liao fan's four lessons_changing one's destiny
DESCRIPTION
~ Learning to Change Destiny ~ Ways to Reform ~ The Ways to Cultivate Goodness ~ The Benefits of the Virtue of HumilityTRANSCRIPT
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TourLessonsChangingOnelsDestiny
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“緲叼巳D“α/u/●Leαjγ¢z/(,fp∣
‧↓仳u〃fDR吹 刎﹝伊
C“左乙似瓦杉叼00β〃﹝cJr‧7沈eⅡ﹫,∕JfD
‧了/te8e〃餅洸r 喲…
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LIAoPANls
FouRLEssoNs
LIAOPANYUAN
TRANSLATEDBY
SILENTVOICES
NAMOAMITABHA
南無阿彌陀佛
箏藏淨京學會印贈Printedanddonatedfbr仕eedistributionby
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Remembe「the
l﹤indnessofothe「s’
Repaγthe
I(indnesswithG「atitude.
THEFIRSTLESSON:
LEARⅡIⅡGTOCHANGEDESTINγ
Ⅲγfathe『passedawaγwhenIwas
γoung‧Wlγmothe『pe『suadedmetoIea『n
medicineinsteadofstudγingandpassingthe
impe『iaIexaminationsbecauseitwou∣dbea
go0dwaγtosuppoItmγselfwhiIehelping
othe『s‧pe『haps/IcouIdevenbecomefa-
mousth『oughmγmedicalsI(i∣Is》thusfulfiI∣-
ingmγ「athe『!saspi『ation「O「me‘
Onedaγ/ImetaneIde「Iγbutdistin-
guished|ookinggent|emanattheCompas-
sionateCloudTempIe‧HehadaIongbea『d
andtheIookofasage.IimmediateIγpaid
mγ『espectst0him‧HetoIdme:﹨﹨γoua「e
destinedtobeagove『nmentofficiaI‧Next
γea「『γouwiIIattainthe「ankofLea『nedFi『st
LeveISchoIa「‧Whγa「eγounotstudγingfO「
theexamination?〃ItoIdhimthe「eason.
1
IaskedtheeIde『IγgentIeman「O『his
nameandwhe『ehewasf「om‧He『epIied:
﹨﹨∣vIγfami∣γnameis∣(ongandIamf『om
γunnanp『ovince’Ihaveinhe『itedave『γsa-
c「edandaccu『atetext0nast『oIogγandp『e-
diction.Thetext/w『ittenbγShaozi『iscalIed
the∕〉γ叨e巾∕Sra〃巾㎡o/GDI/巴m〃U叻e
〃I/b/㎡Bγmγcalcu∣ations/Iamsupposedt0
passitontoγouandteachγouhowtouse
it‧〃
IinvitedⅢ『.I(ongt0mγhomeandto∣d
mγm0the『ab0uthim‧Shesaidtot『eathim
weII‧Aswetested卜/I『‧∣(ongIsabiIitγatp『e﹣
dicti0n/wefOundthathewasaIwaγsco『「ect
whethe『itwas「O『bigeventso『f0『mino『
eveⅣdaγmatte『s.Ibecameconvincedof
whathehadsaidandagainbegantothinI(of
studγingfo『theexaminations.IconsuIted
mγcousinwho『ecommendedⅢ『。Yuwho
wasteachingatthehomeo「af「iend/and
Z
becameⅢ『‧γu『sstudent‧
Ⅲ『‧Kongthendidsomemo『ecaIcuIa-
tionsf0『me.HetoIdmethatasascho∣a『『I
wouIdbep∣acedfou『teenthinthecountγ
examination『seventγ-fi『stinthe『egional
examination﹜andninthinthep『ovinciaIex-
amination‧The「O∣Iowingγea『『IpIacedex﹣
actIγwhe『e『/I『。I〈onghadsaidfO『a∣Ith『ee
examinations.
Ithenaskedhimtomakep『edictionsfO『
the『esto「mγIife.Ⅲ『‧I(ong/scalculations
showedthatIwou|dpasssuchandsucha
testinsuchandsuchaγea『/theγea『thatI
wou∣dbecomeaciviIscho∣a『!andtheγea『
thatIwouId『eceiveap『omotiontobecome
anImpe「iaISchoIa『.AndIast∣γ『IwouIdbe
appointedasamagist『ateinSichuanP『ov﹣
ince‧Afte「ho∣dingthatpositionfo『th『eeand
aha∣fγea『s!IwouIdthen「eti『eand『etu『n
home.Iwou∣ddieattheageoffi「tγ-th「ee〃
3
onthe14thdaγoftheeighthmonthbe-
tweenonetoth『eeo『cIockinthemo「ning‧
UnfO「tunate∣γ/Iwou∣dnothaveason‧I
ca「e「uIIγ「eco「dedandthen『emembe「ed
eve『γthingthathesaid‧
TheoutcomeofeveIexamination
tu「nedoutexact∣γasp「edicted‧Ⅲ『‧I(ong
hadaIsop『edictedthatIwouldonIγbep「o﹣
motedafte「『eceivinga『ationoftwohun-
d「edfi「tγ-ninebushe∣sof『ice‧Howeve「/I
had「eceivedonIγtwentγbusheIsof「ice
whentheCommissione「ofEducation!Ⅲ『‧
Tu『「ecommendedmefO『ap「omotion‧Ise-
c「etIγbegantodoubtthep『ediction‧Neve『﹣
theIess『ittu『nedouttobeco『『ectafte『a∣∣「
becauseWI『.Tu『s『epIacementtu『neddown
thep『omotion‧
Itwasn0tuntilsomeγea「s∣ate『thata
newEducationCommissione『『eviewedmγ
oIdexaminati0npape『sandexcIaimed:
4
﹨﹨Thesenveessaγsa『easweI∣w「ittenas『e﹣
po『tstotheempe『o『‧HowcanwebuⅣthe
ta∣entsofsuchag『eatschoIa『?〃Thenew
Commissione「wantedthemagist「atetois﹣
sueano「de「fO「metobecomeacandidate
fO『Impe「ialSchoIa「unde『hisautho『itγ.Af-
te「unde「goingthisevent「uIp『omotion’mγ
caIcuIationsshowedthatIhad『eceivedex﹣
actIγtwohund『edfiftγ-ninebusheIsof『ice.
F『omthenon∕IdeepIγbeIievedthatp「omo﹣
tiono『demotion∕weaItho「pove『tγaIIcame
aboutinduetimeandthateventheIength
ofone’sIifeisp『e﹣a『「angedIbegantoview
eve「γthinginadetachedmanne『andceased
toseekgaino「p『ofit‧
Afte「beingse∣ectedasanImpe「ia∣
SchoIa「!IwastoattendtheUnive『sitγat
Beijing‧Du「ingmγγea「Iongstaγinthecapi﹣
taI『mγinte『estinmeditationg『ewandIof﹣
tensatinsiIence『withoutgiving『isetoa
5
singIethought‧I∣ostinte「estinboo∣(sand
didnotstudγataII‧
ThefOI∣owingγea「IwenttoNanjing。Be-
「O「eIwastoente「theⅡationa∣Unive「sitγ
the「e/IpaidavisittoⅢaste「γungu『aven﹣
e「abIeZenⅢaste「atQixiaⅢountain.Wesat
inmeditationⅡfaceto伯ceintheZenhaIIfO『
th「eedaγsandnightswithoutsIeep‧Ⅲaste「
γungusaid:﹨﹨The「easonwhγo『dinaⅣpeo﹣
pIecannotbecomesagesisbecauseofaII
thei「wande『ingthoughts‧Inou「th『ee-daγ
meditation『IhavenotobseⅣedasingIe
thoughta『iseinγou‧Whγ?〃
I「epIiedthatⅢ「‧I(onghadcIea『∣γp『e﹣
dictedtheenti「eoutcomeo「mγIi「e‧Ihad
seenthatthetimeo「Iife『death’p『omotion∕
andfailu「ea『efatedsothe『ewasnoneed
「O「metothinl(ofanγthing.Themaste「
smiIedand「epIied:﹨﹨Ithoughtγouwe「e
someoneo「「ema「∣(ab∣ecapabiIities!ⅡowI
6
「eaIizeγoua「eano「dina『γpe『son!〃FeeIing
confusedbγwhatW∣aste「Yunguhadsaid’I
askedhimtoexpIain‧HetoIdmethatano「-
dinaⅣpe『son’smindis「O「eve「occupiedbγ
wande「ingandimaginaⅣthoughts﹜sonatu-
『alIγhiso「he『Ii「eisboundbγthemathe﹣
maticso「destinγ‧Wecannotdenγthe「act
thatdestinγexists/butonIγo「dinaⅣpeopIe
a『eboundbγit‧Destinγcannotbindthose
whocuItivateg「eatkindnesso「thosewho
havecommittednag「antw「ongdoings‧Since
IhadIivedmγ∣i「ejustasⅢ「.I(onghadp「e-
dictedanddonenothingtochangeit「Ihad
beenboundbγdestinγ.Thus『Iwasatγpical
o『dinaⅣpe「son‧
TakenabackJIas|(edifwecouIdchange
ou「destinies‧Themaste「answe「ed:﹨﹨We
can「e﹣c「eateou「owndestinγandsee∣(good
「O『tune‧Itisthet『ueteachingandis「Ound
in伽ko/印/U5and肋kof/化fD/﹚﹪Inthe
7
Buddhistteachings『itisw「ittenthatifwe
wishfb「andseekweaIthJahighposition『a
son『adaughte『『o『longIife『wecanattainit‧
SincetheBuddhatoIdusthatIγingisoneof
theg「eatestt「ansg『essionsJwecanbeas﹣
su「edthatBuddhasandBodhisattvaswouId
notdeceiveus‧〃
ItoIdⅢaste「γunguthatIhadhea「dthat
Nenciusoncesaid『﹨﹨whateve「issoughtcan
beattained‧TheseeI(ingiswithinou「seIves‧〃
This『e「e「stoinne「quaIitiessuchasvi「tue『
integ「itγ『and∣(indness‧Thesea「ea∣IvaIues
wecanwo「ktowa「d‧Howeve『/whenit
comestooutside「acto「ssuchaswea∣th『
fame『andp『estige/howcanweseeI(toat-
tainthem?He「ep∣iedthatⅢenciuswas「ight/
butthatIhadmisunde「stoodhismeaning‧
Ⅲaste『YungusaidthatⅢaste『Huineng『the
Sixthpat「ia『cho「theZenSchooItaught:﹨﹨AII
theneIdsofme「ita「ewithinone/sown
8
hea「t‧I「oneseeksf「omthet『uemind
within『onecanbeintouchwithaIIthatone
wishesfO『‧〃Bγseekingwithinou「seIves『we
wiIInoton∣γattaintheinne「qualitiesofvi『﹣
tue’integ「itγ/andkindness;wewiIIaIsoat-
tain(exte「naIbenefitssuchas)wealth/伯me/
andp「estige‧TObeabIetoattainbothinne『
quaIitiesandexte「naIbenentsisinvaIuab∣e‧
Ⅲaste『γunguthentoldmethati「one
doesnot『efIectinsideone’sownhea「t;but!
insteadbIindlγseeksfame『fOItune『and∣ong
Iifef『omoutsidesou『ces『nomatte「howone
schemestopu「suethem』onecanonIγat-
tain『atmost『whathadbeendestined‧Seek-
ingf「omtheoutside『onemightIoseboth
inne「pu「itγandwhatonewasdestinedto
have;thus/theseekingwouIdhavebeeninvain·
Naste「YungunextaskedaboutⅢ『‧
KongⅡsp「edictionsfO「the「estofmγ∣i「e‧I
9
honestIγto∣dhimeve『γthing.Heaskedi「I
「eItthatIdeseⅣedimpe「iaIappointmentso「
ason‧Renectingonmγpastdeedsandatti-
tudes『Ianswe「ednoIdidnot‧Thosewho
「eceivedimpe「iaIappointmentsa∣Ihadthe
appea「anceofgoodfO『tunebutIdidnot‧I
a∣sodidnotwo「ktowa「dsaccumuIatingvi「﹣
tuestobuiIdupmγgood「O『tune‧IwasveⅣ
impatientandna「「ow﹣minded『andwouId
showoffmγintelIigenceandabi∣itiesbγput-
tingothe「sdown‧IbehavedasIpIeasedand
spokewithout『est「aint‧Thesewe「eaIlsigns
ofscantgoodfO『tuneandvi「tue‧HowcouId
Ipossib∣γ「eceiveanimpe『iaIappointment?
The「eisano∣dsaγingthat﹨﹨∣ifesp「ings
「「omthedi「toftheea『thwhiIecIea「wate『
oftenha「bo「snofish‧〃Thefi『st「easonwhγI
「eItthatIdidnotdeseⅣeasonwasthatI
wasobsessiveaboutcleanIiness’Thesecond
「easonwasthatwhi∣eha「monγisthecuItiva-
10
to『o「Iife『Iwasquick﹣tempe「ed‧Thi「d!a∣﹣
though∣ovingI(indnessisthecauseoffe「ti∣itγ
andha「shnessthecauseofste「iIitγ『Iwas
selfishIγconce「nedaboutmγ「eputationand
wouldnotsac「ificeanγthing「O「othe『s‧The
fOuIth「easonwasthatItaIkedtoomuchand
thiswastedaIotofene『gγ‧Fi「th『Id『anktoo
much‧Andsixth『Ididnothaveasonbe﹣
causeIo仕enstaγedupalInightandwasted
mγene『gγ‧Asidef「omthese!Ihadmanγ
othe『fau∣tsthatwe「etoonume「oustomen﹣
tion·
Ⅲaste「γungusaid:﹨﹨Acco「dingtoγou
then’the『ea「emanγothe『thingsinIifeγou
donotdeselve『noton∣γ「ameandason!
ThosewhohavemiI∣ionsofdoIIa「sinthisIi「e
cu∣tivatedthegoodfO「tunewo『thγofthat
amountinthepast·Thosewhohavethou-
sandsofdoIIa「smustaIsohavethegood
fb『tunewo『thγofthatsum‧Those!whodie
11
ofstaⅣation’we「einfactmeanttodiein
thatmanne「‧The∣(a「mic「esuIttodaγissim﹣
pIγthef「uitofthei『owndeedsandhas
nothingtodowithexte「na∣powe「s‧
﹨℉o『exampIe!ifape『sonhasaccumu﹣
Iatedenoughme『itsandvi「tuestoIasta
hund『edgene「ations『thenheo「shewilI
haveahund『edgene『ationsofdescendants‧
OnewhoaccumuIatesenoughme「itsand
vi『tuesto∣asttengene「ationswilIhaveten
gene「ationsofdescendantstoIiveoutthat
good「O『tune‧ThesameappIiestoth「eeo「
twogene『ations。Thosewhohavenode-
scendantshadtoolittIeme『itsandvi『tues‧
﹨Wowthatγou「ecognizeγou「sho「tcom﹣
ings『γouneedtodoa∣Ithatγoucanto
changeandco「「ectγou「misdeedsthat
causedγounottohaveachildo『nottobe﹣
comeanimpe『ia∣ofncial‧γouneedtocuIti﹣
vateviItueandto∣e「anceJandto「ega「doth﹣
1Z
e「swithgoodwiIIandcompassion‧YouaIso
needtoca「e「O「γou『hea∣thandconseIve
γou「ene「gγandspi「it‧Liveasifeve『γthing
inthepastdissoIvedγeste「daγandab「and﹣
newfutu「ebeginstodaγ‘Ifγoucanaccom﹣
pIishthis/thenγoua「eape「sonbo「nanew『
ape「sonofvi『tueandsince『itγ‧
﹨﹨Ifevenou「bodγisgove『nedbγdestinγ『
thenhowcanabodγofvi『tueandsince「itγ
notevokea「esponsef「0mHeaven?Asis
saidinthe﹨TaiJiaChapte『Jin比oko//佔﹣
fD∕﹚rOnemaγ『unawaγf『omthe「et「ibution
ofHeaven『butonecanneve『escapethe
「et『ibutionfO「one』smisdeeds/Itissaidin
伽kofSb〃g5》﹨TOpe『manentlγacco「dwith
themindofHeavenandtoseekou「own
g「eatgoodfO『tune∕〃
﹨﹨Ⅲ「‧I(onghadp「edictedthatγouwouId
not「eceiveanimpe「ialappointmento「have
ason‧Thesea「ethe「et『ibutionso「Heaven!
13
buteventheγcanbechanged‧γouonlγ
needtodeve∣opγou『vi「tue『diIigent∣γst「ive
top「acticegoodness!andwo「ktoaccumu-
Iatemanγhiddenme『itsandvi『tues‧These
a「eγou『waγsto「e﹣c「eategood「oItune‘
Howthenisitpossib∣ethatγouwiIInotget
toenjoγit?I叻〃U印oko∕叻a〃ges﹜was
w『ittentohe∣ppeop∣eacc「uegoodfO「tune
andtoavoidadve「sitγ’Ifeve『γthingisdes-
tinedwithno「oom「O「change『howcanwe
hopetodothis?Then『stchapte「ofI叻叩
said『﹨﹨fami∣ieswhooftenpe『fO「mgooddeeds
willhaveanexcesso「goodfO『tunetopass
ontothefO∣∣owinggene『ations/Doγoube﹣
Iievethis?〃I「epIied『﹨﹨γes‧〃
Ig「atefuI∣γacceptedhisadviceandpaid
mγ「espectstohimbγp『ost『ating‧ThenI
beganto『eg「etaIImγpastw『ongdoings!
