First, the source of the word "cautious independence" In the past, scholars or practitioners often posted the word "cautious independence" on the wall or bedside table to warn themselves. Where does the word "cautious independence" come from? Confucian universities and the golden mean. When talking about "sincerity" in "University", he said: "The so-called sincere person does not deceive himself. If he hates stench and lust, he is called self-modesty, so a gentleman must be cautious." "University" said in the same paragraph: "This is called sincerity in China and appearance outside, and a gentleman must be cautious." "The Doctrine of the Mean" said: "Those who are also Taoist must be inseparable for a moment; You can stay, but you can't. Therefore, the gentleman is cautious about not seeing it, fearing that it is unheard of, and seeing it is insignificant, so the gentleman is cautious about being alone. " Second, what is "cautious independence"? "Caution" means caution; "Independence" here refers to all kinds of "thoughts and ideas" born in our hearts. "Being cautious and independent" means being cautious about the thoughts that arise in your heart, lest they make mistakes; Only the right ones are allowed, and the wrong ones must be resolutely eliminated. In addition, we should carefully observe the consequences before delivery, and we should not be careless. Third, why do you call your thoughts "independence"? The first reason: Because the thought is independent of the external environment, it is called "independence". Thought is independent of external environment, which can be understood from two levels: 1) Thought can be independent of external environment. What kind of external environment, what kind of thinking to treat, depends entirely on personal habits. For example, in the face of losses, some people are very happy and think that they can accumulate blessings through losses; On the other hand, some people will be very upset for the simple reason that they feel that they have suffered. Some people are happy to be criticized by others, thinking that others are helping them correct their mistakes; Some people will refute and attack their critics because they feel that others are hurting themselves. In a word, people's thoughts and external environment can be independent. 2) Thought is essentially independent of the external environment. When we face the outside world and have thoughts, the outside world will not be shaken by our thoughts. For example, if we like a flower, the flower will not be happy because we like it; I won't be unhappy because I don't like it. The external environment is the external environment, in fact, it will always exist independently of the current thinking. The ancients said: "The world is idle and the heart is troubled." When thoughts arise in your heart, you will form a psychological feeling. We often impose this subjective psychological feeling on the outside world, thinking that the outside world also has this attribute. In fact, thought and the outside world are like two parallel lines, and there will never be a meeting point-thought is thought, the outside world is the outside world, and the thought facing the outside world will never become the outside world; The external environment will never become its thought. The second reason why thought is called "independence" is that after thought is born in a person's mind, it only defines his current life experience. This definition is "unique, only this person can experience this definition, and no one else can share the life experience defined by this idea with this person." For example, when a person has the idea of hatred in his heart, he will feel the taste of hatred, which can only be realized by those who have hatred, and others can't share it at the same time. The idea of love is born in the heart, which will make this human body feel the taste of love, which can only be realized by the parties concerned and cannot be shared by others at the same time. In short, when any idea rises in the heart, it creates a life experience that only the rising person can experience, and no one else can. In a word, because the idea born in our hearts is "independent from the outside world, we experience it alone", it is called "independence". Fourth, why should we be "cautious and independent"? The reason is very simple, because after the birth of an idea or concept, it only defines your own life experience, which is completely personal and cannot be shared by others. Therefore, everyone who truly cherishes his life should try his best to make good thoughts rise in his heart, not bad ones. The success or failure of life does not depend on external environment, but only on self-experience. In order to make life experience more beautiful and wonderful, we should be "cautious and independent". 5. Can you choose your thoughts? Yes, because the mind is independent of the external environment. When thoughts arise, there is no "feeling" in the outside world. The environment is the environment, the environment is idle, and people are "complacent". You hate external stones, and external stones will not feel anything; You love the stones in the outside world, and the stones in the outside world will not experience your love. There won't be any love and hate in the rocks outside, but your own heart is love and hate. People often hold the same idea when they treat the same kind of foreign land, so after a long period of practice, they form a habit. After the habit is consolidated, people inevitably associate their thoughts with the external environment, thinking that there must be some kind of thoughts in such an external environment, but forgetting that people did not have such habits at first. Habits can be cultivated bit by bit or disintegrated bit by bit. Cultivating good thinking habits and disintegrating wrong thinking habits is the whole connotation of cultivating the mind. Sixth, carry out "prudent independence" to the end. Even if you know a word, there are endless merits. "Cautious independence" is only two words, but these two words are priceless, because these two words show all the mysteries of sage practice. If we practice these two words, our life will shine, and many pains and disasters will disappear and automatically stay away without any cost. Ancient medical books said: inferior people, waiting for illness untreated; A gentleman usually eliminates the cause and never gives an opportunity to the disease. Similarly, when a fool suffers from a disaster, he thinks of eliminating and preventing the painful disaster; The wise usually remove all the causes of pain and accumulate all the causes of happiness through "cautious independence". After hearing and thinking about the meaning of the word "cautious independence", we should prepare unlimited flowers for wonderful support with infinite respect and piety; Then, use "following the doctrine" as the highest legal support.