Chapter 1: The Core Distinction Between Artificial Conduct and Natural Inner Balance

Many people who study ancient natural philosophy tend to cling rigidly to fixed textual interpretations. For thousands of years, countless scholars have left a wide range of analyses, with vastly different viewpoints. The root of this divergence lies in the fact that everyone’s cognitive boundaries and formative environments differ, so their perspectives on how all things operate naturally vary.
Every analysis left by earlier thinkers, whether focused on social behavioral norms or inner mental regulation, carries reference value. There is no absolute right or wrong, no hierarchy of superiority. Each interpretation is merely a partial observation of the complete system governing the universe, incapable of capturing its full scope.
This text does not present its reasoning as the sole definitive answer. Like all prior researchers, my perspective is bounded by limited understanding. This piece only shares a set of logical observations drawn from watching how events unfold and how human minds shift, intended solely for reference.
I will not demand universal agreement with this line of thinking. If you hold contrasting views, you are fully entitled to keep your own opinions, and there is no need to argue back and forth. The eternal laws governing the universe have no fixed form. To insist that one written explanation holds the whole truth runs counter to the core principle of this ancient philosophy: any rule that can be described in words is never the unchanging root of all existence.
Those who genuinely study universal patterns focus inward to examine their own mental obsessions, rather than debating the merits of ideas with others externally. Readers whose minds align with this framework will naturally draw insight from these words. Those locked into rigid preconceptions may read through and move on without resonance, and this is perfectly fine. We lay out logical observations objectively only to share personal findings, not to seek praise, nor to dismiss the work of earlier scholars.
One critical realization must be clarified: the fundamental forces driving all creation cannot be fully captured by words or speech. The alternation of day and night, the cycle of seasons, the birth and decay of all living things, and the constant shifts of human thought are all outward manifestations of these forces. They have no set shape and are unconfined by language. All books and explanatory texts are just signposts pointing toward these natural laws, and a signpost is not the law itself. The commentaries of past scholars, along with every word here, act as temporary guides. Different guides correspond to different observational angles, with none superior to another.
Most people fall into a major mental trap: treating written text as the universal law itself, allowing writing to cage their thinking, and believing they cannot grasp natural order without books. Words exist only to open a window to greater awareness, not to lock thought into rigid boundaries. Text is merely a medium; true natural patterns reside in the world around us and within our own minds, so there is no need to cling obsessively to writing. This article unpacks complete underlying logic, drawing a clear line between artificially created standards of conduct and the balanced states inherent to nature.
The most widely circulated version of the text begins with the laws of the cosmos before moving to human behavior. An older unearthed manuscript reverses this order, first exploring human minds and social boundaries before expanding to the foundational forces of the universe. Each reading sequence creates a distinct path of reasoning, and both hold unique value with no clear advantage.
The approach that prioritizes human thought first follows a gradual path of understanding: the restrictions and distractions humans encounter earliest come from man-made standards of judgment and internal mental clutter. Only after clearing deliberate performative behavior and the desire to gain external validation can a person move deeper to comprehend universal fundamentals. The cosmos-first structure suits social education, while the human-mind-first framework works better for internal reflection. The two perspectives complement one another.
This chapter opens the section focused on human inner states and sets the core tone for the entire philosophical work. Most traditional analyses center on social conduct, while this text explores shifts in obsession and inner mental conditions. These two angles complement each other, each offering only a partial viewpoint with no inherent bias.
First, consider behavioral standards created by human society. These acquired definitions of “good conduct” carry obvious limitations. As eras and regions shift, social judgments of right and wrong are continuously revised. Standards widely accepted decades ago no longer apply today; modes of conduct valued in one region appear unnecessary in another. Criteria that shift with environment can never represent unchanging universal balance, and this is the greatest flaw of artificial moral codes.
Most people who follow external codes of conduct harbor clear inner obsessions. We can split them into two groups:
The first group acts kindly and restrains their behavior to earn positive feedback from others, living entirely within external judgment frameworks. Every action is carefully shaped to project gentleness and compromise, fixated on the socially constructed label of “a virtuous person.” The more effort someone spends maintaining outward standards, the more their genuine natural inner state becomes hidden. Beneath a mild surface lies constant calculation and a hunger for approval. This is conduct built on deliberate performance: chasing outward appearances while losing inner natural equilibrium.