Ia「geandsmaI∣’in「「ontoftheBuddha叭sim﹣
age‧Iw『otedownmγwishtopasstheimpe-
11
『iaIexaminati0nsandvowedtocomp∣ete
th「eethousandme『ito『iousdeedstoshow
mγg『atitudetowa「dsmγancesto『s『Ea『th『
andHeaven’Uponhea「ingmγvow/themas-
te「showedmeame「it-「au∣tcha「tandtaught
mehowtokeepadaiIγ「eco「dofaI∣thego0d
andbaddeedsIhaddon巳Hewa『nedme
thatbaddeedswouldneut「a∣izethegood
ones‧Themaste「aIsotaughtmeto『ecite
theZhunTiⅢant『a‧○nIγwithamindofpu-
「itγandconcent「ationc0uldIattainwhatI
sought‘HeexpIainedthatithadbeensaidbγ
speciaIistsind『awingtaIismanicfigu「es!
﹨﹨Thosewhoa『econside『edexpe『tsinthea「t
ofd『awingcha『msbutdonotknowthe「ight
waγtodosowiI∣be∣aughedatbγspi「its‧〃
Thekeγtod「awingcha『msishavingno
thoughtsf「ombeginningtoend‧Unde「stand-
ingthis/beginthe「i『stst「o∣(ewithasti∣∣
mindafte『thep『imaIda『kness‧Inthep『oc﹣
15
esso「d「awing/onemustIetgoofaIIwan-
de「ingthoughts‧OnIγinthiswaγcana
cha「mbee什ectIv巳
﹨﹨Whenonep『aγsfO『andseeksfO『some﹣
thIngo『t『Iestochangeone叭s「ate』itIsim-
po『tantthatonedoessowIthoutgiving「ise
toasingIethought‧Inthiswaγ『onewiIIeas﹣
iIγ「ece】vea「esponseⅡenciusw「ote『﹨the『e
!snodIffe『encebetweenIongIifeandsho「t
Iife∕Atfi『stgIance/onewouId「indItha『dto
unde『standhowtheγcanbethesame}how-
eve『!whenthe『eisnothought/the「eisno
duaIitγInsho伉o『IongIife
﹨﹨Uponca「efuIanaIγsIs『the『eisaIsono
dualitγbetweengoodo「badhaⅣest.Unde『﹣
standIngthIsⅡwewII∣becontentwIthou「
p『esentsituation『beItoneofweaItho「pov-
e『tγ‧Andwithunde『standingthatthe「eisn0
duaIItγbetweenpove「tγandweaIthⅢou「
mindswi∣Ibecontentwith0u「p『esentstatus
16
insocietγ/beithigho『∣ow。A∣so〃the「eisno
duaIitγbetween∣ongandsho『tlives‧Unde『﹣
standingthis/wewiIIbecontentwithou『
existing∣ifespans!betheγIongo『sho『t‧The
mostimpo『tantconce『nfo『humanbeingsis
thato「Ii「eanddeath’Thus/ea『Iγdeathand
IongevitγsubsumeaI∣conditions!whethe『
favo『abIeo『unfavo『abIe『andwhethe『o「
gain0『Ioss’
﹨﹨WehavetowaituntiIou『cuItivation
『eachesace「tain∣eve∣/thenou『destinies
wi||change’Thischangedependsontheac-
cumu∣ationofme『its/onseekinga『esponse
f「omtheheavens‧WhencuItivating!weneed
tobeawa「eofou『fauItsand「esoIvetoco『﹣
『ectthemasifwewe「ecu『ingasickness.
WhiIewaiting!∣etgoofthethoughtofdesi『-
ingsomethingthatwea『enotsupposedto
haveandthethoughtofwishing「o『a『e﹣
wa『d‧Atthis∣eve∣itwou∣dbeastateo「
17
「eachingthe﹨innatenatu「eofnothought’
thatistheactuaIIea『ningandp「acticeof
wisdom·
ⅥIknowthatγoua「estiI∣unabIetoac﹣
compIishthestateofnothought『butγou
canp『actice「ecitingtheZhunTiⅢant「acon﹣
tinuouslγwithoutcountingthenumbe「o「
「ecitationsandwithoutinte「『uption‧When
γou『eachahighe『IeveIofconstantmindfuI﹣
ness!γouwiIIbeabIetoachievetheIeveIof
﹨tonot『ecitewhen「ecitingandto「ecite
whennot「eciting/WhenγounoIonge「have
wande「ingthoughtsⅡthemant「awi∣Ibecome
ef佗ctive‧〃
ⅢγnameusedtobeXuehai『which
means﹨﹨b『oadlea「ning‧〃Buta「te『「eceiving
theseteachingsf「omWIaste「γungu『I
changedittoLiao「an!whichmeans﹨﹨t「an﹣
scendingtheo「dinaⅣ‧〃Itsigninedmγun﹣
de「standingofthefactthatwecouId「e﹣
18
c『eateou『destiniesandthatIdidnotwish
tobeIikeo『dinaⅣpeopIewhowe「econ﹣
t『o∣Iedbγdestinγ‧F『omthenon』Ibeganto
beveⅣcautiousinwhateve「Ithoughto「
didSoon/Ife∣tquitedif「e『entf『ombefO『e‧
Inthepast/Ihadbeenca『e∣essandwithout
seIf-discip∣ine.Now『Ifindmγse∣fbeingnatu﹣
『aIIγwatchfuIandconscientious‧Imaintain
thisattitudeevenwhenaIone’f0『II(now
thatthe『ea『espi『itsandheavenIγbeings
eve『γwhe「ewhocanknowmγeve『γthought
anddeedIamcautiousnottoof「endthem
withmγthoughts‘EvenwhenIencounte「
peopIewhodisIikeo『s∣ande『me!Ibea「thei「
insuItswithapatientandpeacefuImind『and
donot「eeIcompeIIedtoqua『『eIwiththem‧
Theγea『afte『ImetⅢaste「γungu/I
tookthep『e∣imina『γimpe『ia∣examinationin
whichI∕I『‧I(onghadp「edictedthatIwouId
comeinthi『dp∣ace‧Amazinglγ『Iwas「i「st!
19
川『’Kong’sp「edictionswe『ebeginningtoIose
thei「accu「acγ‧Hehadnotp『edictedthatI
wouIdpasstheimpe「iaIexaminationatal∣『
butthatautumn/Idid!AIthoughIhadco「﹣
『ectedmanγfauIts!IfOundthatIcouIdnot
whoIehea「tedIγdothethingsIoughtto‧
EvenifIdiddothem『itwasfO『cedandun﹣
natu「aI‧I『efIectedwithinandfOundthatI
stiIlhadmanγsho『tcomings『suchasseeing
anoppo『tunitγtop「acticekindnessbutnot
beingeage『enoughtodoito『havingdoubts
whenheIpingothe「s‧
SometimesIfO『cedmγse∣ft0act∣(indIγ﹟
butmγspeechwassti∣∣uncont『oIIedandof-
fensive‧IfOundIcou∣dcontainmγseIfwhen
sobe「!butafte『afewd「inks『Iwouldact
without『est「aint‧AIthoughIoftenp「acticed
kinddeedsandaccumuIatedme「its!mγ
「aultsandof「enseswe「esonume「ousthat
theγseemedtooutweighthegoodthatIdid‧
Z0
A∣otofmγtimewasspentvainIγandwith﹣
outvalue·
Ittookmemo「ethantenγea「stocom﹣
pIetetheth「eethousandme「ito「iousdeedsI
hadvowedtodo·Iwasunab|etodedicate
theme『itsf『omtheseth「eethousandgood
deedsatatempIeunti∣I『etu「nedtomγ
hometowninthesouth『afewγea「sIate「‧At
thattime『Ihadtheoppo『tunitγtoasI(two
monI(stodedicatethemfO『me‧Then『I
mademγsecondwishandthatwas「O「a
son’IvowedtocompIeteanothe「th「ee
thousandgooddeeds‧A佗wγea『sIate「『
γou「mothe『gavebi『thtoγouandnamed
γouTianqi‧
Eve『VtimeIpe「fO『medagooddeed!I
wouId『eco『ditinabook‧γou『mothe『who
couldnot『eado「w『itewouIduseagoose
feathe『dippedinink‧Shemadea『edci『c∣e
onthecaIenda「「O『eve『γgooddeedshedid‧
Z1
SometimesshegavefOodtothepoo「o「
boughtIivingc「eatu『esinthema「ketpIace
andf『eedtheminthewi∣d‧She「eco「dedaII
ofthesewithhe「ci「cIesonthecaIenda『‧At
times’shecouIdaccumuIatemo「ethanten
ci「c∣esinonedaγ!
EveⅣdaγwep「acticedIikethisandin
「Ou「γea「s『theth「eethousanddeedswe「e
compIeted‧Again『Iinvitedthesametwo
maste『stomaI(ethededications『thistimeat
ou「home.Onthe13thdaγoftheninth
monthofthatsameγea『『Imademγthi「d
wishandthatwastopassthehighest|eveI
oftheimpe「iaIexamination‧IaIsovowedto
compIetetenthousandme『ito「iousdeeds‧
A「te「th『eeγea「s/Iattainedmγwishand
passedtheexamination·IwasaIsomadethe
maγo『ofBaodiCountγ‧
Ip「epa「edasma∣Ibookto「eco『dmγ
me『itsandfau∣ts『andca∣Iedit印ok㎡CM/﹄
ZZ
叼﹝〃U叻e八仞﹚αEveⅣmo『ning/whenIbe﹣
ganwo『kintheofnce!mγse『vantwould
b「ingthebooI(andhavethegua『dpIaceit
onmγdesI(‧IwouId『eco「dmγeveⅣdeed『
goodo「bad『nomatte『howsma∣l‧Atnight『I
setupana∣ta「inthecou「tγa『dandputon
mγof「icia∣unifO『mtoemuIatethewaγofan
ofnce「intheSongDγnastγ.Ibu「nedincense
and『epoItedaIImγdeedstotheheavens‧
Once『γou『mothe「wasconce『nedwhen
shesawthatIhadnotaccumulatedmuch
me「it‧Inthepast’shewasabletoheIpme
inou『accumuIationo「gooddeedsandwe
we「eabIetocompIetetheth「eethousand
me「ito「iousdeeds‧NowfIhadmadeavow
tocompIetetenthousandmo『edeedsbut
the「ewe「efewe「oppoItunitiestop「actice
thematthegove「nment『esidence‧Shewo「﹣
「iedabouthowIongitwouIdbebe「O「emγ
vowcouIdbefuInIIed.
Z3
Thatnight「Id『eamedo「aheaven∣γbe﹣
ingandtoIdhimo「mγdif「icuItγincompIet-
ingthetenthousandgooddeeds·Theheav-
enlγbeing『emindedmeuponbecoming
maγo「『Ihad「educedthetaxesonthefa「m-
Iands‧Thatonegooddeedwaswo『thten
thousandme「its‧I/lγvowwasa∣「eadγfuI-
n∣Ied!WhenIhadbecomemaγo「/thefa『m-
e『sinthecountγwe『ehighIγtaxedsoI「e-
ducedthetaxbγnea「lγha∣「’But》IfeItbe-
wiIde『edandsti∣Ihaddoubts‧HowcouIdjust
onedeedbewoIthtenthousandme『its?
CoincidentaIIγ『theZen∣vIaste『Huanγu
wast『avelingf『omWutaiⅢountainand
stoppedinmγt0wn‧Iinvitedhimtothe
gove「nment『esidence『toIdhimofmγ
d「eam『andaskedwhethe「itwasbeIievabIe‧
Ⅲaste『Huanγusaid:﹨﹨I「oned0esagood
deedwithsuchat「ueandsince『ehea『t
withoutexpectationof「ewa『d/thenone
Z4
deedcanindeedbewo「ththeme「itsoften
thousand‧Besides!γou「actof「educingthe
taxesinthiscountγbenentsmo「ethanten
thousandpeopIe!〃Uponhea『ingthis『Iim﹣
mediateIγgaveaIImγsavingsfO「himtotake
backtoWutaiIountain·Iaskedhimtouse
themoneγfO『afoodoffe『ingfO「tenthou﹣
sandmonksandtodedicatetheme『itsfO「
meo
WI『。I〈onghadp「edictedthatIwouIddie
attheageoffiftγ﹣th『ee‧Howeve「〃IsuⅣived
thatγea「withoutiIInessesaIthoughIdidnot
asktheheavens「o『aIonge「life.ⅡowIam
sixtγ﹣nine‧印oko//化﹝D/yexpIains:﹨Destinγ
existsbutitischangeab∣e‧Destinγisnotset『
butisc『eatedanddete『minedbγou『seIves‧〃
A∣Ithisist「ue‘Icametounde『standthat
bothgoodfOItuneandmisfO『tunea「ethe
「esuItso「ou『ownactions‧Thesea「et「uIγ
thewo「dsofsagesandvi「tuouspeople!If
Z5
someonesaidthatgood「OItuneandadve「﹣
sitγa「edete『minedbγtheheavens『Iwou∣d
conside「thatpe『sono『dinaⅣ‧
Tianqi!mγson『Iwonde「whatγou「life
wiIIbeIiI﹙e?WeshouIda∣waγsp『epa「efO「
thewo「st。The『e↑O『e/evenintimeso「p「os﹣
pe「itγ﹜actasifγouwe「enot。Whenthings
a「egoingγou『waγ﹛bemindfuIofadve『sitγ‧
WhenγouhaveenoughfOodandclothing!
bemindfuIofpove「tγ。WhenIovedand「e-
spectedbγaI∣J『emainapp「ehensiveand
conseⅣative.WhenthefamiIγisg「eatIγ「e﹣
spected『ca『Ⅳγou『se∣fhumbIγ’Andwhen
γou「lea『ningisextensiveandp『ofOund』al﹣
waγsfee∣thatthemo「eγoulea『nthe∣ess
γouknow.
Fo「thepast/wecanthinkofhowtoad-
vocatethevi『tuesofou『ancesto「s‧Fo『the
p『esent/wecanthinko「howtoc0nceaIthe
fauItsofou「pa『ents‧Fo『thecountⅣJwecan
26
thinkofhowwecan『epaγitskindnesstous
and「b『thefamiIγwecanthinkofhowto
b「ingaboutitsgoodfO『tune.Fo『othe「peo﹣
pIe’thinkofhowtohe|pthoseinneed
a『oundus!andfO『withinou『se∣vesthinko「
howtop『eventimp『ope「thoughtsandac-
tionsf「0ma『ising‧
Weneedtofindou『「auItsdailγandto
co「「ectthemimmediate∣γ.Ifwea『eunabIe
todetectou『fauItsthenwewiI∣thinkthat
eve『γthingwedois『ight‧Whenwea「eun﹣
abIetoco『『ectou「fauIts『imp『0vementwiIl
beimpossib∣e‧The『ea『emanγinteI∣igent
peop∣einthewo「∣dwhocannotimp『ovein
eithe『thei『cuItivationofmo『aIitγandvi「tues
o『inthei「wo「k.Thei『伯i∣u『esinthislifea『e
owedtoasingIewo『d:Iaziness.
Tianqi!theteachingsofWlaste『γungu
a『emostwo「thγ/p「ofOund『『eaI!andp『ope『‧
IhopethatγouwilI∣ea『nthemwelIand
Z7
p「acticethemdiligentIγ‧Useγou「timewiseIγ
anddonot∣etitsIipbγinvain‧
Z8
|
THESECOIDLESSON:
WAγSTOREF0RⅢ
Du「ingtheSp『ing﹣Autumnpe『iod『
Chinawasdividedintoseve「aIsmaIIna﹣
tions‧Ⅲanγp「estigiousadvise「so「these
nationswe「eabIetoaccu「ateIγp『edict
whethe『ape「son’sfutu「ewouIdbefo「tu﹣
nateo「unfo「tunatebasedonthei「obse「﹣
vationofthatpe『son’sspeechandbehav-
io「bⅢanγofthesea「e『eco『dedin印﹞/γ〃g
a〃d月α﹝U/刀〃月〃〃a店‧
Asa「uIe『the「ea『esignsthatsignaI
impendingdange「o『thecomingo「good
fo『tune‧Thesesigns「isingf『omwithina『e
duetoone’sthoughtsandfeeIingsbeing
「eveaIedinhiso「he「behavioI﹩UsualIγa
pe「sonismo「efo「tunatewhentending
towa『dkindnessbutinvitest「oubIewhen
tendingtowa『dc「ueItγ‧O「dina「γpeople
29
oftendonotknowwhatis『eaIIγhappen﹣
ing.Itisasi「thei「visionwe「ebIu『「ed‧
Sincetheγcannotseethet「uth『theγ
cIaimthatgoodfo「tuneandmisfo「tune
a『eunp『edictabIe‧
Whenwea「esince「eandhonest『ou「
hea『tswilIacco「dwiththewiIIofHeaven.
