The Attracting Law of the Great Ocean

Late at night, in an old and lonely house, the flickering candlelight cast the shadows of grieving faces upon a damp, moldy wall. On the bed lay the lifeless body of an elderly man, his skin pale, his breath long gone. The space was steeped in a silence so chilling that only the ceaseless chirping of insects in the garden could be heard.

Suddenly, a jet-black cat—a mysterious feline with eyes glowing like two headlights in the darkness—leaped onto the bed. It showed no fear; on the contrary, it seemed intensely interested. The cat moved quietly, then abruptly began jumping back and forth across the chest of the dead man several times. In mere moments, the stiff body suddenly twitched, then slowly sat up. With eyes rolled back and teeth clenched, it staggered toward the door, where panicked people were fleeing.

This scene is commonly known in folklore as "spirit possession," and it has always caused utter terror. However, in a dharma talk on the Principle of Yin and Yang, Master Thích Chân Quang decoded this phenomenon not through supernatural mystery, but through pure physics and biology.

"Remember, my children, the ocean is the king of all rivers. Why? Because the ocean lies lower, hollowed out, so all rivers flow into it."

The Master explained that the fundamental principle of the universe is this: what is in a high place (Yang) flows down to a low place (Yin); what "has" pours into what "has not." While a person is alive, their body carries a strong positive charge. Upon death, this positive charge gradually fades, and the body becomes a great mass of "Yin"—an empty, deep pit waiting to draw in energy from its surroundings.

The mysterious cat, according to the Master, is a creature with an extremely strong positive charge, especially in its eyes and its highly sensitive nervous system. When the cat leaps over the corpse, it discharges a large amount of positive electricity into that hollow, "Yin" state body. The difference in electrical pressure creates a sudden, rushing flow of energy. The corpse, which was in a state of "emptiness," suddenly receives an abundant source of "fullness" from the cat. This energy activates muscular reflexes, causing the dead body to move, and even to "sit up."

The Master analyzed further:

"It has no soul, no self, no thoughts. It is merely a biological machine reacting to an electric current. It walks forward seeking the next source of positive charge to draw from, just like a battery being recharged. If it grabs you, it will drain your positive energy completely, leaving you exhausted or dead."

From this physical phenomenon, the Master drew a profound ethical lesson about humility. In life, if we constantly exalt ourselves, acting proud and boastful (becoming a high mound of Yang), we will be lonely, no one will wish to come near us, and blessings from merit will drift away. Conversely, if we know how to lower ourselves, respect others, and see ourselves as lesser (creating a hollow of Yin), then the affection, talents, and blessings from merit of those around us will automatically "flow" toward us.

The Master concluded with practical advice:

"When we make ourselves Yin—that is, humble and non-self (anatta)—heaven and earth will pour blessings into us. Do not be foolish enough to refuse humility. Learn to become the great ocean, receiving every river."

The story of the cat and the corpse not only dispels superstitious fear, but also serves as a wonderful metaphor for the art of living: true strength lies in the ability to "receive" energy from others through humility, not in trying to "project" energy outward through arrogance.

The Meaning of the Story

Based on the principle of Yin and Yang, "Yin" (the low, empty, humble place) tends to attract "Yang" (the high, full, energetic place) toward itself. The phenomenon of "spirit possession" is explained as the transfer of positive electricity from the cat to the corpse in a Yin state, activating mechanical reflexes. The ethical lesson drawn is this: one who knows humility, who lowers oneself (creating a Yin posture), will attract the affection, talents, and blessings from merit of others (the Yang source) to flow toward them, leading to a more stable and prosperous life than the proud and boastful person.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang