366 Days With Wisdom 4t5s6m

366 days with wisdom

By venerable master Shing Yun ©2012 Fu Guang Publications SDN.BHD. Director: Venerable Jue cheng Chief Executive Officer: Venerable Ru Sheng Chief Editor: Sim Beng Shin Translated by Go Seow Pheng, Irene tan, Lim Ah Lah, Lim Tiew Ming, Ong Wan Kah and Poong Yew Siang Proofread and edited by Andrea Good Proofread by Benny Liow, Grace wong, loh yee liam and Wong kah ang poong Yew Siang Proofread by benny liow, grace wong, loh Yee Liam and Wong Kuok Kang. Edited by Saw Xin Yi and Poo Chieh Yin, Sketch by terry lim, Designed by lam mun hon. Published by Fo Guang Publications Sdn. Bhd. (47827-U) No.43, jalan SS3/29, Taman University, 47300 pealing jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: +603-7877 2246/0246 Fax: +603-7877 8246 Email: [email protected] Printed by Banway marketing Sdn.Bhd. First published September 2012 Isbn 978-967-0207-26-1 All rights reserved. Except for fair use in book reviews, no part of this book may be produced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including any method of photographic reproduction,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Printed in Malaysia.

Contents

January- Encouragement

005

February- wealth

069

March- career

129

April-personality

193

May-family

255

June-society

319

July-emotion

381

August-life

445

September-living

509

October- interpersonal

571

November-introspection

635

December-cultivation

697

January Encouragement

Jan.1 Each day one needs to speak kind and gentle words. Each day one needs to do what is beneficial.

Every one of us needs to be serious about performing good deeds and be earnest in being a good person beginning from today. Begin from today! That means not to procrastinate. This day is very precious. Everything is best done today. Allow yourself to ensure that you live unto the fullest this day. We need to eat satisfactorily and rest well. Also, we should not put off till tomorrow what should be done today, let us seize any available opportunity and time we have today! Revolutionists must gain mastery over the enemy and entrepreneurs must begin their business today to be pioneers among competitors. Everything must begin today, regardless of whether it is the inauguration of business, some other activity, or making decisions about something. Success will certainly come if we begin everything this every day. Even though we, as humans, must create hope for tomorrow, what is more important is in fact to create hope and happiness beginning from today. One could do many things by oneself today: Today, I have many thoughts; Today, I have created much happiness; Today, I have spoken many kinds’ words; Today, I have done many good deeds; Today, I have done better than yesterday and even in the past; Today, I kept my house clean; Today, I have made the garden beautiful; Today, I have visited my parents and the elderly; Today, I cared for my spouse and children; Today, I contributed to society and to the country;

Today, I created friendships for the future. Since the happiness and hope created today can be enjoyed in the future, how about starting today? Read, reflect and act: We are successful only when we begin today Jan.2 In doing all good deeds, I begin by myself. In rectifying all misdeeds, I begin myself,

It is necessary, for each one of us to motivate ourselves throughout our lifetime. So we need to set some rules for ourselves: 1.) 2.) 3.) 4.)

Speak pleasant words. Motivate yourself not to indulge in sorrow. Perform good deeds. Motivate yourself not to indulge in sorrow. Read intellectual books. Motivate yourself to increase wisdom. Observe the images of comionate sages. Motivate yourself to cultivate the beauty of the inner soul. We need to improve ourselves by our own hard work. Our strength would be insignificant in only depending upon others to help. There are many ways to motivate ourselves, such as contemplating on our past misdoing and promising not to repeat them. We can follow the philosophy of sages by determining to aim for the best results. We can vow to persevere until our goals have been achieved. We can also motivate ourselves by reading the biographies of the great people of the past in order to appreciate their determination. Likewise, we can do good deeds to accumulate merits and make good friends to stimulate ourselves towards improvement. Our life can be compared to a marathon whereby there are many people cheering us along the way. However, this merely encouragement. We still need to depend on ourselves to be brave and increase our will power to move forward. There is a saying in Chinese literature: one cannot be satisfied by asking another person to eat on one’s behalf. Thus, to embrace selfmotivation and self-transformation is fundamental. Read, reflect and act: We need to improve ourselves by our own hard work. Our strength would be insignificant in only depending upon others to help.

Jan.3

Time is given in the unit of seconds. Thus use it second by second; A book is written in words, thus read it word by word. Although we may wait for opportunities and nurture our capabilities over time, making resolutions and putting aims and ideas into practice must be done without hesitation. Success will not come if we always wait for another person, for another person is oneself. Neither will success come if we wait for tomorrow, as tomorrow never comes! When we have the ability and opportunity to contribute to the benefit of beings, it should be done right away. Never give excuses, such as planning to contribute after a fortune has been amassed, for the thought of contributing to a good cause by fade away. No one knows what might happen in the next moment as life is impermanent. It may be that our life will end even before we are able to earn a fortune. We know that Sakura (cherry blossoms) are beautiful, but one has to seize just the right time of season in order to enjoy the beauty of them in full blossom. We will never have enough time to do anything if we are always waiting until we have time to do it. Fortune will not come along by just waiting without taking any action to acquire it. A person who always waits for opportunity to knock is in fact wasting time. Seasons always change and one will miss spring cultivation by waiting. The more we wait, the nearer we get to the end of our life. People who always wait will feel miserable and achieve nothing. Waiting will lead to a dark future and an empty life. Do not wait to get things done. There is a bright future and beautiful life ahead when we know how to seize the day. Do not hesitate, because it will be too late to regret when life is over. Read, Reflect and act: Although we may wait for opportunities and nurture our capabilities over time, making resolutions along with putting aims and ideas into practice must be done in hesitation.