Bγobse「vingou「goodness『othe「swiIlbe
abIetofO「eseethecomingofgoodfo「-
tune;andbγobse「vingou『immo「aIitγ
theγwillfO『eseeapp『oachingmisfo「tune‧
Ifwewishtogaingood「o「tuneandavoid
misfO『tunes〃wefi「stneedto『e「o「mbe﹣
fo「eweeventaIkaboutdoinggood
deeds·
The『ea「eth『eewaγsto「efo「mou「
fauIts‧Fi「st’wemustbeab∣eto「eeI
ashamed‧Thin∣(o「alIoftheancientsages
andvi「tuouspeopIewhosenamesand
teachingshaveIastedfo『hund「edsof
30
gene「ations.Theγwe「epeopIejustIIke
us/butwhγismγnamewo『thIessIIkea
b『oken『oof-tIIe?
Wea「ecIIngIngtowo『IdIγdesi『es‘Se-
c「etIγ『wedomanγimp『ope『thingswhi∣e
thInkingothe『swllInotknowaboutthem
andthena『eshameIessIγp『oudofou「﹣
seIvesIOnedaγ/wewi∣Ibebo『nasan
anImaIwithout「eaIizlngIt‧The「eisnoth﹣
IngeIseinthewo「Idthatca∣∣sfo『mo『e
shameand「emo『sethanbehavio『suchas
this‘「vlenc∣usoncesaId/﹨﹨shameIsthe
mostImpo『tantwo『dInape『son』sIif巳〃
Whγ?BecauseonewhoknowsshamewiII
putfo「thhiso「he『beste「f0『tsIntoco『-
『ectingfau∣tsandwiIIeventuaIIγattaIn
sagehoodo『becomeavi『tuouspe『son‧
OnewhodoesknowshamewiIIbejustIIkeananImaI:un『est『ainedandimmo「aI‘
ThisiSthekeγtoco『『ectIngou『「auIts.
31
Thesecondwaγto『e「o『mistoknow
「ea『‧CeIestia∣beingsandea『thIγspi『its
hove『ove『ou『headsinobse「vation.
The『eisnowaγ「o『ustodeceivethem‧
Evenwhenmγw「ongdoingsa『edoneina
conceaIedp∣ace『thebeingsandspi『itso「
HeavenandEa『tha『ep「esentandseea∣∣
mγfauIts‧Ifmγbaddeedsa『ese『ious/
thenaIlkindsofadve『sitieswiI∣befa∣lme‧
IfmγfauItismino『}itwi∣Isti∣I『educemγ
cu『「entgoodfo『tune.HowcanInotfeel
fea『?
Evenwhenwea『ea∣oneinou『『oom/
thebeingsandspi『itswatchusve『γca『e﹣
fu∣∣γand『ec0『deve『γthIng.Evenifwet『γ
toconceaIou「imp『ope「actswithcIeve『
speech∕thespi「itsandceIestia∣beings
canseeintoou「hea『tsasc∣ea「Iγassee﹣
ingintoou『lungs0『∣ive『.UItimate∣γ『we
cannotdeceiveou「se∣ves‧I「othe『swe『e
32
toseeou『behavio『〉wewouIdfindou『-
selvesshamed·So/howcanwenotbe
constantIγcautiouso「ou『eve『γaction
andnotbefea『fu∣oftheconsequences
theγmightevoke?
Howeve『〉as∣0ngaswesti∣lhaveone
b『eathIeft!wehavethechanceto『eg「et
eventhewo「stdeeds‧The『ea『ecasesin
hist0『γwhe『epeopIewhohadcommitted
nume『ousbaddeedsbutwhoIate『deeplγ
『eg『ettedthemdu『ingthei「dγingmo-
mentswe『eab∣etopassawaγpeaceful∣γ‧
Ifape『soncanhaveadete『minedand
cou『ageouskindthoughtatthemostim﹣
po『tantmoment/itcancIeanseawaγhun﹣
d『edsofγea『sofaccumulatedoffenses‧
ThisisIikeonIγneedingoneIamptob「ing
Iightintoava∣Ieγthathasbeenda『kfo『a
thousandγea『s‧Itdoesnotmatte『how
Iongonehasbeencommittingmisdeeds‘
33
Ifonecan「efo「m『heo「sheisexcep﹣
tionaI!
We∣iveinaconstant∣γchangingand
chaoticwo「∣d‧Ou『bodies『madeoffIesh
andbIood’a『epe『ishabIe‧I「ou「next
b「eathdoesnotcome叭thenthisbodγwill
noIonge「beapa『to「us.Then﹜evenif
wewantto『e「O「m『itwouIdbetoo∣ate‧
Whenwecommitaw「0ngdoing’ou『
「et「ibutioninthiswo『Idisabad「eputa-
tionthatwiIIlastfo『hund「eds﹜eventhou﹣
sandsofγea「s‧EvenfiIialandIovingde﹣
scendantscannot『esto「eou『hono『﹩Then∕
inafutu『eIife!wemightendupinheII
suffe「ingimmeasu「abIepain‧Wheneven
thesages『vi『tuouspeople』BuddhasJand
Bodhisattvascannothelpusescapef「om
ou『badconsequences『howcanwenotbe
af「aid?
Thethi『dwaγto「efo「mistohavea
34
dete「minedandcou「ageoushea『t‧When
wehesitateto「e「o「mou『fau∣tsbecause
wedonot「eal∣γwantt0change『wea「e
contentwithwhatwecangetawaγwith‧
Fo「a「efO「mtotakepIace〃wemustbe
「esoIuteand「esoIvetochangeimmedi﹣
ateIγ‧WeshouIdnothesitateo『postpone
unti∣tomo「「owo「thedaγafte脫
Amino「「aultisIikeatho「npie「cing
ou『fIeshandshouIdbequickIγ『emoved‧
AbigfauItisIikeou『finge「beingbitten
bγapoisonoussnake‧WemustquickIγ
cutoffthefinge『top「eventthepoison
f「omsp「eadingandki∣Iingus‧Ifwecon﹣
suItI叻〃Uand「eceivethewind-thunde「
sγmbo∣『itmeansthatou「st「ongdete『mi﹣
nationin「efO『mingassu『esusofsuccess‧
IfwecanfoIIowtheth『eewaγso「shame『
「eaI》anddete「minationto「efo「m/then
wewiIIsu『eIγbet「ans「o「medThe『eisno
35
needtowo「「γ‧Itwi∣Ihappenasassu「edIγ
asthesp『ingsunwiIImeItaIaγe『ofice‧
The『ea「eaIsoth『eemethodsofp『ac-
ticetoheIpus『efo「m‧Thefi『stischang﹣
ingth『oughbehavio『》thesecondischang-
ingth『ough「easoning『andthethi「dis
changingf「omthehea「t。TTγingtofo「ce
ou「seIvestosupp「essou『fauItsisex﹣
t「emeIγdi什icuItbecausewehavenot
pe『manent∣γup「ootedou『fauIts『me『e∣γ
tempo「a「iIγcu『bedthem‧The「efo『e!
changingth「oughbehavio『cannotheIpus
tope「manent∣γeliminateou『faults‧
Instead』wecant『γto『efo『mbγun-
de『standingwhγweshouldnotdosome-
thing『「O『exampIe∕ki∣Iing‧TbIoveaIIIiv﹣
ingthingsisavi「tueofHeaven‧Unde『﹣
standingthatalIIivingbeingsIoveIifeand
fea「deathJhowcanIbeatpeacewith
mγseIfbγtakinganothe「叭sIifetonu「tu『e
36
mγown?Attimes『anima∣ssuchasfisho「
c「absa「ecool﹙edaIive‧Suchpainandsuf﹣
fe「ing「eachdownintothei「ve「γbones‧
Howcanwebesoc『ueI?
Whenweeat∕weusemanγexpensive
andtastγthingstonou「ishou『selves/
enoughtofiI|thewhoIediningtabIe!But
oncethemealisdone『eventhebestdeIi-
cacieswiIIbecomebodγwasteandbeex﹣
c「eted‧The『esuItofou『∣(iI∣ingaccom﹣
plishesnothing‧Consumingvegeta「ian
foodscanfiIlandnou「ishusjustasweI∣.
WhγIetou『stomachsbecomeag「aveγa「d
and「educeou『goodfo『tuneth「0ughkiI∣﹣
ing?
ThinkofaIIthe|ivingbeingswithfIesh
andbIood‧Likeus『theγa『eseIf﹣awa「e‧
Theγandwea「eoneentitγ.Althoughou「
cultivationofvi「tuehasnotγet「eached
thestatethatwiIIenabIethesebeingsto
37
「espectusandfee∣sa「ea「oundus似we
canatIeastnotha「mthemo『makethem
hateus‧I「wethinkaboutit/wewiIInatu﹣
「aIIγfeeIso「「owfo『theseanimaIsand
thusbeunabIetoswaIIowthei『「Iesh‧
Anothe「exampIeofchangingth「ough
「easoningisaneasi∣γange「edpe「son‧He
o「shecanstopandthinkthatwea∣Ihave
ou「st「engthsandweaknesses‧IfItouch
onsomeone’sweakness『IshouId「ee∣sad
aboutthei「faiIingandfo「giveanγsho「t﹣
comings‧Ifsomeoneoffendsmefo「no
『easonataII/itisthatpe『son『sp「obIem
andhasnothingtodowithme‧The「eis
no「easonfo「metobecomeang「γ‧
IaIsothinkthatnog「eathe「othinI(s
thatheo「sheisalwaγs『ight’Ⅱo「doin-
teIligentpeopleb∣amethei「faultsonoth﹣
e「s‧Whenthingsdonotgothewaγwe
wish『itisbecausewehavenotcu∣tivated
38
ou「vi『tuesandmo『aIs『andhavenotac﹣
cumuIatedenoughme『itstomoveothe『s!
WeshouIdaIwaγs「ef∣ectuponou「﹣
seIvesfi『st。InsodoingⅡc「iticismcanbe﹣
comeat『ainingg「oundto「efineou「cha「﹣
acte「andtost「engthenou「abilities‧We
shou∣dbeve「γgladtoacceptsomeone
e∣se叭sc「iticismandguidance’Whatis
the「etobeang『γandcompIainabout?
LiI(ewise『inthe「aceofslande『》weshouId
maintainthemindofstiIIness·AIthough
thesIande「ous「umo『sandtaIebea『ing
sp「eadIikeahugefi「e﹩Iikeato『chⅡtheγ
wiIIeventuaIIγbu『nthemseIvesout‧
Ifwebecomeang『γandt『γtodefend
ou『seIveswhensIande『ed『itwouIdbeIike
thesp「ingsiIkwo「mspinningitsownco﹣
coonandsuffocatingitseIf·Becomingan-
g「γdoesnotbenefitus;itha「msus‧
The「ea「eothe「fauItsando什enseswe
39
canchange‧Ifweunde「standthep『inci-
p∣ebehindtheneedfo「「efo「m!wewi∣∣
not「epeatou『mistakes.
Whatdoes﹨﹨changingf「omthehea「t〃
mean?AIthoughwehavethousandsof
di「fe『entfauIts!theγa∣lstemf『omthe
hea『t/f『omthemindI「mγhea「tissti∣Iof
thoughts!thenactionswillnota「iseand
fauItscanbeavoided‧p「actitione「sdonot
havetot『γtoe『adicate「au∣tssuchasthe
desi『efo「fame『sex『p「ofit『o『ange『〉one
bγone’AI∣weneedisasince『ehea「tto
p『acticegooddeeds.As∣ongasou『hea「ts
a「evi『tuousandkind『thennatu「aIIγou「
mindswi∣∣nothaveanγimp『ope「
thoughts’
﹨﹨Demonsdonotappea「du『ingthe
daγ.〃Thisistheessence『thekeγtoou「
change.Sincea∣ImistaI(esstemf『omthe
hea『twechangef『omthehea「t.Itis∣iI(e
40
getting『idofapoisonoust『ee’I「wewant
toputanendtoit﹜weup『ootitaIto-
gethe『soitcannotg『owagain.Whγexe「t
ou『seIvestonoavailbγpuIIingoutits
Ieavesonebγoneandcuttingittwigbγ
twig?
Thebestwaγto『efo『mou「fauItsis
th『oughcuItivatingou『hea『tsfo『pu「itγ
wiIIsu「face「ightawaγ‧I「mγhea「tis
pu『e『Ican「ecognizeandstopanim-
p「ope『thoughtassoonasita『ises.The
immo『aIideawiIIdisappea「themomentI
amconsciouso「it‧
I「Iamunablet0succeedat『efo「ming
mγfauItsth『oughchangingthehea「t『
thenIwiIIt「γattheIeveIofunde「stand-
ing!knowingthe「easonswhγIneedto
makethechange·IfIcannotsucceed
withthis!thenIwi∣It「γto「efo「mbγ
changingth『oughbehavio『’Thebestwaγ
41
istocuItivatethehea「tandunde「stand
the「easonsbehindtheneedtochange.It
is「oo∣ishifweigno『ethebestwaγthatis
to「efo「m「『omthehea「t/andconfineou「-
se∣vestotheinfe『io「waγof『efo『ming
th『oughbehavio「.
Butevenwhenwevowtochange「as-
sistanceisneededtot『u∣γ「efo「m‧Wewi∣∣
needconstant「eminde『sf『omgenuine
f『iendswhowitnessou『actionsineve『γ﹣
daγ∣ife.Asfo『ou『goodandbad
thoughts/wecanaskthebeingsandspi『﹣
itsofHeavenandEa「thtobeou『wit﹣
nesses·Wea|soneedtobedi|igentandto
since「e∣γ「eg『etdaγandnight‧Ifwecan
honest∣γ「eg「etfo『onetotwoweeks!one
toth『eemonths/theninthiswaγ/wea『e
assu『edofattaininggood「esu∣tsbenefits.
Whata「ethebenefitsofcont『ition?
Wemaγfee∣ve『γmuchateaseandou『
4Z
hea『tsmaγfee∣Iightandgene『ous.An
unintelIigentpe『sonmaγsudden∣γbecome
wise.Anothe『mightmaintainac∣ea『and
『e∣axedmindeveninadistu『bingand
confusingenvi「onment.0u『mindswiIIbe
mo「ec∣ea「andou『compassionwiI∣in﹣
c「easeenab∣ingustonoIonge『「eeIange『
uponseeinganenemγwhiIewe『emain
happγ.