By contrast, a mind aligned with natural balance never actively showcases its goodwill, nor constantly reminds itself to “follow moral codes.” A person in this state lives in harmony with universal balance systems, free from cravings for praise or reputation. All actions flow instinctively from inner nature: compassion arises naturally when empathy is needed, and firm resolve emerges when boundaries must be upheld, with no forced disguise or artificial shaping. When the mind lets go of obsession and desire, outward conduct naturally aligns with balanced order. The absence of deliberate contrivance within gives rise to natural benevolence without, and the two support one another to sustain stable equilibrium.

Many people seeking inner peace fall into another common misunderstanding: they treat charity and rule-following as tools to reach mental harmony, abiding by standards with strong self-serving motives. They deliberately shape their image through standardized behavior, attempting to force alignment with eternal natural laws through man-made acts. This exchange-oriented, acquisitive mindset creates mental shackles. Even consistent adherence to external codes cannot produce genuine natural balance if the heart remains tangled in utilitarian desire.
Once we distinguish natural inner authenticity from performative virtue, this ancient philosophy outlines four tiers of mental state, mapping the full journey from alignment with universal order to growing obsession and gradual separation from balance:
The first tier: complete alignment with natural balance, void of all intentional contrivance. Interacting with others and regulating oneself happen spontaneously, with no internal thought of “I must deliberately do this.” Mind and action exist as one, free of fabrication or fixation—the most stable balanced state.
The second tier: the mind develops awareness to adjust itself, actively choosing gentleness and goodwill, yet without desires for reward or renown. Benevolence springs purely from internal warmth. Though action is intentional, no selfish motives bind the heart, making this an excellent starting point for anyone sorting out their inner world.
The third tier: obsession takes root deep in the mind. All kindness and self-restraint carry clear goals, with the hope of gaining inner progress and moving closer to an ideal state. Powerful internal anticipation disrupts the mind’s original stable operation, creating internal blockages. The harder one chases this ideal, the further they drift from natural balance.
The fourth tier: rigid adherence to fixed dogma and formalities, ignoring the natural differences in people’s inner lives, and binding everyone to a single set of standards. When the mind clashes with inflexible rules, bringing mental tension and pressure, instead of adjusting internal thought, people force themselves to comply with rigid external forms. Many people remain trapped in strict regulations for long periods, suffering constant mental strain before abandoning their pursuit of inner peace—this comes from prioritizing outward ritual over inner essence.
The line “When people lose touch with universal roots, they rely on artificial virtue; when natural inner goodness fades, they turn to calculated morality; when calculated morality weakens, rigid rituals become the only anchor” traces the full process of the mind drifting away from natural balance:
When the heart loses its innate peace, humans turn to external codes of conduct to discipline themselves. When pure inner authenticity vanishes, people fill the void with consciously chosen kindness. When benevolence becomes mixed with weighing gains and losses, conduct is guided solely by self-interested morality. When moral intuition fades entirely, groups can only rely on harsh inflexible rules to maintain superficial order.
This reveals the true nature of rigid regulations: rules serve as a backup to compensate for insufficient inner peace and natural goodwill, used only to restrain outward conduct. All behavioral frameworks and mental methods summarized by past thinkers hold reference value, yet they cannot be followed blindly. To rigidly copy external forms while ignoring genuine inner state is to prioritize the trivial over the fundamental, which only pushes people further from natural balance.
This chapter concludes with a core guiding principle: anyone studying universal laws and sorting their inner world must abandon fleeting, superficial external forms and root themselves in the unchanging essence of inner balance. Recognize the temporal limitations of man-made standards, release the mental constraints of empty reputations and rigid dogma, stabilize the heart through observing universal patterns, then calmly navigate daily interpersonal interactions and responsibilities. Harmonize inner and outer life simultaneously to preserve the natural peaceful core of the self.
Chapter Summary
This opening chapter of the section on inner states differentiates performative surface virtue from inner authenticity aligned with natural universal laws. All behavioral standards valued in society are bounded by time and region and cannot count as eternal unchanging truths.
Interpretations from scholars across generations each hold merit, offering partial observations of natural order; no single explanation can capture the full root of existence. This text only reflects personal observation, carries inherent cognitive limits, and must not...
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I live by writing, seek peace and blessings