Jan.4 Nothing on earth is born of a onetime effort. Everything on earth is impermanent, continued effort and creativity lead to improvements.

Once there was a young man who always wanted to become famous in the world yet he did not do anything seriously to achieve her dream. One day, he met the great inventor, Thomas Edison and asked him a question, “How can I be famous?” Edison replied calmly, “You will be famous after you dead. Full of surprise and doubt, the young man asked, “but why would I only become famous after I’m dead?” Edison replied earnestly, “you wanted to build a skyscraper nut you never put any effort into building it. If you always build your life just imagining things, you will be renowned after you are dead as

you will be a lesson to other people who only know how to dream and yet do not put any effort into achieving their dreams. At least you have achieved your dream of being famous, right? We can never fill our stomach by just talking about food or drawing a biscuit to stop our hunger. If we wish to improve our present circumstances from poor to rich or from weak to strong, we are required to make the effort to achieve our aims. Let’s put our words into action! Read, reflect and act: People who speak and accordingly possess the power of words and deeds to realize their dreams. Jan.5 Overcome a problem, and an opportunity arises. Recognize a good opportunity, and success is ensured.

A good opportunity comes about with good timing involving some coincidental occurrence. We each hope to be ensured of a good opportunity such as to entering a prestigious school or company, meeting good people, or any kind of fortunate incident. It is very important for us to have good opportunities in our lifetime. Opportunities, though, do not always come. An opportunity may be just a moment and if we do not see its value it at once, we may simply miss it. We have a saying: even if there is gold flowing in the river, you need to wake up early to dredge it up. Otherwise, the gold is worthless to you. People need to recognize opportunities or create them. But, there are people who only wait for opportunities, and some even trample on the opportunities, leaving them to waste. So, where are the opportunities? In fact, opportunities are in everyone’s hand. One does not need to find opportunities, but rather to develop the necessary conditions for the opportunity to occur. As long as you are willing to cultivate the right conditions, there will be inconceivable opportunities coming to you. Read, reflect and act: An opportunity could arise in a mere second, and it may never happen again. We have to treasure the opportunity as it comes because once the right timing has gone, it cannot help us even if it still exists. Jan.6 A goal is achieved when the job is accomplished. Buddhahood is attained when a human has perfected all virtues.

In ancient China, parents and teachers encouraged children to set aims and ambitions while they were still young. Today, students who want to apply to a school are required to fill in their choice and preferred ambition. However, some young people follow the crowd blindly. They do not have any ambition for themselves and lead a befuddled life. Still others set a very lofty ambition for themselves that become impractical to achieve. This is analogous to some factory machines. If you force a machine to produce over its capacity, there is a high chance that the machine will break down and fail to achieve any desired output. Having targets exceeding one’s capacity can be considered equal to having no target at all. Instead, a goal is set by considering its feasibility, the necessary conditions, what steps need to be taken in what order, and our capability to achieve it. As in the story of the tortoise, and the hare, once the target is set, no matter how slow the tortoise crawls, as long as the tortoise keeps on crawling every day, it will reach the goal in the end. There are many kinds of ambitions. You may aim to save the country by becoming a soldier or you may become a politician with the aim to help the people. You may become a farmer to produce food or become an academic to educate the people. And some of you may become religious teachers because relieving peoples suffering is your ambition. Some of you may not be so ambitious, only wishing to play a role in providing happiness to the family, to be a humble citizen, or simply to contribute to the local community. Regardless of the ambitions, big or small, as long as we have goals and targets, we will definitely be able to achieve them one day. Read, Reflect and act: As in the story the tortoise and the hare, once the target is set, no matter how slow the tortoise crawls, as long as the tortoise keeps on crawling every day, it will reach the goal in the end. Jan.7 The secret of success lies in the determination to attain the goal. The key to success lies in completely understanding the necessary conditions.

Some people have desired to be rich since they were young. Many ordinary people also dream of being royalty. A low rank army officer wishes to be a commander. A common girl wishes to be beautiful and rich. Even tales such as the Arabian nights and king for a day are stories about wishing for dreams to come true. A small tree naturally desires to be transplanted to the mountain so that it could stand next to the tall trees in the forest. A raindrops desires to get to a river and the ocean. People have to have dreams. It is not so that those who have succeeded in different professions in politics, economics, education, military and so forth have all manifested their dreams through perseverance and practice? Wu Zetian, the only empress in Chinese history, was not born of royal blood. Her ambitions alone enabled her to rule the Tang Dynasty for several decades. Liu Bang, a low rank officer, and Zhu Yhunshang, a novice monk of Huang Jue Temple, both became the founders of Han Dynasty and Ming Dynasty respectively due to their bold and daring spirits.

Therefore we can develop our potential by putting our dreams into practice. Read, reflect and act: Those who have succeded in different professions in politics, economics, education, military and so forth have all manifested their dreams through perseverance and practise. Jan.8 By enduring countless trials, we fulfill ourselves. By embracing responsibilities , we resolve conflicts .