Wemaγd「eamo「spittIngoutb∣ack
things『ofhavinganclentsageso『vi「tuous
peopIeencou『ageandesco『tus/o『we
maγd「eamoff∣γinglnspace.Wemaγ
d『eamofcoIo「fuIpennantsando「nateIγ
deco「atedcanopies‧Suchphenomenaa『e
indicationsofasuccessfu∣「e「o『manda
disso∣vingofpastoffenses‧Howeve『〉we
mustnotconside『seeingthesephenom-
enaassignsofpe『「ection‧Instead/we
must「eso∣vetofu「the『imp『oveou『selves
43
andwo「kevenha「de「to『efo「m‧
(AnexampIeisBoγu○u‧)AttwentM
hewasaI『eadγmindfuIofhisfauItsγhad
ana∣γzedthem『andt「iedtotho「oughlγ
co「「ectthem。Attheageoftwentγ-one『
hefeItthathestiIIhadnotcomp∣ete∣γ
co「「ectedaIIofthem.Attwentγ-two!he
fe∣tasiftwentγ-onewaswasted叭without
anγ「ealimp「ovement‘ThusJγea「afte『
γea叮hecontinuedtoco「「ecthisfauIts‧
Whenhe「eachedfi「tγ/BoγustiIIfeltthat
thepastfo「tγ-nineγea「swe「efiIIedwith
w「ongdoings‧Thiswashowpa「ticu∣a『ou『
ancesto『swe「e「ega「dingtheco『「ectionof
fauIts|
Wea「eaIIjusto「dina『γpeopIewithmis﹣
ta∣(esasnume『ousasapo「cupine,sspines‘
Oftenwhenwe|ooI(backIwedonoteven
seeou『fau∣tsbecausewea『eca「eIessand
donotknowhowto「eⅡectonou『actions‧It
44
isasifacata「actisg「owinginou『eγe‧八II
thesea「esγmptomsofhavingaccumuIated
toomanγof「enses!Ou「hea「tsmaγfeeIcon﹣
fusedandopp「essed『Iackingene『gγ‧WewiII
becomeext「eme∣γ「O「getfuIandfiIIedwith
wo「「iesevenwhennothingishappening『feeI
emba「「assedanddep『esseduponmeetinga
vi『tuouspe「son/o「becomedispIeasedat
hea『ingp「ope「「easoning‧Whenkindtooth﹣
e『s『wewi∣IbemetwithhostiIitγ。Wemaγ
havenightma「eswhe『eeve『γthingisupside-
down『andtaIkincohe『entIγandbehaveab﹣
no「ma∣Iγ‧Thesea「ealIsignsofmisfO『tune‧
Ifwehaveanγo「thesesγmptomsJwe
mustimmediateIγ「einfO『ce0u「wiIIpowe「to
co「「ectaIIofou『fauIts‧ItisnecessaⅣto
sta『tanewandnotdelaγI
45
THETHIRDLESSOI:
THEWAγSTO
CU<TIVATEGOODNESS
We「eadinI叻〃】q﹨﹨「amiIieswhope「-
fO「mgooddeedswi∣Iaccumulatep「ospe「itγ
thatcanoutlastmanγgene「ations‧〃Anex-
ampIeistheγanfamiIγ‧BefO「etheγma「『ied
thei「daughte「tothemanwhowastobe
Confucius/s「athe「!theγinqui「edaboutthe
famiIγ‧Afte「findingthattheγp「acticed
goodnessandaccumuIatedvi『tues『theγan
famiIγ「eItconfidentthattheγwe「ema「Ⅳing
thei『daughte「intoa「amiIγthatwouldp『os-
pe『andhave0utstandingdescendants‧
Inanothe『examp∣e『Confuciushad
p「aisedShunfO『hisnIialpietγbγsaγing:
、Duetohisg『eatfiIiaIpietγandsince『itγ﹜
ShuncouIddeepIγmoveevenhisancesto『s
toaccepthisof「e『ing’HisaccumuIationof
46
me「itsandgood「OItunewou∣d∣astfO「manγ
gene「ations‧〃Thisp「incip∣eisconfi『medbγ
manγexampIes‧
The「OIIowinga『esomeadditiona∣exam﹣
pIesofhowme「itscanbeattainedth『ough
pe『fO「minggooddeeds。InFUjianp『ovince’a
mannamedRongγangheldapositioninthe
Impe「iaICou『tastheEmpe「o「’steache「‧
Rongγang’sancesto「swe「eboatpeop∣ewho
madeaIivingbγheIpingpeop∣ec『ossthe
『ive「‧Oneγea「/asto「mIastedsoIongthat
vioIentfIoodingsweptawaγpeop∣e『anima∣s『
housesIandbeIongings·
Theothe『boate「stookadvantageofthe
situationtocoIIectthenoatingbe|ongings·
0nIγRongγang﹩sg「andfathe「andg「eat
g『andfathe「『escuedthed「owningpeopIe
andigno「edthebeIongings‧Theboate「s
laughedandthoughtthetwotobeveⅣ「OoI﹣
ish‧Late『『whenRongYang!s「athe『was
47
bo「n『the伯mi∣γg『aduaIIγbecameweaIthγ‧
OnedaγaheavenIγbeingwhohadmani-
「estedasaTaoistmon∣﹙toIdthefami∣γthat
duetothei『ancesto「s!accumuIationo「hid﹣
denme『its叭thei『descendantswouIdenjoγ
weaIthandp「ominence‧Hethensuggesteda
speciaIpIacewhe「etheγcouIdbuildthean﹣
cest「a∣tomb‧TheγfOIIowedhissuggestion.
TOdaγitiscaIIedtheWhiteHa「eG「ave‧
Sho『t∣γafte『『Rongγangwasbo「n‧He
passedtheimpe『ia∣examinationwhenhe
wasonIγtwentγγea『so∣dand∣ate「『eceived
theimpe『iaIappointmento「Ⅲaste「‧TheEm-
pe『o「evenbestowedthesameimpe「iaIhon﹣
o『sonhisg「andfathe「andg「eatg「and伯﹣
the「‧TOdaγ’hisvi『tuousandp「ospe「ousde﹣
scendantsa「esti∣Ip「ominent‧
Zichengγang/f『omtheZhejiangp「ov-
ince﹩isanothe『exampIe‧Hewo「kedinthe
countγcou『thouseandwaskind/fai「/and
48
honest.Once/thecountγmagist「atepun-
ishedac「iminaIbγbeatinghimuntiIhewas
bIeedingp「ofuseIγ‧ZichengkneItand
pIeadedwithhimtostop。Theinfu「iated
magist「ate『eto『ted/﹨﹨it/sa∣I「ightfO『γouto
pIead/buthowcanInotbeangIwhenhe
hasb「okentheIawI〃Zicheng『epIiedthat
whengove『nmentIeade「sdonotfO∣Iowthe
p『ope『path!o「dina『γpeopIewouIdIosethei『
waγ.ReaIizingthis『weshou∣dfeelso「『ow
andnotpIeasu『e(atsoIvingthecase)‧And
weshouIdce『tainIγnotbecomeangⅣ‧A
caseIikethiscaIled「O『mo「eunde「standing‧
ⅢovedbγZicheng『spIea』themagist「ate
ceasedthebeating·
AIthoughZicheng『sfamiIγwaspoo『〃he
『efusedaIIb「ibes‧Ifthep「isone『swe「esho『t
of「Ood﹩hewouIdta∣﹙esomef『0mhisown
hometogiveittothemevenifitmeantgo-
inghungⅣhimself‧Onedaγ『itwastime「o『
49
seve『aInewlγa「『ivedp「isone「stobefed‧But
ZichenghimseIfhadIitt∣e「Ood‧I「hegave
thep「isone「swhathehad『hisfamiIγwouId
gohungⅣ;i「hekeptthe「OodfO「his「amiIγ『
thep「isone「swouIdhavenothingtoeat:an
appalIingdiIemma‧He佗Itthatthep「isone「s
neededthefOodmo「ethanhisfamiIγdid.He
discusseditwithhiswifewhoaskedwhe『e
thep『isone「swe『ef『om‧Zi﹣Chengtoldhe『
thattheγwe「ef『omHangzhow‧
Late『!Zichenghadtwosonswhoboth
heIdimpo『tantgovemmentpositions‧His
e∣destg「andsonbecameViceWIiniste「ofthe
I∕IinistⅣo「﹞usticeandhissecondg『andson
wasahighIγp∣acedmembe『o「thegove『n-
mentstaffinSichuanp『ovince‧Theγtoo
we「ep『ominent‧TOdaγ「oneofthei「descen﹣
dants『alsoagove『nmento什iciaI『isknown
「O「hisvi『tuousdeeds‧
Anothe『accounttookplacedu「ingthe
50
Zheng-TOngpe「iod‧InFujianp『ovince’manγ
inteIIectuaIshadjoinedag『oupo『「ebe∣s‧
Theempe「o『appointedImpe「ia∣Censo『
Zhangtostopthem‧Het「icI(edthe「ebeIs
andcaptu「edthei『Ieade『‧
Late「『Impe「ia∣Censo「Zhangdispatched
Gene「alXietoputanendtothe「emaining
「ebeIsintheeaste「npa『tofthep「ovince‧
TheGene『aIobtainedaIistoftheinsu「gents
andcommandedthatwhitenagsbesec「etlγ
giventoeveIonenotonthatlistaIongwith
inst「uctionstopIacethenagsonthei「doo「s
whentheimpe『iaIa「mγcametotown‧He
o『de「edthesoIdie「snottoha「mtheinno﹣
centandwiththisonethoughtofgoodness『
hesavedtensofthousandso「peopIef「om
being∣(iIIed‧AsonpIacedfi「stintheimpe「iaI
examinationsandeventuaIlγbecameanad-
viso「totheempe「o「andag『andsonpIaced
thi『dintheimpe「iaIexaminations‧
51
Anothe「exampIeistheLinfamiIγinFu﹣
jianp『ovince‧Amongthei「ancesto『swasa
veⅣgene「ouseIde「∣γIadγ‧EveIγdaγshe
made「icebalIsfO「thepoo「andgaveawaγ
asmanγastheγwanted‧AnImmoItaIwho
manifestedasaTaoistmonkcamedailγ「O『
th「eeγea「sandalwaγsaskedfO『sixo「
seven.He「ceaseIessgene「ositγconvinced
himofhe「deepsince「itγ.
HetoIdhe「:﹨﹨Ihaveeatenγou「「icebaIls
「O『th『eeγea『sandhavedonenothingto
showmγg「atitude’pe「hapsIcandosonow‧
OntheIandbehindγou「houseisagood
pIacefO「γou『g『ave‧Ifγoua「epIacedthe「e
whenγoudie『thenumbe「ofγou「descen﹣
dantswhowiIIhaveimpe『ia∣appointments
wiIIequaIthenumbe『o「seedsinapoundof
sesameseeds.〃He「son「OI∣owedhissugges-
tion‧Thefi「stgene「ationa仕e「that’nine
menpassedtheimpe『ia∣examinationsandit
5Z
continuedthatwaγfO『gene「ations‧Itwas
saidinFujianthatthesu「nameo「Linwas
aIwaγsonthelistofthosewhohadpassed
theimpe「iaIexamination‧
Anothe『exampIeisⅢ「‧Feng’thefathe「
oftheimpe「iaIhisto「ian/ZhuoanFeng‧One
winte『manγγea『sago/Ⅲ「‧Fengwasonhis
waγtoschoo∣whenhesawsomeoneIγingin
thesnow‧Findingthatthemanwasba「eIγ
b『eathingJhequickIγtooI(offhiscoat’
w「appedita『oundtheman!ca『「iedhimbacI(
home!and「evivedhim‧Thatnight!Zhuoan’s
fathe『d『eamtthataheavenIγbeingtold
him:﹨﹩OutofcompIetesince「itγJγouhe∣peda
dγingman‧Thisisag『eatvi『tue‧IwiI∣have
thefamousGene『aIQiHanoftheSongDγ﹣
nastγtobe『ebo『nasγou『son‧〃Late「!
Zhuoanwasbo「nandwasnamedQi‧
AIso!the「ewasⅢ『‧γing『aI/liniste「who
livedinTaizhou‧Whenhewasγoung』he
53
studiedin「emotemountaina「eas‧Atnight『
heo仳nhea『dthesoundsofghostsand
spi『itsbutwasneve「a『『aidofthem‧One
night!hehea「doneghosthappi∣γsaγman-
othe『:﹨﹨The「eisaviIIagewomanwhosehus﹣
band|efthomeaIongtimeagoandhasnot
「etu『ned‧He「in﹣∣awsthinkthatthei「sonis
deadanda「efO『cinghe『to『ema『Ⅳ‧TOmo『﹣
「ownight『sheisgoingtocommitsuicideand
wiI∣『eplaceme‧ThenIwillbe「ebo「n!〃
Uponhea「ingthis!Ⅲ『‧γingimmediate∣γ
setouttoseIIsomelandthatheowned·He
「eceivedtwohund「edg「amsofsilve「『O「it‧
HethenmadeupaIette「f『omthedaughte『-
in﹣Iaw,shusband’andsentittohe「home
aIongwiththesiIve「。Thepa『entsknewthat
theIette「wasnotintheson,shandw「iting『
butexaminedthesiIve「andsaid『﹨﹨This∣ette『
maγbe「aIseⅡbutthesiIve「isnot‧pe「haps
ou「sonisaIive‧〃Consequent∣γ!thedaugh﹣
5q
te『﹣in-IawwasnotfO「cedto『ema『Ⅳ‧A仕e『a
whi∣ethehusband「etu「nedhomeandthe
coupIe「esumedthei「Iivestogethe『‧
Wl『。γingnexthea「dtheghostsaγ!﹨﹨o「igi﹣
naIIγ/IwassupposedtoIeavehe「eandbe
「ebo「n/but∣∕I『.γingmessedupmγchance!〃
Theothe『ghostasked!﹨﹨whγdon’tγouget
evenwithhim?〃Then『stghost「eplied:﹨﹨I
can『t‧Theheaven∣γbeingshave『ecognized
hisgoodnessandheisgoingto『eceivea
p『ominentpositioninthefutu『e‧HowcanI
hu『thim?!〃
Uponhea『ingthis『Ⅲ『.γingbecameeven
mo『ediIigentinp『acticinggoodnessandac﹣
cumuIatingme『its’Wheneve『the『ewasa
「amine!hegaveg『ainf『omhissto『ehouses
tothosewhoneededit.Hea∣waγsheIped
「eIativesineme『gencies‧Whenthingsdid
notgohiswaγ/heaIwaγs『enectedwithin
himseIf『athe『thancomplaino「othe『s‧Thus「
55
heaIwaγsquietIγcompIiedwithconditions‧
Eventodaγ!hisdescendantsa「ep『ominent‧
Anothe『pe『son『FengzhuXu『Iivedin〕i-
angsup「ovince‧Wheneve『the『ewasa伯m﹣
ine『hisweaIthγfathe『wouldbethefi『stto
waivethe「entonthe『icefie∣ds『h0pingthat
othe『weaIthγpeopIew0uldfOIIowsuit‧He
aIsodonatedg「ainf『omhissto「ehousesto
thosewhowe『ehung『γ‧
Onenight『hehea『dghostsoutsidehis
homesaγ!﹨﹨Acountγscho∣a『intheXufamiIγ
isgoingtopassthep「ovinciaIimpe『ia∣ex-
amination!〃ThiswentonfO「seve「aInights
andindeedthatγea『hissonFengzhupassed
theexaminatIon’Afte『that「Fengzhu!sfathe『
becameevenmo『ediligentinaccumuIating
gooddeeds.Hepaid「O『the「epai「of「oads
andb「idges﹜andp「0videdfOodfo『monksas
weI∣as「o『thepoo「‧HedidaIIhecouIdto
he∣pothe『s.SometimeIate『fhehea『dthe
56
ghostsagain.Theγsaid﹜﹨﹨thep『ovinciaI
scho∣a「f「omtheXufamiIγisgoingtohoIda
highpositioninthegove『nment‧〃Eventua∣Iγ﹜
Fengzhubecamethegove『no『ofZhejiang
P『ovince‧
Anothe『examp∣eisI(angxiTu‧He
wo『kedinthecou『thouseandwouIdspend
nightsinthep『isonceIIs/taIkingwiththe
inmates‧Insteadofmal(inganame「O『him﹣
seIf』hewou∣dw『itesec「et『epo「tstothe
lvliniste『of﹞ustice/teIlinghimwhγce『tain
p『isone『swe『einnocent.TheⅢiniste「wouId
thenquestionthep『isone「acco『dingIγand
cIea『thecases‧Th「oughⅢ『。Tu/sef「O「ts『
mo「ethanteninnocentpeop∣ewe『e『eIeased
anda∣Io「themwe『eext『emeIγg『ate「uIto
thejudge〃p『aisingthe∣/liniste『of〕ustice「O『
hiswisejudgment·
Soonafte『j∕I「.Tumadea『epo「ttothe
Impe『ia∣﹞udgesaγing:﹨﹨Ifinnocentpeople
57
a「eimp「isonedhe「e『the「emustbemanγ
mo「eth「oughoutthecountⅣ‧I「ecommend
thatinvestigato「sbesenttocheckthep「is-
onsfO「innocentpeopleeveⅣnveγea「s‧The
sentencescanbecanceIedtop「eventthe
innocent「『om『emaininginp「ison’〃Themin﹣
iste「JⅢ『‧Tu『ssupe「io『『tookthe「epo『ttothe
empe「o『/whoag『eedwithⅢ「‧Tu!ssugges﹣
tion‧Ⅲ「‧TuwassubsequentIγchosenasone
ofthespeciaIagentsincha『geof『educing
sentences「O「thosewhowe『e「Oundinno﹣
cent·
Onenight/hed「eamtthataheavenIγbe﹣
