The Make Up of Your Spirit - Conscience & Natural Capability 良知、良能

Translating this chapter was deeply rewarding for me, and I believe it holds something valuable for anyone on the path of cultivating Heaven’s Tao. If you're sincere about inner growth, this chapter is a must-read—it offers a clear look into the "anatomy" of our conscience, or true nature, and helps lay the foundation for more effective self-cultivation.

The anatomy of our conscience, true selves, or true nature consists of two parts: conscience and natural capability. Image from Shutterstock

Chapter 4 - Conscience and Natural Capability (1)

from "Profound Truths of Heaven's Tao"

A book of integrated Eastern philosophy

　天道奧義

第四章　良知、良能 (一)

Nondual Eternal Mother imparts: Everything in the universe comes from one main source called Heaven’s Tao. This profound source creates everything and gives humans their conscience and natural capability. When Tao moves, it gives rise to two dynamic forces: Qian and Kun. Qian stands for the energy of yang, and Kun stands for the energy of yin. Each person has this balance inside themselves. Their conscience holds the peaceful side of Qian, and their natural capability carries the active side of Kun. Deep down, the conscience is calm, and the natural capability is full of energy. That is why those who want to practice Heaven’s Tao must first wake up their conscience and tap into their natural capability.

無極老母曰：天道為最高之源頭，「良知，良能」乃道之產生。道動而生乾坤，亦即純陽純陰。良知屬乾性，良能屬坤性。良知屬靜，良能屬動。所以欲修天道者，應先修良知良能。

Conscience: It is like a calm body of water. When the water is still, it perfectly reflects everything around it. But outside forces, like the wind, can disturb that calm. As the wind creates ripples, the water becomes rough, and the reflection turns blurry and hard to see. When the conscience is at peace, it can see and understand things clearly. But calmness doesn’t mean it’s lifeless, like dry trees or cold ashes. Even when the surface of the water looks still, a quiet current flows beneath it. This hidden movement isn’t visible from above, so it seems like nothing is happening—but it’s there. That unseen current is like the inner drive that moves people to act beyond their own self-interest. When people stay connected to that inner stillness while taking action, they can find success in all that they do.

良知；靜如止水，光可照物，但受「氣」之影響．如風吹水動，漸至於混溷境界。良知寂然不動，感而遂通天下之故。但良知非槁木死灰，在靜中亦有動，雖動又似不動。故曰：「無為」即靜中之動，「無不為」即動中之靜也。

Natural capability: This capability can show itself in many ways. When it is not influenced by outside factors, it instinctively does what is right, and the conscience responds by following its lead. At first, this capability is just a gentle stir; its light is dim, and its strength is small. However, once it is fully awakened, it becomes a powerful force. Those who practice Heaven's Tao and reach this level of realization rise to become the titans of their time. They are wise sages and brave heroes whose actions leave a lasting impact. They hold the power to change the world and even touch the hearts of spirits and divine beings.

良能；良能之動多端，當其未受外感時，其動為正軌之動，良知也隨之興起。良能之微動，其燭照不遠，其動力亦小。鉅動者為良能之大發揮，修天道至此境者，必是不世之睿哲，便是一代英豪。可以動天地，動鬼神也。

To get a better grasp on conscience and natural capability, think of them as “appearance” and “function.” Conscience is the appearance; it is how the conscience appears or expresses itself. On the other hand, natural capability is the function; it is the strength to actually do what is right. Those who practice Heaven’s Tao work on developing both and learn to use them well. Since they are different, each needs to be developed in its own way.

Conscience shows up as clarity and awareness. This is often called "clear knowing." It works like a light that shines on everything so people can see things as they truly are and understand right from wrong. This is why conscience is the "appearance." It reveals the truth.

Natural capability, however, is more about taking action. It is reflected in the way people act and make choices, so it covers many behaviors. One of these is doing the right thing and avoiding the wrong. In hard or confusing situations, people might feel a quiet nudge in their hearts. That gentle push is their natural capability, pushing them to make the right choice.

When people use this capability at home, it becomes love and respect for parents and other family members. When they use it for their country, it turns into loyalty. With friends, it builds honesty and trust. This capability can be used in every part of life. Because of it, people can live with purpose and meaning.

良知屬「相」，良能屬「用」，修天道知能，至發展者，即知能的功用，知能的功用，知能的性能不同，故其發展也異也。良知之表現於外，為靈明，亦曰明覺。故無所不照，此所以辨別善惡，故良知為相。良能為用，其範圍極廣，為善去惡，都屬於良能，每當遇到疑難，或遇到艱苦，心內似有一物在蠕動，即良能也。用之於親則是孝，用之於國則是忠，用之於友則是信，其所用無不能也。人之所以立於天地間者，在此良能之用也。

Note: I'm currently working on this chapter. More of it is forth coming.