Hu Shi, the original proponent of colloquial Chinese writing, once said, “make a bold hypothesis, and prove it conscientiously and carefully.” Courageous endeavor marks the road towards success. Every one of us has limited capabilities. As long as we are willing to strive and be brave in our indeavors, there is hope for success. An analogy can be seen in people who are afraid of high places will always live near the ground. Conversely, a trailblazer goes before the people. Indeed we can not improve ourselves if we do not face difficulties. Thus the more difficult the situation, the more we need to be bold in overcoming it. However, being bold in an endeavor does not mean one should force one’s way through the problem, shoving and pushing. Instead, we are encouranged to achieve our goal step by step rather than pursuing it with one dangerous swoop. Through this process, we should have faith that there is nothing that others can do that we cannot. Everything becomes possible once we relinquish the idea that it is impossible. A person who sails smoothly through his journey of life would be unlikely to feel any particularly sense of accomplishment. To the contrary, “ the greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall,” was the observation of the American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. Whenever we face difficulties, we must first remove the obstacles from our minds and endeavor to resolve them. If we are not brave enough to make the effort and bitterness of failure, we will not appreciate the happiness of success. Be bold in endeavor and brave in confronting the truth. The difficulties will be solve in time. Read, reflect and act: In the path to success, we should have faith that there is nothing that others can do that we cannot. Everything becomes possible once we relinquish the idea that it is impossible. Jan.9 We give fulfillment to others by our service. We fulfill ourselves through earnest work.

Those who have noble ambitions and an ideal life vision will never tire of working, nor will they complain or worry when at a disadvantage. Instead, their ambitions and ideals will create enormous energy in their lives which will lead them to surmount countless difficulties. We too can benefit by adopting ambitions and ideals in our lives that would inspire, energize, and make our existence fulfilling. An ideal vision encomes a goal one sets to achieve. Every one of us has many aspirations that are inspiring and motivating and that can be positioned as our ideal vision for life. Hope can lead us on the right path and point us to the purpose of our life. There is a saying attributed to Confucius by Zhuang Zi (369-286 BC), “nothing is more wretch than apathy towards life. “A life without hope reaps a gloomy future. Hopelessness is like a dried spring in a desolate desert, but when we have ideals and ambitions, we will have the strength to forge ahead and we can feel life’s vitality. Some people wish to be a saint or a great person. Some wish to become a Buddha or a religious master. Some wish to live as a hermit whereas some wish to be hero. Life is bright and warm when one has an ambition. We can see that our future is full of hope, meaning, and optimism and we can live a wholesome life when we possess ambition. Read, reflect and act: We can benefit by adopting ambitions and ideals in our lives that inspire, energize, and make our existence fulfilling. Jan.10 A bouquet of flowers is incomparable to a smile A glass of clean water is incomparable to a clear thought A piece of music is incomparable to a kind word. A poem is incomparable to a word of praise.

Once there was a man went to Africa and notices that African people walk barefoot. So he thought he might make a business by setting up a shoe manufacturing factory there. After returning to his own country, he began searching for partners to help him with his plan. Sadly, his friends gave him a discouraging response saying, ”Africans are all barefoot! They are not used to putting on shoes. Who would buy our shoes?” This is how a thought can be influenced to succeed or fail thoughts. Some others have an unrealistic hope to have a fruitful harvest without working. How can we live happily with these unrealistic thoughts? Both optimism and pessimism live in thoughts. There is no need to ask for wealth, fame and power. What we need to do is to preserve thoughts that are true, kind and benevolent. It is said that thoughts are the cause of everything. When we plant good causes, there is no need to worry about not having good results.

Read, Reflect and Act If we think on the bright side, then everything is bright. If we have faith in achieving success, then everything can be done successfully. Jan.11 Leaving our own comfort zone and venturing outwards involves risk and requires exploration, but it also creates many possibilities. The Buddhist ambassadors of the Middle Ages went to India to receive the teachings of the Buddha and thanks to their adventurous spirit, they returned to China with the Tripitaka. There are many great achievements as a result of this pioneer spirit. The ambassador Zhang Qian of Han Dynasty traveled to central Asia and established the Silk Road. Today we are able to see the influence of chines culture in distant countries because of Zheng He (Ming Dynasty) having sailed the southwest seas seven times. The great Chinese Scholar and Philosopher, Confucius, also travelled to different places to propagate the teachings of benevolence and righteousness. Finally, Buddhist teachings spread widely because Sakyamuni Buddha adopted the policy of going forth and travelling throughout India to propagate Buddhism. Corporations need to innovate and go global in order to strengthen their competitiveness. Similarly, products require quality assurance to be a world class brand. National athletes need to have skillful techniques and great talent to complete. Read, reflect and act: By venturing out beyond our comfort zone, we are able to discover and improve our shortcomings. Jan.12 Confidence like fine jewelry, beautiful our body and mind. Confidence, like a walking stick, helps us to move forward fearlessly.

The world famous conductor, Seiji Ozawa, once took part in a competition for conductors. While he was conducting the given piece of music, he suddenly discovered there was disharmony in the score. He brought his concerns before the board but his suggestions were rejected. After giving the matter considerable thought, he decided to shout at the board of renowned musicians, “I am sure there are mistakes in the score!” just as he finished shouting, the judges cheered and applauded. Apparently, the display of self-confidence was part of the contest! We all need self-confidence as it the key to success. Climbing a mountain can be tiring. But if you have self-confidence, you will be able to reach the peak. Likewise, the ocean is so vast that is difficult to cross it. However, if you had self-confidence, you could swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Having confidence does not entail being proud or arrogant. It encomes being persistent, wellprepared, and knowledgeable about own abilities. Those who are confident can march towards their goals with a focused mind and confident steps. Only in this way are we able to create a bright future. We may

experience many setbacks in our lives, but we personally are able to overcome them. By the power of self-confidence, each of us can resolve problems and succeed in the end. Read, reflect and act: We all need self-confidence as it the key to success. Jan.13 Rather than worrying about poverty or loneliness, cultivate merit and wisdom. Instead of being concerned about lack of clothing or food, cultivate and mind.

“Black is the most beautiful color in the world.” This was an expression of self-confidence written on a textbook in America’s Black Community. People who make an effort to enrich themselves will gain selfconfidence which in turn leads to self-assurance. Conversely, those without confidence are unable to make others confident. If we lack certainty in a specific matter, naturally we cannot expect to convince others to agree with us. Once, there were two swan geese flying gracefully in the blue sky. They flew past the borders of two Chinese ancient countries- Chu and Yue. The female goose said, “The people of Chu and Yue are quiet mixed up. They think we are sparrows or wild ducks.” Though there are billions of people in this world, you are still yourself. Unfortunately, most people still lack self-assurance; they cannot be the master of their own future, so they go and seek help from fortune tellers or those with psychic powers. However, rather than having our palms or our facial expressions read, it is far more helpful to understand our own mind (spirit) as our mind is our master. Ronald Reagan once said, “There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.” All the good and bad phenomena in the world originate from our mind. As the Buddha said, “The mind is everything. What you think you become.” While we may be unable to control the changes of the external world; with self-assurance, we can at least be our own master. Read, Reflect and act: People who make an effort to enrich themselves at all times will gain confidence which leads to selfaffirmation. Jan.14 As long as the root is not rotten, a plant can blossom in wasteland. As long as we persevere, we can revive a hopeless situation.

The human potential can be likened unto to an energy source buried deep under the sea and mountains. We need to exploit it before the potential can be manifest. According to research, humans are using less than one ten-thousandth of their actual potential. To develop our potential, we need to first understand the value of our lives. In fact, our life has boundless value, as noted by Ramana Maharshi, an India Philosopher (1879-1950), “Mind is consciousness which has put on limitations. You are originally unlimited and perfect. Later you take on limitations and become the mind.” There is no need to feel that our effort is little and insignificant. Even a person born in a poor family can change the established order of a country and even a little soldier can make powerful contributions to his army. Therefore it is vital to make affirmations to ourselves for the welfare of our country and society as well as our own future. The Buddha once said, “Every sentient being possesses the wisdom of enlightenment; every one of us can achieve Buddhahood” if any human can become a Buddha, is there any end to what we could not achieve? Everyone has unlimited potential. However, we have lost ourselves in emotion and desire, and it is these defilements that cover our true nature. What we can do now is to purity ourselves of the obscurations caused by defilement and then we will be able to develop our unlimited potential. Read, reflect and Act: According to research, humans are using less than one ten-thousandth of their actual potential. Jan.15 Enduring hardship is the foundation for success. Being resolved and in contemplation is the sublimation of life.

One day, the famous composer Beethoven was ordered by Prince Lichnowsky to give a performance. He walked under a heavy rain for three miles to the venue. After the performance, Beethoven wrote a letter to the prince saying, “Dear prince, you are a prince because of your destiny. I am Beethoven because of myself. There are many princess and noblemen in the world; however, there is only one Beethoven.” The value of our life is not defined by one’s family and background. Instead, it depends on how much we can contribute our life to others. If one keeps an expensive stone can be used to build bridges or roads which benefit many people. So how do we compare the value of our lives- do we wish to be the priceless diamond or the ordinary stone? On the one hand, only a few people might live in a villa which is not easily visited by other people. On the other hand, rest –areas and public toilets be conceivably higher than the villa? The value of our lives depends on how we develop and present our lives to others. It is best to project our values while we are still alive. We may still be considered valuable even after death if we could at least make ourselves useful then. If we are like the rotten grass and wood which can only be used a fertilizer, then our life has very limited value. Read, reflect and act:

The value of our lives depends on how we develop and project onto it. Jan.16 Achievement is due to persistence. Success is due to an earnest will.

Natural resources, such as metal and other minerals, are made usable through the process of quenching and refining. Regardless of whether a natural or man-made transformation takes place, the process of heating, cooling, tempering as well as purification resembles the manifestation of vitality in our lives. Indeed, the most important thing to be refined and purified is the human nature. Human nature has many facets. Some people have the ability and means to deal with all kinds of challenges. They are flexible and able to accommodate any kind of situation; however, some people are incompetent, unwilling, and lacking in motivation. We would do well to cultivate strength of character such as honesty, filial piety, righteousness, comion and friendliness within ourselves. Read, reflect and act: We would do well to cultivate strength of character such as honesty, filial piety, righteousness, comion and friendliness within ourselves. Jan.17 Conquering others requires one’s strength. Conquering self requires one’s wisdom.

It is best to avoid depending on others to do everything for us. Instead, it is befitting that each of us be our own master. We can work diligently if we want to be wealthy or we can study hard if we want knowledge. In order to conduct tasks without much conflict, we can increase our friends and create kind and loving relationships with others. If you wish to stay healthy, then you would be wise to take good care of your health. Since we are our own master, we can determine our goals. As Buddha lay in the final moments of his life, one of his leading disciples, Amanda, asked in tears, “Buddha, after you leave us, whom shall we follow and what shall we depend upon?” the Buddha replied comionately, “be a light unto yourself, and rely upon yourself. Take the Dharma as a guiding light and depend on the Dharma. Do not depend upon anybody else.” Among people who suffer from illness, those who are able to recover can do so due to their open-minded character and healthy psychological outlook. Conversely, there are people who are executed in jail as a consequence of their own wrong doing. So, where is happiness? Happiness is not bestowed by any higher beings or when promoted by any superior. Instead, happiness is in our own hands. Though most of us think that unfortunate happenings are

caused by external circumstances, it is actually caused by ourselves. Whether disaster or happiness, we cannot take back what we have done? If we strive to do things on ourselves, we will not only stimulate our inner ion and sincerity but also receive divine blessing. If we are not virtuous from within ourselves, how would we receive assistance from others? Therefore we benefit by understanding that we are our own master. This is likely the most useful advice we receive in our lives. Read, reflect and act: Each of us is our own master. It is best to avoid relying on others. Jan.18 May we enrich ourselves with knowledge, adorning ourselves with kind conduct. May we share the Dharma for the benefit of others and influence many by our virtuous conduct. Nations can be rich, safe and stable with the development of national defense. Likewise, societies can be harmonious and cultural with the development of their education system. Cities can also prosper with the development of economic activities. Humans would do well to develop themselves by broadening their horizon and discovering their life purpose. The growth of our inner strength, expanding our capacity, cultivating oneself, building confidence, having a flexible outlook removing bad habits nurturing kind of friendships, initiating new opportunities and so forth are the hallmarks of self-development. In modern society, we often seem to lose with our true selves. We tend to seek external assistance nad depend upon others to get things done for us. Then, when we feel lacking in this assistance, we lose the incentive to make progress. Therefore, we benefit by developing ourselves in order to build our own future and live up to our life’s purpose. To this end it is appropriate to ask ourselves the following three questions: “ have I perfected my virtues? Have I been speaking gently? Have I succeeded in helping?” these are the three life-long activities that encom the ultimate objectives of self-development. Read, reflect and Act: We benefit by developing ourselves in order to build our own future and achieve our life’s purpose. Jan.19 Set the role model for the world, and you will be a virtuous person for generations to come.

There are many reasons why we should keep improving ambitions is one of them. Some aspire to be great people and make affirmations and resolutions. Some aspire to serve the country and its citizens and make a wholehearted contribution. Ambition helps us to accomplish our goals in life.

Entertaining an ambition should not entail plotting conspiracies in the interest of personal gain. Ambition is best directed towards serving and contributing to the benefit of sentient beings with a true, kind and benevolent intention. Those whose ambition is to serve the people and contribute to society are willing to sacrifice themselves for the interest and welfare of the public. People whose ambition is to stand up for righteousness are willing to sacrifice their lives to uphold humanity and justice. In contrast, people who have unwholesome ambitions will give rise to harmful behavior such corruption, cheating, dishonesty, fraud, flattering, and even neglecting fundamental ethics in order to achieve their ends. Thus ambitions set apart the good people from the bad, the righteous from the evil, as well as the saints from the ordinary by definition of their benevolence and greatness. It is best not to hesitate when you have a great and noble ambition. Begin planning and taking action at once to make the ambition a reality. Read, reflect and act: Ambition helps us to accomplish our goal in life. Jan.20 The pessimist sees life as a glass of bitter wine whereas the optimist sees it as a glass of champagne. Kind people see life as a glass of clear water while righteous people see it as a glass of nectar.

Each of us has different perspective on life. Some of us are optimistic whereas some of us are pessimistic. The optimist thinks positively while the pessimist thinks negatively. Su Dongpo, the famous Chine poet and government officer, was once penalized to the isle of Hiana. Compared to the fame and wealth which he used to enjoy, the loneliness and poor living conditions in Hainan was so much different. However, Su Dongpo thought that he was not the only one in the universe who lives on the lonely islandbecause even a continent also is considered as an island in the ocean. If a little and which is drowning in a bowl of water were to climb onto a piece of leaf, then that leaf could also be considered to be island. In this way Su Dongpo realized that if we could accept our circumstances with goodwill, we would all feel happier. Buddhist monks and nuns travel around freely with just a set of monastic robes and a pair of sandals. They can be friend beggars as well as royalty. It may seem that they are lonely and have no possessions, but they are rich in mind and heart and are amiable toward all sentient beings. Thus, they are not lonely. There is no absolute hardship or happiness in life. If one can work hard earnestly and think positively, one can turn all hardships, difficulties. And dangerous situations into happiness, gentle tasks and safe situations. Helen Keller once said. “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow”. Indeed, positive thinking is sunshine in our mind!

Read, reflect and act: If one can work hard earnestly and think positively, one can turn all hardships, difficulties, and dangerous situations into happiness, gentle tasks and safe situations. Jan. 21. The first step of seeking innovation is not to reject tradition but to understand tradition. The first step of seeking change is not to rebel externally but to transform internally. Discerning the depth of one’s education is not so easy. However, discovering whether one has general knowledge is fairly simple. When well educated people meet, they talk about the historical events and contemporarily issues which should not be ignored. You do not have to be an expert in subjects such as politics and economics, ecology and environment protection, education and the military, industry and business, science and technology. However, it is good if you have general knowledge concerning these subjects. Foe example, people now need to know how to declare their tax to the government. When travelling to other countries, you have to know how to fill in the immigration form. If you don’t have general knowledge you are likely to face many difficulties these days in practical daily life. There is an old Chinese saying which stresses the importance of general knowledge in our daily lives: a scholar who does not step out of his house knows the world’s affairs. In today’s age, if we do not read the newspaper for three or five days, we feel out of touch. Read, reflect and Act: You need not be an expert. However, it is good to have general knowledge about many subjects. Jan.22 As humans, we need to be like a ball, the harder we are hit, the higher we bounce. As humans, our mind need to be like dough, the more we pressed, the tougher we become.

People who challenge difficulties will definitely gain success. Likewise, people who challenge harsh conditions will show courage in facing in fair treatment. Sima Qian (145-86BC), the father of Chinese historiography, faced a challenge from the imperial court and was imprisoned by the Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty due to a misunderstanding. However, Sima Qian was not discouraged by his fate. Because of his determination, the larger generations of today are able to read his masterpiece on Chinese dynastic histories, records of the Grand Historian. Nelson Mandela overcame racist issues and evil forces with strength and fortitude. Finally, he became the president of South Africa in 1994. Common sense and nature show us how afflictions and setbacks can inspire strength. A basketball can only bounce high if it is being hit hard. Similarly, the colder the weather that plum blossoms endure, the more fragrant they become indicate that as long as we face challenges, we will definitely forge a successful future.

Unfortunately, young people today are not willing to accept life’s challenge, nor are they willing to temper themselves. Instead, they rely their parents ‘resources, copy homework from classmates, even desire help from society without contributing to it. Such characteristics can be compared to beautiful flowers which grow in greenhouses. They are simply too weak to stand up to the wild. Thus, only by overcoming challenges are we truly able to thrive. Read, reflect and act: People who challenge difficulties will definitely gain success. Likewise, people who challenge harsh treatment will show their courage. Jan.23 A mind free from attachment is not hindered by vexation. A durable body is not hindered by the environment. Many success stories exist to define the virtue of self-dependence: the renowned female writer Xinglingzi, continued to write and had many publications regardless of her disability. Ototake Hirotada, the famous Japanese writer, was never worried about having no arms and legs. Both of them became ionately involved in social welfare activities despite their hardships. In the same way, a window must wipe away her tears in order to have the strength to raise her children, and orphans must work and strive hard so that can face the challenges in their lives. In nature, we see that a mother bird forbids her young to return to the nest once the baby birds know how to fly so that they can be independent. In western culture, once the children reach the legal age, they must learn to live independently. In fact, self-dependence is the key towards success in every aspect of life. External assistance is there to us, but it is not there for us to depend on forever. No matter how good a teacher is, the students need to put their own effort in their studies in order to score well. As Benjamin Franklin said, “God helps those who help them-selves.” Similarly, if we wish to receive assistance from others, we should first be kind to other people. It is true that no matter how ive other people towards us are we will fail to achieve success if we do not make an effort. It is worth pondering this question: “how long can other people assist us?” This is reiterated by the following Chinese proverb: one, who helps oneself, will then be helped by others. One who respects oneself, will in time be respected by others. One day, a man saw Avalokitesvara bodhisattva holding prayer beads and reciting something. The man was curious and asked, “Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, normally we lay people recite your name when we face problems. But whose name do you recite when you face problems? “Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva replied comionately: “I recite my own name.” Even Avalokitesvara Bodhisatta shows us it is better to seek help from ourselves rather than from others. The meditation Master Huangpi once said, “Do not seek help from the Buddha, do not seek help from the Dharma, and do not seek help from the Sangha, “reflecting Buddha’s verse “no one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” Eventually, we will taste the fruit of success only when we are willing to work by ourselves.

Read, reflect and act: One, who helps oneself, will then be helped by others. One, who respects oneself, will in time be respected by others. Jan.24 Adversity trains determination. Poverty acolyte’s strength of character. Confidence motivates towards the goal. Ambition is the com of life.

In modern society, we can see people putting great effort into achieving their dreams. However, many give up their endeavors one they face obstacle and discouragement. Unfortunately, the progress of our society today can be compared to the crosscurrent of the sea. One will be annihilated when one cease to move forward. Evidently, people in society are slowly being divided into upper and lower classes. These classes are distinguished according to each individual’s effort made towards achieving a successful life. People who succeed through challenges, difficulties and obstacle are promoted to the upper class. The process they went through the cocoon before it can transform into a beautiful butterfly. On the other hand, the people of the lower class are those who lack the spirit to strive forward, one could become Buddha among all other achievements. Read, reflect and act: Life is like paddling against the current, only hard work and determination can help us to move forward. Jan.25 An easy life may lead to loss of self. Therefore, understanding responsibility is the foundation of character. Adversity is a test of faith. Therefore diligence is the foundation of industriousness in daily affairs.