ingcametohimandsaid:﹨﹨O『igina∣IγⅡγou
didnotdese『veasoninthisIife『butthisact
of「educingp『isonsentencesfO「innocent
peopIeacco『dswiththewishesoftheheav-
ens‧Youwi∣Ibebestowedwithth『eesons
andtheγwiIIa∣∣attainhighpositions‧〃Afte『
that『hiswifegavebi『thtoth『eesonswhoaI∣
58
becamep『ominent‧
Anothe「exampIeofattaininggood「e﹣
su∣tsf「omp『acticingkindnessispingBao
whoIivedinJiaxing‧pingwastheγoungest
ofsevensonsofamagist「ateinAnhuiP『ov﹣
ince‧Hema「「iedintotheγuan「amiIγin
Zhe】iangP『ovince/andwasagoodf「iendo「
mγ「athe『‧pingBaowasknowledgeabIeand
taIented/butalwaγs「ailedintheexamina-
tions.HespenthistimestudγingBuddhism
andTaoism·
0『Ice!whiIet『ave∣ingtoLaI(eⅢao『he
cametoavi∣lageandsawatempleindi『e
needof「epai「‧ThestatueofG『eatCompas﹣
sionBodhisattvawaswetf『omthe「ainthat
IeaI(edth「oughthe『oo「‧PingtooI(outaIIhis
moneγandgaveittotheAbbot叭sothathe
couId『esto「ethetempIe‧TheAbbot「ep∣iedⅢ
﹨﹨Itisamajo『p『Oject『Iamaf『aidthisisnot
en0ugh‧〃pingBaothentookoutaIlhisex﹣
59
pensivecIothesandhandedthemtotheAb-
bot‧HisseIvantt「iedtope『suadehimto
I(eephisbestoutfit’buthe「e「used﹜saγing:
﹨﹨Itdoesnotmatte「tome‧As∣ongasthe
statueo「G「eatCompassionBodhisattva「e﹣
mainsundamaged!Idonotca「eifIhaveto
gowithoutc∣othes’〃
Theabbot/withtea『sinhiseγes『ex-
cIaimed﹜﹨﹨togiveupmoneγandcIothingis
notdifficuIt!butγou「deepsince『itγist「uIγ
『a「e‧〃Afte『thetemplewas「epai「edⅡPing
Baoaskedhis「athe「tovisititandtogethe『
theγspentthenightthe「e‧Thetemp∣e『s
Dha『maP『otecto『’QieIan!cameinhisd「eam
tothankhimsaγing/﹨﹨Sinceγouhaveaccu﹣
muIatedtheseme「itsandvi『tues’γouwiII
havemanγgene「ationsofdescendantswho
wiIl「eceiveimpe『iaIappointments.〃Hisson
andg『andsonbothpassedhighexaminations
andwe『eappointedasimpe『ialofficia∣s’
60
Lizhif「omZhe】iangP「ovinceisanothe「
exampIe‧His伯the「usedtobeacIe「kinthe
p「0vinciaIcou『thouse‧Once/whenLizhi’s
fathe「Iea「ntthataninnocentmanhadbeen
giventhedeathpenaItγ﹜het「iedtosavethe
man’sIi「e‧Whenthep「isone「hea『dabout
this『heto∣dhiswi「e:﹨﹨Iamg「eat∣γindebted
tothismanwhohasspo∣(enonmγbehaIf』
butIhavenowaγtoshowmγg「atitude‧WiII
γouinvitehimtoou「houseandof「e『γou「﹣
se∣「tohim?pe「hapsthiswiI∣pIeasehimand
inc「easemγchancestoIive。〃
Thewifec「iedassheIistenedtohis『e-
questJbutthe『ewasnoothe『waγtoheIp‧
ThenextdaγwhenthecIe「kcametovisit「
sheoffe『edhimwineandtoIdhimofhe「
husband’swish‧ThecIe「k『efused!butcon﹣
tinuedtodoaI∣hecouIdfO『theman‧When
at∣astthep「isone「was「eIeased『heandhis
wifewenttothecIe「k’shousetothankhim‧
61
Hesaid:﹨﹨Onewithsuchvi『tueasγou「sis
t「uIγ「a『ethesedaγs『howcanIshowmγ
g「atitude?Sinceγoudonothaveason『aI-
Iowmetoof「e「mγdaughte「inma「「iageto
γou‧pIeaseacceptfO「thisistheon∣γwaγ
thatIcan「epaγγou‧〃
Thec∣e『kacceptedandsoonafteIwa「dsf
shebo『ehimhisson/Lizhi‧Hepassedthe
highest∣eveloftheimpe『iaIexaminations
whenhewasjusttwentγγea「soIdandIate「
wasappointedtoanimpo『tantgove『nment
position‧HissonGao/g「andsonLu『and
g「eatg「andsonDaIun』aIIpassedtheexami-
nationsand『eceivedimpe「iaIappointments
asweII·
ThesetenexampIesa||teI|ofthedeeds
cuItivatedbγdif「e『entpe0pIe‧AIthoughthei「
actionsdif「e「ed『thei「intentwasthesame:
tope『TO「mgoodness‧Ifweca「efuIlγthink
aboutgoodness『wewil∣「eaIizethatthe「e
6Z
a「emanγdif「e「enttγpes:『eaIandfaIseⅢ
honestandc「ooked’hiddenandvisib∣e『ap-
pa『entandactuaI叭p『ope「andimp「ope「/fuI∣
andhaI「/bigandsmaII『anddif「icuItand
easγ.Thesedif「e『enttγpeseachhavethei『
owncausesthatneedtobeunde「stood‧If
wet『γtop『acticegooddeedsbutdonot
l(nowhowtodistinguishbetween「ightand
w『ong『wemaγendupdoingmo「eha「m
thangoodanda∣Iofou『effOltswilIhave
beeninvain·
Whata『e﹨﹨『ea∣goodness〃and﹨﹨fa∣se
goodness?〃IntheγuanDγnastγ『ag『oupof
schoIa「swenttovisitI∕laste『Zhong「eng‧One
said:﹨﹨Wehea『inBuddhismthattheka『mic
『ewa「dfO『goodandbadis﹨IiI﹙eashadow「
fOIIowingthefO『mwhe「eve『itgoes/But
whγisitthataIthoughsomepeoplep「actice
goodness『thei『famiIiesanddescendantsa『e
notp「ospe「ous?0ntheothe『handJwhiIe
63
othe『sbehaveimmo「aIIγ!thei『「amiIiesand
descendantsdoveIweI|·Whathashap-
penedtocauseandef「ect?A「ethe「eno
standa「dsintheBuddha!steachings?〃
I/laste『Zhongfeng「epIied:﹨﹨O『dinaⅣ
peopIea「ebIindedbγwo「IdIγviewpointsand
nothavingc∣eansedthei「mindsofimpu「ities
a「eunabIetoseecIea「Iγ‧ConsequentIγ『theγ
∣ooI(upon「eaIgoodnessasw『ongdoingand
mistal(ew「ongdoingasgoodness’Thisis
veIγcommontodaγ‧Ⅲo『eove『/thesepeopIe
donotbIamethemse∣ves「O「faiIingtounde「-
stand『andunfai『∣γb∣amethei「misfO「tunes
ontheheavens。〃
TheschoIa「squestionedhowgoodand
badcouIdbemistaken「o「eachothe「.Ⅱaste『
Zhongfengaskedeachofthemtoexp「ess
thei「thoughtsonwhatwasbadandgood‧
Oneschola「saidthattoγeIIatandhitothe『s
wasbad;to『espectandt「eatothe「sina
64
poIitewaγwasgoodThemaste『「epIied『
﹨﹨notnecessa『iIγ‧〃Anothe『scho∣a「saidthat
beingg「eedγandtakinganothe『’smoneγ
wasbadwhiIebeinggene「ousandbehaving
p『ope『Iγwasgood‧Ⅲaste『Zhongfengagain
『epIied!﹨﹨notnecessa「i∣γ‧〃The『emaining
schoIa『saIIexp「essedthei「viewsonwhat
wasbadandgood『butthemaste「aIwaγs
concIuded『﹨﹨notnecessa『i∣γ‧〃
Ⅲaste『Zhongfengthensaid:ⅥTbdo
thingsfO『thebenefitofothe「sisgood;todo
thingsfO「seIf﹣benentisbad‧Ifwhatwedo
is「0『thesakeofbenefitingothe「s『thenit
doesnotmatte『ifweγelIato「hitthem;itis
stiIIgood.But『ifou『intentionisfO「seIf﹄
benefit∕then『ega「dIessofou「appea『anceof
『espectandcouItesγ『itisbad‧
﹨﹨p『acticinggoodnesssoleIγtobenefit
0the「sisconside「edpubIicbenefitandis「eal
goodness‧IfweonIγthinkofou『seIveswhile
65
doinggoodacts『thenthatisconside「edp「i﹣
vatebenefitandisfaIsegoodness·When
goodnesssp「ingsf「omthehea『t!itis「eaI
goodness·ButJwhenwedosomethinggood
justbecauseothe「sa「edoingso/itisfaIse‧
Whenwedogoodwithoutexpectinganγ-
thingin『etu「n『itis「eaIgoodness‧But『when
wep『acticegooddeedsfO「somepu『pose
othe「thantobenefitothe『s『itis「aIse‧Those
whowishtop「actice「ea∣goodnessneedto
conside『aIlthesedif「e『ences‧〃
Whata『e﹨﹨honestgoodness〃and
﹨℃『ookedgoodness〃?PeopIetodaγo「tenIook
uponanext「eme∣γconse『vativeandnice
pe「sonasgoodandkind‧Howeve『》thean﹣
cientsagesandviItuouspeop|ehaveshown
thattheγp「efe「『edthosewhowe『easpi「ing
anddignified八sfO「thosewhoappea「tobe
compliantandca「efuIinthei「actions’eveⅣ-
onemaγIikethem『butsagesoftenspeakof
66
themas﹨﹨thievesofvi『tue‧〃F「omthis『we
canseethattheviewpointofo『dinaⅣpeopIe
ongoodandbaddif「e「sg「eatIγf『omthatof
sagesandvi「tuouspeopIe‧
Becauseofthis!ou「judgmentcou∣dbe
e『「oneous‧Beingsandspi「itso「Heavenand
EaIthaIIIookupongoodandbad「『omthe
sameviewpointasthesagesandnotthatof
o『dina『γpeople‧The『e「O「e『whenwewishto
accumuIateme「its『wemustnotgiveinto
g「eedo「beaf「ectedbγthethingsa『oundus‧
Assoonasimp「ope「thoughtsa『ise/weneed
tobeawa『eofthemandthenpu「iⅣthem.
Honestgoodnessistobe『espect「uIand
comesf『omthethoughttosince「eIγheIpaII
othe「s‧C「ookedgoodnessistoactwithout
since「itγanda「isesf「omthethoughttonat-
te『0the『stoobtainwhatwewant。ToIove
othe「sishonest『andtohateothe「sandbe
jeaIousisc「oo∣(ed‧ThesealIneedtobeveⅣ
67
ca『efuI∣γdi肫「entiated‧
Whata「e﹨﹩hiddengoodness〃and﹨﹨visib∣e
goodness!7GoodnessishiddenwhennooneknowsaboutitandvisibIewhenou「good
actsa「eknownbγothe『s‧Thosewithhidden
vi『tueswiIlnatu『aI∣γbeknownbγtheheav﹣
ensandbe『ewa『ded‧Thosewhop「actice
visibIegoodnesswiIlbeI(nownbγpeopIeand
enjoγfame‧FameitseIfisgood「Oltune』but
HeavenandEa「thshunfame‧Thosewho
haveg「eatfameⅡbut∣acI(thevi『tuetosup-
po「titwilleventua∣lγencounte「ove『wheIm-
ingadve「sities‧Thosewhohavenotdone
anγthingw「ongbuta『efaIseIγaccusedwiII
havedescendantswhowi∣IsuddenIγbecome
p「ospe『ousandsuccess「uI‧F『omthis!wecan
seehowimpo『tantitistounde『standhidden
andvisibIegoodness·
Whata「e﹨﹨appa『entgoodness〃and﹨﹨ac-
tuaIgoodness『7IntheSp『ing﹣Autumnpe﹣
68
「iod’thecountⅣofLumadeaIawthat『e﹣
wa『dedthosewhopaidthe「ansomtof「ee
thei「feIlowcitizenswhowe「eseIvant﹣sIaves‧
Atthattime’Confuciushada「ichstudent
namedZigongwho『a∣thoughhepaidthe
「ansomtof「eepeopIe『didnotacceptthe
「ewa「dfO「doingso‧
WhenConfuciushea「dthis/hewasveⅣ
unhappγandscoIdedhim:iiγouacted
w「ong∣γ’Whensagesandvi『tuouspeopIedo
something!itistoimp『ovemo「aIitγand
teachpeopIehowtobehave·Wedonotdo
something「O「self-benefito『「eputation‧In
Lu『thepoo『outnumbe「thewea∣thγ‧Since
γou『efusedthe「ewa「d『othe「swiIIthinI(that
accepting「ewa「dmoneγisbeingg「eedγand
ifthishappens,noonewiIIpaγthe「ansom
tof「eeou「people‧〃
Anothe「studentofConfucius『ZiIu﹜once
sawamand「owninginthe「ive「and「escued
69
him‧Late『『themanthan∣(edhimbγgiving
himacow‧WhenConfuciushea「dthatZiIu
hadacceptedthegift『hewashappγand
said『﹨﹨inthefutu『e『peoplewi∣Ibeeage「to
helpthosewhoa『ed『owning‧〃
Intheeγeso「o「dinaⅣpeopIe『Zigong『s
「e「usa∣o「the『ewa「dmoneγwasgoodfwhiIe
ZiIu,sacceptanceofthecowwasn0t.Who
wouIdhaveexpectedConfuciustop「aiseZiIu
andscoIdZigong?F「omthis『wecanseethat
thosewhop「acticegooddeedsmustnotonIγ
conside「thecu「「entoutcomebutthatofthe
futu『easweII‧Neithe「shouIdweonIγcon-
side「ou「owngainandlossbutthinkabout
theimpactmadeonothe「s‧
Whatwedonowmaγbegoodbutin
timemaγp「oveha『mfu∣‧Thus『whatseems
Iil(egoodnessmaγactuaI∣γbebad.What
appea「stobebadmaγactua∣Iγhavepositive
Iong-te「mef「ects『tu「ningouttohavebeen
70
gooda什e「aI∣‧Thus『whatseems∣iI﹙eabad
deedmaγactuaIlγbegoodness‧Fo「exam﹣
ple『appa「ent「esponsibiIitγmaγbeactua∣
i「「esponsibi∣itγ叭appa「entp『op『ietγmaγbe
actuaIimp「op「ietγ『appa「entt「ustwo『thiness
maγbeactuaIunt「ustwo『thiness『andappa『﹣
entkindnessmaγbeactua∣unI(indness‧We
needtoca「efu∣∣γdif「e「entiatetomakep『ope『
choices·
Whata「e﹨﹨p『ope『goodness〃andⅥim﹣
p『ope『goodnessll?WenγiLuwasap『ime
Ⅲiniste『intheⅢingDγnastγ.Whenheg『ew
oId『he「eti「edtohishometownwhe「ehe
wasweIIIovedandhighIγ「espected‧Once『a
d『unkenviIIage「wenttohishomeandbegan
toγelIinsuItsathim‘WI「‧LucaImIγtoIdhis
se『vant/﹨﹨thismanisd「un∣(’don’ta「guewith
him‧〃Withthat『hecIosedthedoo「andig﹣
no「edtheonsIaughto「insuIts‧
Aγea「∣ate「『thesamemancommitteda
71
g「avec「imeandwassentencedtodeath‧
Hea「ingthis『Ⅲ「‧Lu『emo「se『u∣Iγsaid:﹨﹨If
onlγIhadtakenhimtotheautho『itiesfO「
punishmentthatdaγ’pe「hapsa∣ittIedisci﹣
pIinecouIdhavep「eventedthis‧Atthetime』
IwastⅣingtobekindbutIinadve『tentlγ
encou「agedhisa「「oganceandc『ueItγ‧Now『
hehasbeensentencedtodeath‧〃Thisisan
exampIeofhavinggoodintentionsbutdoing
somethingbad·
The『eisalsoanexampIeofthosewho
achievedgoodnessaIthoughtheγhadacted
f『omimp『ope「intentions.Once『ane「adev﹣
astatingfamine『peop∣ewe「e「educedto
steaIingfOodinb『oaddaγIight‧AweaIthγ
fami∣γ『epo『tedthistotheautho「itieswho
didnothing.Asthepoo「g『ewmo「eda『ing∕
chaoswasimminent‧The「ami∣γ『tal(ingthe
∣awintothei「ownhands『caughtandpun﹣
ishedthethieves‧Inthiswaγ!peacewas
72
「esto「edandthetheftswe『e了topped‧Ifthis
hadnotbeendone『chaoswouIdhave
e「upted
WeaIlknowthatgoodnessisp「ope「and
w「ongdoingisimp『ope『‘Howeve『『the『ea「e
caseswhe「edeedsdoneouto「goodinten-
tions『esuItedinbadThisisca∣Iedthe﹨﹨im﹣
p『ope『withinthep「ope『’〃The「ea「ea∣so
deedsdoneoutofimp『ope『intentionsthat
『esuItedingood‧Thisisca∣Iedthe﹨﹨p「ope『
withintheimp『ope「‘〃Wecanbenefitf「om
unde『standingthis.
