(Minghui.org) Many people say, “Western medicine alleviates symptoms while Chinese medicine cures diseases.” Genuine Chinese medicine can indeed treat the root cause of diseases. As a part of divine culture it takes a completely different approach than modern empirical science. However, the Chinese medicine that truly cures diseases has been lost. All that's left today are the medicines that alleviate symptoms.
The medicine that truly cures diseases comes from Taoism, which surpasses the plane of everyday people.
Why do we say that modern Chinese medicine only alleviates symptoms? Because its origins of cultivation practice have been lost.
Though modern Chinese medicine can't cure diseases, herbal medicines, acupuncture, and other Chinese medical treatments play a direct role at a microscopic level of the human body. Western medicine, however, is based on empirical science and treats the human body in this superficial dimension.
The key to curing diseases is looking within, valuing virtue, and cultivating one's character. External treatments can only alleviate external symptoms. This principle applies to all issues in our society nowadays.
For example, natural disasters are regarded as accidental. Humans continue to develop new technology to prevent disasters. They fail to see the fundamental reason for these repeated disasters, which is the the deterioration of mankind's morality. In the Records of the Grand Historian and Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, many emperors sincerely repented and reflected on their own behaviors when the people experienced natural disasters. What a sharp contrast between ancient and modern views!
It is my understanding that the process of “social development” is a process of transitioning from curing to alleviating. Mankind transitioned from the simple but great Way to a sophisticated way, and from micro and macro dimensions to this superficial dimension.
Laozi said,
“Virtue comes after the loss of Tao;Benevolence comes after the loss of virtue;Justice comes after the loss of benevolence;Rites come after the loss of justice.” (The Tao-te Ching)
The so-called development of human society is a gradual deviation from the Great Way of the universe, a degeneration of humanity's morals, and a shifting of mankind's focus to the superficial. During the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, people followed the great Way (Tao). During the Spring and Autumn Periods and the Warring States Periods, Confucius and Mencius founded Confucianism and corrected people's hearts with benevolence. As time passed, morality kept sliding down to the point where even the Rites were no longer followed. The only way left was to continue making laws to restrict people. People's hearts can't be restricted, however, no matter how many laws are made.
As Falun Dafa practitioners during the Fa rectification period, we must follow Master's teaching and look within. Nothing we encounter is accidental. The only way to fulfill our mission is by uprooting well-hidden attachments, clarifying the truth, and offering salvation to sentient beings.