Have you ever fallen down? You have to stand up from the place where you fell. In ancient China, Xie and was a famous prime minister of Eastern Jin Dynasty. When he was young, he was a virtous and intellectual person. The court had invited him on numerous occasions to serve, but he declined. He decided to move to dongshan (east mount) in Huiji, and led a simple, modest life. Years later, emperor Jianwen, came to know of Xie An’s capability and invited to his government. Xie an later became the prime minister under the successor of emperor Xiaowu. Xie An and his nephew- Xie Xuan once led an army of eighty thousand soldiers to fight against an enemy some eight hundred thousand strong in the historical war of Fei River in China. They claimed total victory and were noted for their great success because they were hopelessly outnumbered before the war. Since that time, Chines speakers have used the expression “resurrection from Dongshan” to describe anyone who overcome failure.

In World War II, both japan and were defeated. However, several decades after the war, they become strong and powerful countries due to their excellent national qualities. Taiwan was once on isolated island which low productivity in the past. However, the Taiwan people have worked earnestly and created a strong economy today. The Chinese were once ridiculed as “the sick man of East Asia.” However, the whole nation worked together and is now well respected by the world. Thus, it is not such a terrible thing to fail, and it is alright to fall down. As long as we can keep moving ahead, we can achieve anything in the world. Our willpower can turn rotting wood into a blossoming plant and make fire with the ashes of the cannon. Even if we lose business due to careless mistakes, we can always work hard and get it back again. So, we should never imagine a onetime failure to be the end of the world. Just like the story of Xie An, if we are good and capable, we can retrieved whatever we have lost. Read, reflect and act: It is not such a terrible thing to fail, and it is alright to fall down. As long a we can always get ourselves together and move on, dead wood can also meet spring. Jan.26 Birth is the effect of our past lives; we need to elevate it, old age is the principle of impermanence; we have to accept it. Sickness is the natural course of life; we Hae to bear with it. Death is the transformed process of senses; we have to face it. The only way to face a reality that is impossible to change is to accept it. Only by accepting the reality of being defeated, accepting the reality of failure, and accepting the reality of being in fear, can we consequently find ways to overcome the challenges and restlessness that we are facing. By accepting reality, we develop the motivation to achieve success and learn to be flexible in dealing with other people and problems. There are many people of the past and present who accepted their difficulties and disadvantages, strived, and finally succeeding in improving their living conditions, created a whole new life. Many examples of this are provided throughout Chinese history, such as Zuo Qiuming, who completed a book entitled Guo Yu after he had lost his eyesight; Sima Qian, who compiled the historical master piece of Shi Ji in prison while suffering severe torture. Others include Zhoung Wenwang, who interpreted the ancient divination symbol when he was imprisoned; Confucius completed the book. Accepting reality does not mean being pessimistic. In fact, accepting reality means we do everything we ought to do in a positive way and with unlimited hope for the best outcome. When one accepts reality, he is moving towards the path of success because he could face himself in an honest way. Finally, it is essential for one to accept reality because this is where one rises again by turning weakness to strength. Read, reflect and act: The only way to face a reality that is impossible to change is to accept it. After then we consequently find ways to overcome it. Jan.27

Every moment is dawn; every challenge is an opportunity. Every obstacle is a test; every kind act is an innovation. The spirit to strive is easily observed in nature. Salmon swim upstream to lay eggs and multiply their offspring. A few blades of grass can survive between bricks. The branch of a chrysanthemum plant stands still in severe weather though its flowers have died. All the animals and plants in the world strive to survive. How is it that we humans do not do the same? We should never give up the effort to improve ourselves. Any kind of job has its difficulties. However, with the spirit to strive with the best, we can produce outstanding achievement in any task. We can see restaurant workers walking up before dawn to prepare food for early business. Also, the street cleaner sweeps the street during midnight, so that people can enjoy a clean environment in the morning. It is evident that many people are doing the best they can to survive. If we want other people to appreciate us, we must constantly strive to improve, and prove that we are capable. Traditionally, people raised pigeons because they can fly over a thousand miles to send messages and people liked to keep horses because they can travel over a thousand miles. If we wish to build our rapport and be applauded by others, we must make the extra effort. Read, reflect and act: Everyone in the world has to strive to improve if they want to be outstanding. Jan.29 Overcoming adversity, one increases capacity. Standing the test, one can take on great responsibility.

Life expands through endurance of many different adversities. Whenever adversity enters our life, the time has come to learn to be strong. Mencius once said that,” before one is able to shoulder great responsibility, one would have experienced suffering, hunger, poverty, and exhaustion of body and mind. As such, one’s willpower and capabilities are polished.” This shows that an adverse circumstance can be the cause of favorable one. Even if we were ask the Buddha: how did you attain enlightenment? The Buddha would definitely reply that he endured through adversities and hardships before he discovered the truth of the universe. Hence, we should learn not only to be unmoved by adverse situations but also to grow with them. In contrast, young people nowadays seem unable to accept setbacks and adversity. They choose to escape or retreat while some even forget their initial ambitions or change their goals. They are incapable of dealing with hardship and therefore find it quite impossible to attain great achievement in the future. Thus, only those who keep on trying can finally gain success. Read, reflect and act: Adversity is the seed of good times; it is the very cause a better days to come.