Whata『e﹨﹨haIfgoodness〃and﹨﹨fuIIgood﹣
ness〃?We『eadinI叻〃】α﹨﹨peopIewhodo
notaccumuIatevi『tuousdeedswiIInot
achievehono『whi∣epeopIewhodonotac-
cumuIatebaddeedswiIInotb「ingaboutse∣f﹣
dest「uction‧〃Andf「om比oko/∕化﹝D/ywe
Iea「nthat﹨﹨theIastempe「o「oftheShang
Dγnastγ∕committedho『『ibIec『imes‧〃The
73
dγnastγendedwithhisdeath。ItisIikecoI-
Iectingobjectsinacontaine「‧WithdiIigence『
itwiIlsoonbefuIIbutifwea「eIazγJthenit
wilIbeonlγhaIf「uII‧Thisisanexampleof
「uIIandhaI「goodness‧
OnceawomanvisitedaBuddhisttempIe
andwishedtomaI(eadonation’Beingex-
t「emelγpoo「『sheonIγhadtwocentsbutshe
f「eeIγgavethesetoamonI(‧Tohe『su『p『ise〃
theabbothimseI「cametoheIphe「『eg「etfO『
pastof「ensesandtodedicatehe『me「its‧
Late『/shewaschosentoente「theimpe「iaI
pa∣ace/andobtainedwealthandp「estige‧
CIadinhe「「iches『she『etu『nedtothetem-
pIetomakeadonation/thistimeb「inginga
smalIfO「tune‧TOhe「dismaγ’theabbotsent
anothe「monktohelpdedicatehe「me「its‧
Shedidnotunde「standandquestionedthe
abbot:﹨﹨InthepastJIon∣γdonatedtwo
cents『γetγoupe「sonaIlγhe∣pedme「eg『et
74
mγpastof「enses‧TodaγJIhaveb「ought
muchmoneγbutγouwiIInotheIpmepe「﹣
fO「mmγme「itdedication‧Whγ?〃
Theabbot「epIied:﹨﹨AIthoughγougave
onIγaIittIeinthepast『itcamef「omat「ue
andsince『ehea『t‧ItwasnecessaIγfO『meto
「epaγγou「since「itγbγpe「sonaI∣γpe「fO「ming
γou「dedications‧TOdaγ!γou『donationis
muchg「eate『』butthehea『tofgivingisnot
assince「e‧The「e「O「e∕itisenoughthatmγ
studentpe『fO『mγou「dedicationsfO「γou‧〃
Thisisanexampleofhowthousandsofsil-
ve「coinsa『eonIγconside『ed﹨﹨haIfgoodness〃
andtwocentsa「e﹨﹨whoIegoodness‧〃
Anothe「exampIeisofZhongIiQuan!an
immo『tal/whowasteachinghisstudentthe
a『to「t「ansfO「mingi「onintogold‧Theγ
wouIduseittoheIpthepoo「’ThestudentⅡ
Dongbin’askedhisteache「ifthegoIdwou∣d
eve「changebacktoi「on.ZhongIisaid’叭afte「
75
nvehund『edγea「s/itwiII『etu「ntoitso「igi﹣
naIfO『m‧〃Dongbin「epIied/﹨﹨thenIdonot
wanttoIea「nthisa『tfO「itwiIIha「mthose
whopossessthegoldinfivehund『edγea『s‧
ZhongIisaid:﹨﹨T0becomeanimmo『taI「one
mustcompIeteth「eethousandvi『tuous
deeds‧Whatγouhavejustsaidcamef「oma
t「ulγ∣(indhea『t‧γou「th「eethousanddeeds
a『efuln∣Ied‧〃Thisisaccountisanothe『ex-
amp|eofwholegoodnessandha|fgoodness·
Whenwepe『1O『magooddeed’itisbest
nottoattachtowhatwehavedone·Ifwe
p「acticeinthiswaγ『thenaIIofou「good
deedswiIl「eachfulfiIImentandsuccess.But『
i「weaIwaγsthinkofthegoodthatwehave
doneasweIook「O「a『ewa「d!thennomat﹣
te「howdiligentIγwep「actice/evenf0「an
enti「e∣i「etime『thedeedswiIIstiIIbeconsid﹣
e『edha∣「goodness‧
Fo「exampIe『whenwedonatemoneγ『
76
wecanp『actice﹨﹨pu『edonation‧〃Wedonot
linge『onthethoughto「﹨﹨I〃whoisgiving’on
theimpo「tanceoftheohjectthatisgiven『o『
the「ecipient‧Wesimplγgiveouto「t『uesin﹣
ce「itγand「espect‧Whenwep『acticepu「e
donation『onepoundof『icecanb『inginnnite
goodfO『tune『andtheme『itsf『omgivingone
centcanwipeawaγthet「ansg『essionso「a
thousandeons‧But!ifweaIwaγsthinkofthe
goodthatwehavedoneandexpect『ewa『ds
fO「ou「actions『thenevenadonationo『one
milIiondo∣Ia『swouIdnotb「ingusthe『ewa『d
ofafuIIγgoodf0Itune‧Thisisanothe「waγ
ofexpIainingwholegoodnessandhalfgood-nesso
Whata「e﹨﹨biggoodness〃and﹨﹨sma∣∣
goodness『7Once/animpoltantofnciaI』
ZhongdaWeiwasIedintotheundelwo「ld「O『
judgment.Whenthe「eco『dsthattheJudge
hado「de「edtobeb「oughtouta「「ived’
77
Zhongdawasastoundedatthecou『tγa『d
fiI∣edwithhisbad「eco「dsandthesingIe
sc「oIIofhisgooddeeds。Theof「icialthen
o「de「edthemtobeweighed‧Su「p「isinglγ『
thebad「eco「ds『whichhadfiIIedthecou『t﹣
γa「d『we「elighte「thanthesinglesc『oIIo「
gooddeedsthatwasasthinasachopstick!
ZhongdaaskedthejudgeJ﹨﹨Iamba『eIγfO「tγ
γea『soId『howcou∣dIhavecommittedso
manγof「enses?〃Thejudgeanswe『ed『
﹨Whenγougive「isetoasingIethoughtthat
isimp『ope「!itisconside「edabadof『ense
the「eandthen;itdoesnothavetobeca「﹣
「iedouttobecountedasaw「ong‧〃
Zhongdathenaskedthejudgewhatwas
「eco『dedonthesing∣esc『oII。Thejudge『e-
pIied:﹨﹨Oncetheempe「o「p∣annedtobuiIda
g「eatstoneb『idge.γouopposedthep「Dject
duetotheha『dshipsitwouldcausethetens
ofthousandsofpeopIeneededfO「thewo「k‧
78
Thisisacopγofγou「objection‧〃Zhongda
said:﹨﹨Ididmakethep「oposaI/buttheem﹣
pe「o「dismisseditandp「oceededwiththe
p「Oject’WhatIsaidhadnoef「ectonthe
matte「‧Howcanitbea「somuchweight
againstalImγof「enses?〃
Thejudge『ep∣ied:﹨﹨AIthoughtheem-
pe「o『『e】ectedγou『suggestion『γou「one
thoughto「I(indnessf0『aIIthosepeoplewas
ve『γg『eat‧Iftheempe『o『hadacceptedγou『
idea!thenthegoodpe『﹢O『medwouIdhave
beeneveng『eate『‧〃The『efo「e『whenoneis
dete『minedtodogoodfO『thebenentofa∣I
peop∣e!asmaI∣deedcan『esuIting「eatme「﹣
its。Ifonethinkson∣γaboutbene「itingone-
seIf/thenevenifmanγdeedso「kindness
we「epe「fO『med『theme『itswouldstilIbe
smaII·
Whata「e﹨﹨dif「icuItgoodness〃and﹨﹨easγ
goodness〃?SchoIa「so「thepastsaidthat
79
onewhowishestoconque「g「eedanddesi「e
shouIdbeginwithwhatismostdimculttoove「come‧WhenConfuciustaIkedaboutou「
cultivationofhumanitγ叭heaIsosaidtobegin
withwhatismostdi而culttop「actice‧Fo「
example『aneIde「Iγteache「/卜/I「‧ShuJgave
twoγea「’ssa∣a『γtoapoo「manwhoowed
moneγtothegove「nment’Ifthemanhad
beensenttop『isonJthefamiIγwouIdhave
beento「napa『t‧
Anothe「exampIeisⅢ「‧Zhangwhogave
whathadtakenhimtenγea「stosavetoa
poo「manwhoowedthegove『nmentmoneγ‧
Thissavedtheman「『omgoingto﹞aiIand
enab∣edhimto『emainwithhiswi「e‧Such
examplesasthesea『e「a『e『「O『thesemen
gavewhatismostdif「icuIttogive.Whatoth﹣
e『swou∣dnotsac「ifice!theγdidsowi∣IingIγ‧
Also’the『ewasaⅢ「‧〕inwhowasoId
andwithoutanγsons.Hisneighbo「so「「e「ed
80
himthei「γoungdaughte「inma「「iagesohe
mighthavedescendantstoca『『γonhisfam﹣
iIγ’Ⅲ「‧Jin『e「usedtheof「e「andsenthe「
home‧Thisisanothe「exampIeofbeingabIe
toove「comewhatismostdi什icuIttoconque「
inoneseIf‧Theheavensshowe「eddownes﹣
peciaIIγgoodfO「tuneontheseth「eemen。
Itiseasie「fO「thosewhohavemoneγ
andpowe「toaccumulateme「itsandvi「tues
thanfO「thosewhoa「epoo「‧Howeve「『ifone
『efusestocuItivategoodnesswhentheop-
po『tunitγp「esentsitseI﹝thenitwouIdt「u∣γ
beashame‧Fo『thosewhoa『ewithout
wea∣tho「status『doinggoodthingsfO「oth﹣
e「sisveⅣdifncuIt‧Howeve「『ifonecanheIp
othe『sinthefaceofdif「icuItiesitwiIIbeeven
mo「evaIuabIe‧
The「ea「emanγwaγstoheIpothe「s
wheneve「theoppo『tunitγp『esentsitself。
ThesecanbesimpIinedintothefOIIowingten
81
impo『tantcatego「ies‧
1‧TOsuppo『tthep「acticeofl(indness‧
Z‧TO『eve『eloveand「espect‧
3。TOhelpothe「ssucceedinp「acticing
goodness·
1‧TOpe「suadeothe「stop「acticekindness。
5‧TOheIpthoseindespe「ateneed‧
6‧TOdeveloppubIicp「OjectsfO「the
g「eate「benentofpeop∣e‧
7‧TOp「acticeme『itsbγgivingweaIth‧
8‧TOp「otectandmaintainp「ope『teach-
Ings·
9‧TO「especteIde「s‧
10‧TOIoveandche『ishaI∣Iivingthings‧
Whatdoes﹨﹨tosuppo『tthep「acticeof
I(indness〃mean?Empe『o「Shunliveddu「ing
seve「aIthousandγea「sago‧Onedaγ’befO「e
hebecameempe「o「『hewaswatchingsome
fishennenonLakeLeize·HenoticedthataII
theγounge「andst「onge「fishe「mentoo∣(the
8Z
spotswhe『ethewate「wasdeepandthefish
we「eabundant『whiIethosewhowe『eo∣de『
andweake「we「eIeftwiththe『apidsand
shaIlowwate『『whe「ethe「ewe『eveIY佗w
fish‧WhenShunsawthis』hesγmpathized
withtheo∣de『fishe「men‧Hejoinedinthe
「ishingandwheneve「hesawγounge『fish﹣
e「meng『abthegoodspots『hesaidnothing‧
Butwheneve「someγieldedtoothe『s『he
p『aisedthemeve「γwhe『ehewentandemu﹣
latedthei『humb∣eandpolitemanne『‧Hedid
thisfO「oneγea「untiIthefishe「mengotin帕
thehabitofγie∣dingthegoodspotsmoth﹣
e「So
AwiseandcapablemansuchasShun
couIdhaveeasilγinnuencedothe「switha
fewwo「ds‧Whγdidhenotsimp∣γsaγsome﹣
thinginsteadoftⅣingtochangeothe「sbγ
settingagoodexamp|e?Shunlspainstaking
andgoodintentionswe「eIiketheexpe「ta『ti﹣
83
sanshipthat『esuIts「「omIongp「acticeand
ha「dwo「k‧
Intodaγ’se『aofIowmo「alitγ『socia∣
b「eakdown’andIossofp「ope「thinking『itis
ext「emeIγdi「ficulttofindagoodstanda『dof
behavio『‧The「e「O「e’whenthosea「oundus
havesho「tcomings『wedonotuseou「
st『engthstopointoutthei「deficiencies‧
Whenothe「sa「eunkindJwedonotuseou『
kindnesstocompa「eou「seIvestothem‧
Whenothe「sa「eIesscapabIe『wedonot
pu「poseIγsu「passthem‧Evenwhenwea『e
inte∣∣igentandcompetent『thesea『etobe
kepthidden‧Insteadofboasting『weneedto
behaveevenmo「emodestIγ‧Whensomeone
makesamistake』wetoIe「ateanddonot
「eveaIit.Thisp『ovidestheoppo『tunitγto
「efO「mwithouttheIossofse∣f-「espect‧
Whenweallowothe「stokeepthei『dig﹣
nitγ『theγwiIIbeevenmo『eca「efuIoffutu『e
刖
actions‧Whenweseest「engthso「small
kindnessinothe「s『wecanIea「nf「omthem
andp「aisethemtoothe『s‧IndaiIγIife『we
can「ef「ainf「omspeakingandactingwith
se∣fishintentions『butinstead/seektobenefit
societγ.WecanheIpsetstanda『dsfO「othe『s
tofO∣∣ow‧Thesea「ethequaIitiesofag『eat
pe「son;someonewhothinksofpubIicweI-
fa『easmo「eimpo『tantthanhiso『he「own‧
Whatdoes﹨﹨to『eve『eIoveand『espect
fO「othe「s〃mean?Sometimesitisha「dtoteII
onappea『ancewhethe『someoneisanhon-
o『ab∣epe『sono『af「aud》sincef「audsp「e﹣
tendtobehono『able’Thedif「e『enceisas
obviousbIacI(andwhite‘AsⅢenciussaid『
thedif「e『encebetweenhono『abIepeopIeand
o『dinaⅣpeopIeIiesinthei「intentions‧The
hea「tofagenuine∣γhono『abIepe「sonis
fiIledwithIovingkindnessand『espect「O『
othe「s.The「ea『ethousandsofdi什e『ent
85
tγpeso「peopleinthiswo「Id!somecIoseto
uswhi∣eothe「sa「est「ange「s‧Somehave
p「estigewhiIeothe「shavenone‧Somea「e
sma『twhiIeothe「sa『enotandsomea「e
vi『tuouswhiIeothe「sa「eco『「upt‧
Neve『theIess!wea「eaIIhumansanda「e
thus『aI∣oneentitγ。WeshouIdneithe「hate
no「dis「espectanγone。
Whenou『hea『tsa『efiIledwithIoving﹣
kindnessand『espect「b『othe「s’itisthe
sameasifou「hea『tswe『efi∣Iedwithloving-
kindnessand「espectf0『thesagesandvi「﹣
tu0uspeop∣e‧Whenweunde『standand
ag『eewithothe『sJitisthesameasifweun-
de『standandag『eewiththesagesandviItu﹣
ouspeopIe.Whγ?Becausea∣Ithevi『tuous
peopIeandsageswantpeopIetoobtainwhat
theγwishfO「‧IfwecanhaveIovingkindness
and『espectfO『peopIe『andheIpthemto
achieveinthei「endeavo『s『wea「eactingas
86
asageo『avi『tuouspe「son‧
Whatdoes﹨﹨heIpingothe『stodogood〃
mean?I「wetossedasideapieceof『aw
jade﹜itwould『emainawo『th∣essstone’But
i「wecaⅣedandpoIishedit/itwouIdbe
t『ansfO「medintoavaIuabIeob】ect.So/when
weseepeopIewhomwefeeIhavethe
potentia∣top『acticegoodnesso『towo「k
towa「dsap『ope『goaI/wecanguide/
suppo「t『p『aise『andencou『agethem/thus
he∣pingthemtosucceedIfothe「sw「ong∣γ
accusethemJwecantⅣtoc∣ea『thei「name
andsha『ethei「bu『denofsIande『‧0nIγwhen
wehavehelpedthembackonthei『「eetto
becomeafunctioningpa『tofsocietγ/wi∣lwe
havefuIfiIIedou『『esponsibi∣itγinheIping
othe『stodogood.
