程之病也" (Leaving one's own field to plough another's, while thinking oneself right, are all faults on the path): The original teaching warns fellow practitioners not to speak dazzlingly of principles while failing to live them, not to cling rigidly to rules, and not to chase after the lofty and mysterious.
"静坐所以平你的波浪，澄清你的渣滓" (Sitting meditation calms your waves and clears your sediment): The original teaching sets out the order of practice: learning and understanding, cultivating heart and nature, understanding Heaven's mandate, developing understanding and ability, doing good, self-reflection, sitting meditation, and then cultivating the Dao and compassion. It adds that "the true Dao is nothing other than the path of goodness, gained through the natural effect of sitting meditation."

Source: Chu Ke Teachings (《处科训文》), printed by the Hong Kong Office of the Mother Daoyuan, Daoyuan. Teaching by Saint Mo, 20th day of the 2nd lunar month, Dingsi year (8 April 1977). This article is a plain-language reading and is for reference only.

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