Jan.30 Hope of success is availed by the courage to face failure. Earnest work reaps of fruitful harvest.

We often hear the saying: “practice makes perfect. Hard work can make up for one’s clumsiness.” We should not expect instant success in this world. Success is gained by working step by step towards the goal, as indicated by the common expression: “great oaks from little acorns grow.” If apathy or carelessness prevents us from making a strong foundation then sooner or later our weaknesses are bound to be detected by others. Another proverb says, “it takes a lot of blunders to be an expert. Endless learning is useless until it is applied.” In order to gain skillful ability, one has to learn in an honest and practice beginning from the basics. We have to learn with willingness and patience, and we must not give up or skip the basics. People who want to be enlightened have to practice persistently. This is similar to harvesting time when farmers need to comb the fields for crops, or like a weaving machine which has to weave each thread one by one in order to make a piece of cloth. Instant solutions do not always produce long lasting effects. If one can learn in a down-to-earth, humble, and honest way then he will definitely become a great person of great achievements over a long period. Read, reflect and act: If we want to become good at something, we need to tolerate clumsiness and persistently practice basic skills. Jan.31 Nothing is impossible if we embrace it wholeheartedly with determination. No mistake is beyond fixing if we face it wholeheartedly with determination.

To become a valuable person in the world, one needs to endure all kinds of difficulties and hardships like a tar road being flattened after being rolled over by a heavy steam roller or a strong stainless steel formed after cycles of melting, heating and cooling at extreme temperatures. For buns, noodles, and dumpling to be tasty, they must be made from drought which has game through relentless troubles with patience and without entertaining grievance or resentment. Then we will become the outstanding expert in our field. A specific set of musical instrument, which are known as Dharma instruments, are always arranged in a specific way in the main Shrine of Chinese traditional temples. These musical instruments are used during chants and hymns. Among the instrument are a wooden fish, a bell drum, and a large chime which is shaped like a bowl. There is a tale that tells of the large chime protesting to the bronze, yet why are you always respected by the devotees while I always get hit?’ the Buddha replied comionately, “large chime, do you know how much I had to be tempered before I was shaped into Buddha statue? On the other hand, you are not even able to withstand a single hit without wailing loudly. Thus, you could only become a chime.”

Benjamin Franklin had once said, “There are no gains. Without pains,” which is similar to the Chinese idiom: the plum blossom will not be fragrant if it never experiences severe cold weather? If you want success, then you have to endure all kinds of hardships and training before you can succeed. Read, reflect and act: Like well-kneaded dough, a person would be valuable individual having endures hardship.

February Wealth

Feb.1 A loser is one whose ion lasts only five minutes. The winner is one whose ion lasts through the final five minutes. When it comes to business, people define making money as success and losing money as failure. Those who conduct scientific experiment in the academic world would define success as proving a theory. When we fail at a task, we are called losers. Many people in this world are after success and avoid failure. We often say,” the winner takes it all.” It is the game of winning and losing the often causes happiness and sadness. Success or failure does not lie in geomancy, destiny, supernatural power, or other peoples ‘s bad intentions. The condition of achieving success lies in us- whether we are fully competent or not. The business that does market research thoroughly has rich capital resources coupled with good opportunities and timing and he will undoubtedly make a great profit. An army that is well-trained, brave and united can be victorious in battle. A student who studies diligently and ionately with a strong ambition can achieve outstanding results in an exam. Dr. Hu Shi once said,” how you plough determines what you can harvest.” The Buddhist teaching also say, “the effect you’ve received is the result of the cause you’ve cultivate earnestly in spring? Indeed, there are always reasons for being successful and the same goes for failure. We are the ones who map out our own success or failure. We benefit by going about this diligently. Read, reflect and act: The condition for attaining success lies in us-whether we are fully competent or not. Feb.2

To reap the fortune in this world, we need the hands of confidence. To cross the vast wide ocean, we need the boat of confidence. The fruit of enlightenment grows from the root of confidence. The door leading to the precious dharma world opens with confidence. Have you ever heard of the God of fortune? There is a saying: “it is hard to ask for help from people; but even harder to ask for help from the God of Fortune. “If you don’t recognize the God of Fortune, you won’t invite him to your home even if he just at your doorstep. Who is the God of Fortune? We ourselves are actually the Gods of Fortune! I work hard with my hands, so my hands re my God of Fortune; I walk on my feet to expand the business, so my feet are my God of Fortune. I am smart, always smiling, speak gentle words and usually greet people politely. My good manners bring me good fortune. So aren’t my feeling, perception and consciousness also my God of Fortune? We actually keep the God of Fortune in us. I have got a smart brain and a clear mind, so I have the fortune of wisdom. Once I have wisdom, I can earn more fortune. That’s why we say, “It is hard to ask for help from people, but even harder to ask help from the god of fortune so it’s comparatively easier to seek our own help We would greatly benefit by taking stock of our value and talent before we request help from others. Failure to work independently and earnestly can cause a great loss to the business, which leads to an economic .if we know to be our own god of fortune and in our in control of our acts of giving ,why seek externally for the god of fortune. Read and reflect and act. I work hard with my hands, so my hands are my god of fortune.