WIostpeopledisIiI(ethosewhoa『ediffe「﹣
entf『omthem‧(Fo『examp∣e〃thosewhoa『e
badfeeIuncom「Oltablea『oundthosewho
87
a「egood。)Asthe「ea「eaIwaγsmo「ebad
peopIea『oundthangoodpeop∣e;thosewho
a「egoodoftenhavedifncu∣tγstandingon
thei「own‧GoodpeopIehaveabiIitiesand
vi「tuesthatenabIethemtobecomefamous‧
TheγusuaIIγpaγIitt∣eattentiontothei「ap-
pea「ance‧TheγcaneasiIγbew「ong∣γac-
cused『sost「ivingtodogoodtu『nsouttobe
achalIenge‧Whenthishappens’itisenti「eIγ
uptovi『tuouspeop∣eandelde「stop「otect
andheIpthosewhoa「edecenttostandon
thei『own‧Theγcandothisbγp『oviding
whatthepeopIeneedtop『acticegoodness‧
Theme「itsofthevi「tuouspeop∣eandeIde『s
whodothiswiIIbeg『eat‧
Whatdoes﹨﹨pe『suadingothe『stop『actice
kindness〃mean?Ashumans『wea∣Iwan↑to
begood似andtohaveaconscience/butchas﹣
inga仕e「wea∣thandfamehaskeptusso
busγthatwehavestoppedIisteningtoou「
88
consciences。Thisisthe「esuIto「havingto
suⅣiveinawo「Idfi∣Iedwithha「dships‧
Whenaf「iendisabouttoigno「ehiso「
he『consciencetodosomethingunwo『thγ『
wecan「emindandwa「nthisf「iend『hoping
towakehimo『he「f「omdeIusion‧ItisIike
wakingupsomeonewhentheγa「ehavinga
nightma『e‧Itisuptoustoshaketheminto
『eaIitγ‧Whenape『sonisunde「goingaIong
speIIofdep「essionγwecanpuIIthispe佰on
outofitandhelptocIea「hiso「he『mind‧
Wea『emostvi『tuousifwecant『eatou『
f『iendswithsuchkindness‧
Thescho∣a『Hanγuoncesaid:﹨﹨Bγwo『d
ofmouthⅡonecanonIγpe『suadeandinfIu﹣
enceothe『sfO『awhiIe’Ifonecanpe「suade
andinfluenceothe『sth『oughw「ittenwo『ks『
onelswo「dscanbepassedonfO「hund『eds
ofgene「ationsa『oundthewo「∣d〃Depending
onwhatisapp『0p『iateintheci『cumstances/
89
wecanuseeithe「speaI(ingo『w「iting‧
TOencou『agevi「tue’wecanpe「suade
othe「sth「oughspeecho「w「iting’Compa『ed
withteachingothe『sth「oughbehavio『these
a『emo『edi「ectandcIea『‧Sometimes/wedo
nothavetimetoteachothe「sth『ough
behavio『‧Thenve『ba∣o『w「itteneducation
wiIlbemo『eef「ective‧Howeve「Ⅱifwecan
appIγitIiI(ethe『ightmedicinefO「ani∣lness!
oftenitwi∣Ip「ovetohavewonde『fulef「ects‧
The『e「O『e『wecannotgiveup‧Ifwema∣(e
themista∣(eof﹨﹨Iosingape「son〃(itwas
p『ope「fO『ust0guidethispe『sonbutwedid
not)o『叭wastingou『wo『ds〃(itwasimp「ope「
fO『ustope『suadethispe『sonandwet「ied
to)weneedtothinl(andnndthewisdomnot
to『epeatthemistake‧
Whatdoes﹨﹨helpingthoseindespe『ate
need〃mean?peop∣e0ftensuf「e『f『omse『i-
ousdi什icu∣ties‧IfwemeetsomeoneIikethis!
90
thenweimmediateIγheIpthatpe「sonasif
wewe『etheonewhowassuf「e「ing‧Ifape「﹣
sonhasbeenw「ongIγaccusedo「convicted『
thenweshouIdp∣eadonthei『behaIfasweII
asheIpinanγwaγwecan‧TheschoIa「Cui
Zioncesaid:﹨﹨Itdoesnotmatte『whethe「a
favo「isbigo『sma∣I‧Whatisimpo「tantis
thatitisdoneatatimewhenothe『sneedit
most.〃Thesea「ewo「dsofIovingkindness‧
Whatdoes叭developingpubIicp「OjectsfO『
thebenefitofothe「s〃mean?Sma∣Iconst「uc﹣
tionwo「ksa『eneededfO「viIIagesandbig
const「uctionjobsa『eneededfO『cities‧As
∣ongastheγhe∣ppe0pIe∕theγshou∣dbe
buiIt‧PubIicp『Ojectscanbetheconst「uction
o「sγstemstoi『「igate「a『mlands『damsto
p『event「Iooding/o『b「idgestofaciIitate
t『aveI.AIso!wecangivefOodo『wate『to
thosewhoa「ehungⅣo『thi『stγ‧Wheneve『
wehavetheoppo「tunitγ『weneedtoinspi『e
91
othe「stodothei「sha「easwelItoheIpac﹣
compIishthep「Oject/eithe「th「oughthe
sha「ingofwealtho「oflabo『‧Donotbe
af「aidofwhatothe「smightsaγo『become
discou「agedwhenthejobbecomesdifncult。
DonotaIlowthejealousγandhat『edofoth-
e『stoweakenou『「esoIvetodowhatisvi『﹣
tuOuS·
Whatdoes﹨﹨accumuIatingme『itSand
goodfO『tunebγgivingwealth〃mean?In
Buddhismγgivingisconside『edthe「O「emost
p「acticeamongaI∣themethods‧Whatisgiv-
ing?Givingis∣ettinggo.Awisepe『sonwho
unde「standsthisp『incip∣ewouIdbewi∣lingto
giveawaγeve『γthing/eventothepointof
lettinggoofou『attachmentstothesixsense
o『ganswithin‧Exte「naIIγ/wecanaIsogive
awaγthatwhichwesee/hea『「smeII「taste『
touch『andthink‧
Wecangiveawaγeve『Vthing‧Whenwe
9Z
「indou「selvesunab∣et0d0so/wecanbegin
withthegivingofweaIth‧O「dinaⅣpeople
「ega『dthei「c∣othingand「Oodasdea「Iγas
thei『∣ives;the「e「O『e『theγconside『weaIthto
beoftheutmostimpo『tanceWhenwegive
spontaneous∣γ』wecancu「estinginesswhiIe
helpingothe『sindi『eneed‧Howeve『『fo『
manγthisisveⅣdif「iculttodo/especiaIIγat
fi『st‧But!g『adua∣Iγthemo『ewegivethe
mo『enatu「a∣itwilIbecome‧Thisisthebest
waγtocu『eseIfishness』andtoe『adicateat-
tachmentsandstinginess’
Whatdoes﹨﹨p『otectingp『ope『teachings〃
mean?Fo『miI∣ionso「γea『s『p『ope『teachings
havebeenastanda『doft『uthandp『ovided
spi『ituaIguidancefO『aIIIivingbeings‧With﹣
outp『ope『teachings!howcanwepa『ticipate
inandsuppo『tthenuItu『ingofHeavenand
Ealth?Withoutp『ope『teachings!howcan
weheIppeop|etoachieveattainment?How
93
canbeingsinaIIthe『ealmssucceedinthei「
endeavo「swithoutastanda「dto∣ivebγ?
Howcanwebef「eeoftheFiveDesi『es『the
SixDusts『ou「de∣usions『ou「afnictions?
Withoutp『ope『teachings』howcanweseta
standa「dinthewo「∣dandheIppeopIet「an-
scendtheSixRealms?
Wheneve『weseeWaγpIaces﹜memo「i﹣
aIs’o「pictu『esofpastviltuouspeopIeo「
sages’o「Buddhisttexts!weshouIdbe「e﹣
spectfuI‧Iftheγa『einneedof『epai「Jwe
shou∣d「epai『them‧Wecanp「opagateand
passonthep「ope「teachings『andheIpoth-
e「sto∣ea「nthei「va∣ue‧Inthiswaγ『wecan
「epaγou「g『atitudetotheBuddha‧We
shouIddoou「bestandencou『ageothe「sto
dosoasweI|·
Whatdoes﹨﹨「espectingou『elde「s〃mean?
Itistomakeanext『aef「O『ttobeattentive
toand「espect「uIofpa「ents’oIde「sibIings『
94
Ieade「s『supe「io「s『eIde「s『andthoseofg「eat
vi「tueand∣ea『ning‧Whentakingca『eo「ou「
pa「entsathome『wea「etodosogentIγwith
Iovinghea「tsandobIigingdemeano「s‧We
shouIdnot「aiseou「voicebutmaintaina
peacefuIbea「ing‧AswecuItivatethesevi『﹣
tues!theγwilIbecomeapa『tofusandwe
wiIlchangeintoagentIe﹣hea『tedpe「son‧
Thisisthewaγwecantouchthehea「tsof
Heaven·
Whenwo「kingfO『ou『supe「io「so『the
gove『nment∕weshouIdfOIIowthe「uIesand
notdoaswepIeasejustbecauseou「supe「i-
o「sdonotknowwhatwea「edoing‧Be「O『e
weconvictsomeoneofac『ime/「ega『dIessof
whethe『thec「imeisse「iouso『not『we
shouIdinvestigateca「efu∣Iγandbejust‧We
shouIdnotabusepowe「o『bec『ueIbecause
ou「supe「io「sdonotknowwhatwea「edo﹣
ing。Whenwithou「supeⅣiso「『weshouId
95
showhimo『he「thesame「espectasifwe
we「efacingtheheavens‧(八sthep「ove「b
saγs『)帆thisistheco「「ectbehavio「handed
downf「omou『ancesto『s‧〃Ithasanimpo「﹣
tantbea『ingonou『hiddenvi『tues‧Lookat
aIlthe「amiIieswhop「acticedloγaItγandnIial
pietγ‧Thei『descendantsp『ospe「edfO「a∣ong
timeandhadb「ightfutu『es‧WecanfO∣Iow
thei『examp∣eandp「acticewithcaution‧
Whatdoes﹨﹨Iovingandche「ishinga∣IIiv﹣
ingthings〃mean?AcompassionateheaIt
makesape『son’Ape『sonseekingthevi「tues
ofIovingkindnessandcompassioncuItivates
hiso『he『hea「tofcompassion‧Ape「sonwho
wantstoaccumu∣ateme『itsaIsocu∣tivatesa
compassionatehea「t‧Itisstatedin伽ko/
∕?/r巳s}﹨﹨In﹞anuaⅣ/whenmostanima∣sbea「
thei『γoung∕fema∣esofthespeciesa「enotto
beusedfo「sac『ificiaIpu『poses‧〃Ⅲencius
oncesaid『﹨﹨anhono「abIepe「sonwiIInotgo
96
nea「thekitchen’〃Thisistop「otectacom﹣
passionatehea『t.Ou『ancesto『sdidnoteat
meatunde『fOu「ci『cumstances:i「theγhea「d
thekiIIing/sawthel(iIling『hadtheanimaI
∣(iIIed『o「『aisedtheanimaIthemseIves‧Ifwe
cannotstopeatingmeatimmediateIγ『wecan
beginbγfOl∣owingthese「Ou『guide∣ines’In
thiswaγ/wea『eg『aduaIIγinc『easingou『
compass∣on。
WeshouIdnotonIγ『ef『ainf「omkiIIing
anγanimaIs/butinsectsasweII『fO「theγa「e
aIso∣ivingc『eatu『es‧I/lanmakessi∣k「『om
thecocoonso「si∣kwo『msthathavetobe
boiIedinwate『withthesiIkwo『msinside.
WhenwecultivatetheIand「O『fa「ming/how
manγinsectshavetobekilIed?Weneedto
beawa『eofthecostinIivesinvolvedinou「
fO0dandcIothing‧WekiIItop『ovidefO『ou「-
se|vessotowastefOodandcIothingisas
se『iousanoffenseaskiIIing.Howoftenhave
97
weunknowinglγha「medo「steppedona
Iivingc「eatu「e?WeshouIddoou「bestto
p「eventthisf「omhappeningagain‧Anan-
cientg『eatpoetoncew『ote『﹨﹨inIoveo「the
mice『weoftenleavethemsome「iceandin
pitγingthemoth!wewiIInotIighttheIamp‧〃
Thisiscompassion·IcannotbegintotaII(of
aIItheinnnitetγpesofgoodness’Ifwecan
expandthetenp『eviouscatego『ies『wecan
makethemintoamu|titudeofgooddeeds
andvi「tues‧
98
THEFOURTHLESS0I:
THEBEⅡEFITSOFTHEVIRF「UEOF
HUNILITγ
InIChingⅧthehexag「amfO「humiIitγ
stated:﹨﹨TheIawsofHeaventakef「omthe
a「「ogantandbenentthehumble‧TheIawso「
Ea「thb「ingⅡowingwate「f『oma「easthata『e
fuIItothosethata「elowe「asitpassesbγ‧
AndtheIawsofspi「itsb「ingha「mtothose
whoa「ea「「ogantandgood「O「tunetothose
whoa「emodest‧EventheIawsofpeopIe
despisethosewhoa『ea「「ogantandp「efe「
thosewhoa「emodest‧〃
InIα〃】qonIγthehumiIitγhexag『am
containsso∣eIγgoodoutcomes’伽kof/佑﹣
〔D/yaIsoexpIains『﹨﹨whiIea『『oganceinvites
disaste『『humiIitγgainsbenent.〃Ioftenwent
totaketheexaminationsaccompaniedbγ
othe「sandeveⅣtimeIwouIdmeetschoIa「s
99
whowe「eve「γpoo「‧I『eaIizedthatbefO『e
theγpassedtheexaminationsandbecame
p『ospe『ous!thei『faces『adiatedsuchhumiI-
itγthatIfeItIcouIdaImostho∣ditinmγ
hands·
Seve『aIγea『sago『tenofusf『omtheviI﹣
∣agewenttota∣(ethep『e∣iminaⅣimpe「iaI
examination‧TheγoungestJJingγuDingwas
ext「emeIγhumble‧ItoIdoneoftheappIi-
cants『﹞inpoFei『thatJingγuwouIdundoubt﹣
edIγpasstheexamination‧〕inpoFeiasked
howIcouIdteIlandIto∣dhim:!iOnIγthose
whoa『ehumbIe『eceivegoodfOltune‧WIγ
f『iendⅡIookatthetenofus‧Isthe「eanγone
ashonest∕gene『ous!anduncompetitive’as
﹞ingγu?Doγouseeanγonewhoisas『e﹣
spectfuI!to∣e『ant/ca『efuIJandhumbIeas
〕ingγu?DoγouseeanγoneIikehim『who
wheninsu∣teddoesnottaIkbacI(o「who
whenslande『eddoesnota『gue?Anγpe『son
100
whocanachievesuchhumilitγwiII「eceive
p「otection「「omtheEa「th『Heaven’andspi「-
its‧The「eisno「easonhewiIInotbecome
p「ospe「ous’〃Su「eenough『whenthetest
「esuItscameout『〕ingγuDinghadpassed
Oneγea「inBeijing’Istaγedwitha
chiIdhoodf「iend/∣〈aizhiFeng‧AIwaγshum﹣
bIe/hehadakindandaccommodatingap-
pea「ance‧HewasnoIonge『thea「「ogant
pe「sonIhadknownγea「sago‧Hisf「iend『
whowasveⅣbluntandoutspoken『o「ten
sco∣dedhimfO「hismistakes!but∣(aizhijust
ca∣mIγacceptedtheaccusationswithouttaI∣(﹣
ingbacI(‧Ito∣d∣(aizhi:﹨﹨Justasthe「ea「e
signsthatteIIofcominggood「O「tuneo「mis-
fO『tune!wecanseethatp「ospe「itγo『adve「-
sitγcometothosewhohavecuItivatedthei「
causes‧HeavenwiIlheIpthosewhosehea「ts
a「ehumb∣e‧γou『mγf「iend﹜wilIdoubtless
passtheimpe「iaIexaminationthisγea「!〃
101
Late『’hedidjustthat’
The「ewasaγoungmannamedYu『eng
Zhaowhopassedthep『e∣iminaⅣ∣eve∣ofthe
impe「iaIexaminationsbefO「ehewaseven
twentγ.But似tⅣashemightJhecou∣dnot
passthesucceedingexaminations·Whenhis
fathe『movedtoanothe『towntoacceptan﹣
othe「gove「nmentpost『Yu佗ngwentwith
himandcametog「eatIγadmi「eaweII﹣
knownschoIa「intheviIlage‧γu『engb『ought
hiswo「l(totheschoIa『whopickeduphis
caIIig『aphγb「ushandmademanγco「「ections
totheessaγ‧ⅡotonIγwasYu『engnotang『V’
heg「ate「uIIγacceptedaIIoftheco「『ections
andimmediate∣γmadethe「ecommended
changes‧The「OlIowingγea「『γu「engpassed
theimpe「ialexamination‧
Oneγea「/IwenttothecapitaItopaγmγ
「espectstotheempe「o「andmetaschoIa『
named]iansuoXiawhohada||thequaIities
10Z
ofag『eatmanwithoutat「aceo「a「「ogance‧
Ifelttheintenseau「aofhisvi『tueandhu﹣
militγ‧WhenI「etu「nedhome『ItoIdaf「iend:
﹨﹨WhenHeavenwantsape「sontop『ospe『∕it
n「stbestowshimwithwisdomthatcanmake
apompouspe『sonhonestandweIIdisci﹣
p∣ined〕iansuoisgentIe『kind『andgood‧
Su「eIγJHeavenwil∣nowma∣(ehimp「ospe『﹣
ous‧〃Su「eenough「whenthetest「esults
cameout『Jiansuohadpassedtheexamina﹣
tion·
The「ewasaschoIa『namedWeiγan
Zhangwhowaswe∣Ieducated!w「otegood
essaγs/andwasweIIknownamongschoIa「s‧
Oneγea「’whiIetakinghisexaminationin
Nanjing『hestaγedatatempIe’Whenthe
test「esultswe「epostedandhefOundthat
hehadfaiIed『hebecamefu「iousandIoudlγ
accusedtheexamine「ofbeingbIindtoobvi﹣
ousta|ent·
103
ATaoistmonkwhosawthisbeganto
smiIe‧WeiγanimmediateIγ「edi「ectedhis
ange『towa「dsthemonkwhosaidtheessaγ
mustnotbegoodWeiγangotevenang「ie『
anddemandedhowheknewitwasnotgood
whenhehadnoteven「eadit∣TheTaoist
『epIiedthathehadoftenhea「dthatthep『i-
ma『Ve∣ementinw『itinggo0dessaγswasa
peacefu∣mindandaha「moniousdisposition’
Weiγan!s∣oudandangⅣaccusationscIea『Iγ
showedthathismindanddisposItionwe『e
vioIentsohowc0uIdhepossib∣γw『itewe∣∣!
