During the era of Spring and Autumn in China, a sage was born and he was Confucius. He spent his entire life going everywhere, doing his best to propagate the philosophy of humaneness, justness, moral virtue, filiality, brotherhood, loyalty, and trustworthiness. He was not welcomed though. He was rejected everywhere he went. Although he experienced adversity, he never changed his mission of educating, advocating for the path of Great Unity from beginning to end.

Confucius was a great educator. He exhausted himself advocating for non-discriminating teaching, educating for average folks. His attitude was one of "teaching without weariness; learning without fatigue." He transmits ancient cultures without creating, being a practitioner who enjoys ancient traditions. Confucius spent the late years of his life editing the Book of Odes, developing ceremonial music, composing commentaries to what is known as the five sutras nowadays: The Book of Odes, the Book of History, the Book of Changes, the Book of Rites, and the Spring Autumn Annals.

He had three thousand students. Seventy-two of them were well-versed in the six arts of rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and math. Rites are the ceremonial proceedings for marriage ceremonials, funerals, ancestor worship and offerings. They are perfect only if they are experts at every one of these.

Confucius' educational compass was to teach according to the individual and be a model himself. His students divide into four major categories. 1. Virtue: Yan Hui, Ming Zi Qian. 2. Language: Zi Gong, Zai Wo. 3. Politics: Zi Lu, Ran You. 4. Literature: Zi Xia, Zi You. After Confucius passed away, his students divided into two groups. Ceng Zi advocated preaching. Mencius became the representative for this line of orthodox heritage. Zi Xia advocated the propagation of text and Xun Zi became the representative. The text propagation faction flourished during the three dynasties of Han, Tang, and Qing while the faction that preached flourished during the three dynasties of Song, Yuan and Ming.

The world's phenomenon and noumenon are interrelated. The three religions of China -- Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism -- help each other. Confucianism is like an elementary curriculum to start developing students. Taoism is like a secondary school curriculum and Buddhism is like a university curriculum. The ideas in these three religions are all related, but elementary school kids do not know about the textbooks in secondary school while university students know the curriculum of elementary and secondary school students.

Confucianism talks about the principles of being people. How do we develop good character? Taoism half focuses on building good character and half on cultivating transcendental dharma. This is why Taoists, like laypeople, do not shave off their hair. They wear the clothes of ancient hermits. Buddhist monastics shave off their hair and beards, wear robes of mixed colors, and do not pay attention to appearances though they always wear their precept sash. They look like Bhikshus or Bhikshunis. Buddhism contains ideas for cultivating transcendence. Is there Buddhadharma outside of mundane dharma? No, as long as we recognize mundane dharma then we will not be confused by it -- that is the Buddhadharma.

Some people have advocated for the union of these three religions. As it is said, "Red flower, white lotus fruit and green lotus leaves, these three religions were originally one family." This symbolizes how Confucianism is the start of Taoism and Buddhism. The foundation of one's faith lies with Confucianism. We must study, understand the principles, and learn how to be people first, then cultivate according to the Dharma. As it is said, "Many expedient doors lead to the return to the non-dual primary nature." Buddhists should understand this principle.