WeiγanacceptedwhattheTaoistsaidand
askedfO『hisadvice’
TheTaoistsaidthatwhethe『o『notone
passesdependsondestinγ‧Ifsomeoneis
notdestinedtopass『thennomatte『h0w
goodthepape「is『heo『shewiIIfail.When
theTaoistconcIudedthatWeiγanneededto
makesomechanges『Weiγanaskedhowhe
101
cou∣dchangedestinγ‧TheTaoist『epliedthat
aIthoughthepowe『tofO「mou『destinies∣ies
intheheavens『the『ighttochangethemIies
withinus‧AsIongaswep「acticegoodness
andcuItivatehiddenviItues『wewiIl「eceive
whatweseek。
WeiγansaidthathewasonIγapoo『
scho∣a『andquesti0nedhisabi∣itγtodop『ac-
ticegoodness‘TheTaoistexpIainedthat
p『acticinggoodnessandaccumu∣atinghidden
vi『tuesdependedonthehea『t‧AsIongas
oneintendedtop『acticegoodnessandac-
cumuIatevi『tues『theme『itswou∣dbeinfi﹣
nite∣Heusedtheexamp∣eofthevi「tueof
humi∣itγthatcostnothing.Weiγanneededto
IookwIthininsteadofbe「atingtheexamine「
fb『beingunfai「.WeiγanIistenedtotheTao﹣
istmonkandf『omthenonsupp『essedhis
a『『ogance‧EveⅣdaγ/het『iedha「de「to
p「acticegoodnessandtoaccumu∣atemo『e
105
me『its‧
Onenight’th「eeγea「s∣ate「『hed「eamt
thathehadente「edave『VtaIIhouseand
sawabooI(withmanγnamesaswelIas
manγblanI(Iines.Heaskedthepe「sonnext
tohimaboutitandwastoIdthatthenames
belongedtotheapplicantswhohadpassed
theexaminationthatγea『‧WhenWeiγan
askedaboutaIItheb∣ankIines叭hewastoId
thatthespi『itsoftheunde『wo「ldcheckedon
theappIicantseveⅣth「eeγea「s‧OnIγthe
nameso「thosewhowe「efauItIessandp「ac﹣
ticedgoodness「emainedinthebooI(‧The
b|ankIineshadcontainedthenamesofthose
destinedtopass/butdueto「ecentof「enses’
thei『nameshadbeen「emoved‧
Thepe「sonpointedtoabIan∣(Iineand
saidthatfo『thepastth「eeγea「sWeiγan
hadbeenve「γca「efu∣andsodiscipIined
thathehadnotmadeanγmistakes‧pe「-
106
hapshisnamewouldfiIIthebIanI(·He
hopedthatWeiγanwouIdvaluethisop﹣
po「tunitγandcontinuehisfau∣tIessbehav﹣
io脫Thatγea『〉Weiγanpassedtheexami﹣
nationandp∣acedonehund「edandfifth‧
Wenowknowthatspi「itsandheav﹣
enIγbeingsa「eth「eefeetaboveou「
heads‧ObtaininggoodfO「tuneandp「e﹣
ventingmisfo『tuneisuptous‧AsIongas
wehavegoodintentions『『ef『ainf『om
w「ongdoingsⅡdonoto什endthebeings
andspi「itsofHeavenandEa「th『a「eto∣e『﹣
antandnota「「ogantJthenthebeingsand
spi「itso「HeavenandEa「thwiII『eeIcom﹣
passionfo「us‧OnIγthenwi∣Iwehavea
foundationfo『futu「ep「ospe『itγ‧
Thosewhoa「efiI∣edwithconceita『e
notdestinedfo「g「eatness‧Eveniftheγdo
p「ospel》thei「goodfo「tunewiIIbesho『t
Iived‧InteIIigentpeopIewouIdneve『be
107
na「「ow﹣mindedand「efusethegoodfO「﹣
tunetheγa「eentitIedto‧Thosewhoa「e
humbIeaIwaγsinc「easethei『oppo『tunities
toIea「nandinthiswaγ/thei「gooddeeds
a「eboundIess!ThosewhowishtocuIti﹣
vateandimp「ovethei「vi「tuescannotdo
withoutthevi「tueofhumiIitγ.
Theancientssaid/\\Thosewhohave
thei「hea「tssetonsuccessandfame『wiII
su「eIγattainthemjustasthosewhohave
thei「hea「tssetonwealthandpositionwi∣I
attainwhattheγwishfo脫〃Ape『sonwho
hasg『eatandfa「﹣「eachinggoalsisIikea
t「eewith『oots‧TheγmustbehumbIein
eve「γthoughtandt『γto「eIieveothe「『s
bu『denseveniftheoccu「「enceisasinsig﹣
nificantasaspeckofdust·Ifwecan
「eachthisIeveIofhumi∣itγ/wewiIInatu-
「alIγtouchthehea『tsofHeavenand
Ea「th‧
108
Iamthec「eato「ofmγownp「ospe「itγ.
LookattheappIicantswhosoughtfame
andwealth‧InitiaIlγ『theγwe「einsince「e
andwhattheγsoughtwasapassingim﹣
puIse‧Whentheγwantedsomething’theγ
soughtitbutwhenthei「inte『estwaned/
theγstoppedseekingit’Ⅲenciusonce
said(totheempe「o『ofQi):﹨﹨Ifγoucan
expandf『omthehea「tthatseekspe「sonal
happiness!tosha「inghappinesswithal∣
γou「subjectsandmakethemjustas
happγasγoua「e﹜thensu「elγthenation
wiIIp「ospe「!〃Thisisa∣sot『uefo「mein
seekingtopasstheimpe「iaIexamination‧
(IaIonecanseekandthuschangemγ
destinγ。)
109
THETEN﹣RECIT八TIOⅡⅢETHOD
Thissimp∣e『convenient/ande「「ectivewaγto
p「acticeBuddhaRecitationisespeciaIIγsuit﹣
abIe「O「thosewhonndthattheγhaveIittIe
timefO「cultivation。Ithe∣psustobemindful
ofAmitabhaBuddha/andb「ingsusquietjoγ.
Webeginwhenwewakeup‧Situpst「aight
andclea「Iγ「ecite﹨﹨AmituofO〃tentimeswitha
caImandfOcusedmind/aloudo「si∣ent∣γ‧We
「epeatthisp「ocesseightmo『etimesJeach
timedoingone「oundoften「ecitations‧Re﹣
citeninetimesdaiIγatthesetimes:
UponwaI(ingupBefO『eb『eak『astAfte「b「eaI(「ast
BefO「ewo「k
BefO「e∣unchA「te『Iunch
BefO「edinne「 Afte「dinne『
Upon「eti「ing
Thekeγis『egula「itγ;dis「uptionofthisp「ac-
110
ticewiI∣「educeitsef「ectiveness‧Whenwe
「eciteconsistent∣γwithoutinte「「uption『we
wiIIsoonfeeIaninc「easeinou「pu「itγof
mindⅡwisdom『andse「enitγ‧DiIigentp『actice
ofthismethod『togethe『withunwave「ing
beliefandvows/canensu「efuI「iIImentofou『
wishto「eachtheWeste『npu「eLand.
111
GLOSS八Rv
Afniction煩惱Fannao‧Conditiono『causeo「
pain/dist『ess『andsuffe『ing/whichdistu『bsthe
bodγandmind‧TheγcanbethoughtsofgaIno「
Ioss!ofwantingtocont『oIothe「s/ofc「iticismo「
s∣ande「.TheγmIghtbewo「「ies’doubts!「eg『ets『
etc·
Amitabha阿彌陀Amituo.Thenameofthe
BuddhaoftheWeste『npu『eLand!p『ima「IIγ
meanIngInfiniteLifeandInnniteLIght.ToheIpall
beingsattainBuddhahood『BuddhaAmitabhac「e-
atedtheWeste『npu「eLand/anIdea∣pIaceof
cuItivation‧BuddhaShakγamuni〃thehisto「icaI
8uddhaofou「wo『ldJexpIainedthatpeopIeinou『
agewouIdbeImme「sedinafnictionsandbad
habits.Duetothis『vi『tuaIIγtheon∣γhopethatwe
havetot「anscendou「suf「e「ingsistop「ope「∣γ
p『acticethepu「eLandmethodandthusbebo『n
intothepu「eLand‧
▲ttachments執著Zhizhuo‧Thesea『est『ong
11Z
desi『eso「c「avingsfO『famiIγJ「「Iendsγposses﹣
sIons伋sensuouspIeasu「es!e『『oneousviews『IifeJ
theideaoftheseIfasanindividual『etc‧
Bodhisattva菩薩pusa.Onewhohasvowedto
attainSup「emepe『TectEnIIghtenmentfO『them﹣
seIvesasweIIas「O「aIIsentientbeings‧WhiIe
Buddhassγmbo∣Izeou『vi『tuousnatu『e』theBo﹣
dhisattvasandA『hats「ep「esenttheviItueofp「ac﹣
tice.WithouttheⅦtueofp「actice’theinnate
vIItuousnatu『ecannotbe「eveaIed.
Buddha佛Fo.BuddhaisaSansk『itwo『d似mean-
Ing﹨﹨wisdomandenIIghtenment‧〃ABuddhaisone
whohas「eachedsup『emepe『fectionbothinseI「﹣
「eaIizatlonandInheIpingothe「stoattain『ealiza﹣
tion.TheInnume「abIeBuddhasa「enotgodstobe
wo『shippedbutcompassIonateandwisebeingsto
be『espectedandemuIated.
CauseandE什ect果YinGuo。Eve『γthingthat
happenstousisthe「esuItofwhatwehave
thought﹜said妒o「done‧Whatweunde『gointhis
113
li佗timea「etheconsequenceso「whatwehad
doneinou「p「evious∣i佗times『whiIewhatwedo
nowwiIldete「minewhatweunde『goinou「fUtu「e
Iifetimes.
ConstantⅡind『ulnesso『Buddha▲mi偭bha
功夫成片Gong『uChengpian‧ConstantⅢind﹣
fuInessisthestateinwhichwedonothavedis-
c「iminatoⅣthoughtsandattachments‧Atthis
point『themind『emembe「stheBuddhaanddoes
notfO『gethim‧A仕e『p『oIongedcuItivation『we
ceaselessIγcontemp∣atetheBuddha‧
DeIusion迷惑ⅢⅡu◎‧Falsebe∣ie『Sandviews.
Itisnotunde「standingthet「ue『ealitγ.
Dha『ma法「a‧1﹚TheteachingsoftheBuddha
﹙gene「aIIγcapitaIizedinEngIish);2)Things〃
events﹩phenomena『eve『γthingintheunive「se;
and3)Dutγ’Iaw’doct『ine‧
Dust塵Cheng.AlIthepo∣Iutantsthatcontami﹣
nateou『T『ueⅡatu『e.Theγinclude「O『m』sound『
114
scent『taste『touch/andviews‧
FⅡiaIp『etV孝Xiao.FiIiaIpietγhasp『o「Ound
meaningsinBuddhism.Itmeanstotakeca『eof
pa『entsphγsica∣Iγ『mentaIIγandtofu∣nIIthei「
wishes‧T0fu『the「extendandenhanceou『『e﹣
spectandca『efO『ou「pa『ents』wehavecompas﹣
sionfO『aIIbeingsinthisw0「Id‧
Fou『Kindso『氐indness四恩SiEn‧T「ipIejew-
eIs『pa「ents’teache「s/aIIsentient﹣beings‧
GoodFo『tune幅報FuBao.AIlthegoodnessIn
one,s∣ife‧Itmaγmanifestashappiness『什iends『
fami∣γ/health’Iongevitγ叭inteIIigence』p「ospe「itγ’
position’etc.Good「O『tuneisthebenentofthe
humanandheaven『ea∣ms『andcanbeca『『ied
withusf「omonelifetoanothe「butitcannotheIpustot「anscend『einca『nation‧
岡e『i也andⅥ『tues功德G◎ngDe.Ⅲe「itsa「e
accumu∣atedbγseI「Iesslγdoinggooddeedswith﹣
outwande『inganddisc「iminato『Vthoughts『o「
115
attachmentsandtheco『「ectiono「ou『e「「oneous
th0ughtsandbehavio『‧Vi『tuesa『ise「「omdeep
concent『ationandwisdom.
phenomena事相ShiXiang‧Things/events『
happenings:eve『γthingintheenti『eunive『se.
Ⅱoumenonisthep「incipIeo『essencewhiIephe﹣
nomenaistheevento『「O『m.Ⅱoumenonispe『﹣
ceivedth「oughintuitiono『thoughtwhi∣ephe﹣
nomenaispe「ceivedth『oughthesenses.
IoumenonisthetheoIasopposedtothephe-
nomenathatis「ealitγ.
Ret『ibution報應BaoⅥng.Ka『micpunishment
「「ome「『oneousthoughts『wo『ds『o『deeds‧
SixReaIms六道止iuDao.Th『eeuppe『「eaIms
a「eheavens『demi﹣gods『andhumans.Th『ee
Iowe「「ea∣msa「eanimaIs』hungⅣgh0stsⅢand
he|Is.
SixSenses六境liu】ing‘Sight(色Se)’hea『ing
(聲Shen)’smeII(香Xiang)『taste(味Wei)!touch
116
(觸Chu)’andthought(法Fa)‧Exte「naI‧
Sut『a經】ing‧TeachingbγtheBuddhaⅡinitia∣∣γ
givenve『baIIγ『Iate「compi∣edJandw「ittendown
bγtheBuddha’sstudents.
Wande『ingThoughtWangxiang.A用ictions
thatcloudou『T「ueNatu「eTohavenowande『ing
thoughtsmeanstohaveabsolutep『ope『andvi『﹣
tuousthoughts『notthatou「mindsa『eemptγof
aIlthoughts.Aso「dina『γbeIngs/weuseaniIIu-
so『γmInd『themindthata『isesandceases’and
thathaswande『ingthoughts‧Enlightenedbeings
usethet「uemindthatconstantIγdwelIsont『uth.
Theγdonothavewande「ingthoughtsbutdeep
concent『ationⅡthestatewithoutdisc『lminatoⅣ
wande「ingthoughtso「attachments‧
WaVpIace道場DaoChang‧UsuaIlγcaIIeda
tempIe『aplacewhe「eBuddhistp『actitione『s
cometop「actice.
117
Wes帕『nPu『eLand極樂世界】ⅡeSMjie‧The
wo「Idc「eatedbγBuddhaAmitabha『whichisan
ideaIp∣aceofcuItivation『fO『thosewhoa「ebo「n
the「ea「enoIonge『subjectto「einca『nation.
118
DEDIC盯ION◎FⅡERIT
Ⅲaγtheme「itsandvi「tues
acc「uedf「omthiswo「k
ado「ntheBuddha台Pu『eLand’
「epaγthefbu「kindsofkindnessabove『
and「e∣ievethesu肫『ingsofthose
intheTh『eePaths陀∣ow‧
Ⅲaγthosewhoseeandhea「o「this〃
aIlb「ingb『ththehea『to『
unde「standingandcompassion
andIivethe槌achings
fb「the『田tofthisIi佗‧
Thenbebomtogethe「
intheLandofUItima槌BIiss。
DEDIαTI◎N◎FNERⅡT
Naγtheme『肪andvi『tues
acc『ued『『omthiswo『k
ado「ntheBuddha’SPu肥Land’
「epaγthe佗u『kindso『kindnessaboveJ
and「eIievethesu肫『ingsofthose
intheTh「eepaths怩Iow‧
Ⅲaγthosewhoseeandhea「o「this’
a∣Ib「ing巾『ththehea『tof
unde『gtandingand印mpassion
andlive怵eteachings
『O「the「estofthisIi佗‧
Then槌比『nt叩ethe「
intheLandofUItimateBIiss·
THEPIRSTLESS•N:
Leα』γ‘z勺幻CA釩勺ep“α/g/THESECONDLESSON:
↓’bu/r幼R弓/b〃“/THETHIRDLESS0N:
nteⅡbu/r句cα▲z‘/㎡已qDO‘Me占rTHEPOURTHLESS•N:
r∕beBe几皂∕:trγ亡/te↙吵f“eγ/∕…z∕物/
鱗莘藏I學守犖會
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