Master Cheng Yen said: "Tranquility is beauty, and peace is the greatest joy. This is the highest and most beautiful realm of practicing Zen, cultivating the self, and nurturing the spirit."
Life is enriched by struggle and beautified by career. Living means seeking the green of life—to strive, to advance, and to contribute, constantly creating wonderful moments and contributing to the classics of life!
The walker envies the cyclist, and the cyclist envies the driver. Is this actually true? Not necessarily. Humans are often strange creatures, always longing for what they lack while ignoring what they should cherish most. Once possessed, the initial "presumptive" joy often fades. What is most precious is what you have right now, not what you merely "assume" to be. Assumption is often an illusion.
We are all unique when we enter this world, without replicas or duplicates. I am me, and you are you. Later, we begin to look up to others, imitate others, and follow others, until, slowly, our bodies carry the imprints of many others, and we lose the self we once were. By staring at the heights of others, we lose our own height and the very place where our souls stand.
Life does not grant us the right to choose consciously; suffering and joy travel together. As long as you experience and feel life with your heart, you will find the happiness you seek even in suffering. Use a sunny mindset to master your life. What truly defeats us is not hardship, but cowardice; what erodes our will is not failure, but the failure to rise again after a setback. One who can navigate life is a strong individual.
It is not about life or death, but about habit: a woman habituates to a man's snoring—from discomfort to habit, to being unable to sleep without it—that is love. A man habituates to a woman's whims, coquetry, or even irrationality, and that is love. When someone is willing to change or accommodate for another, that is love. The more one accommodates their partner, the more they love them.
Associate with righteous people, and you will have no unfaithful friends; drink tranquil tea, and abstain from colorful wines; open doors of convenience, and close the mouth of controversy. Too many doors create drafts, and too many words bring misfortune. Life flows like water; do not hang your heart on fame and wealth. Enjoy simple meals and follow fate; do not forcefully pursue wealth and glory. "Desire" is a sign of poverty. Contentment brings peace, and a life without excessive pursuit leads to nobility. The greatest vice is speaking ill of others; the greatest folly is being unable to accept one's own faults. Even if you have done favors, do not expect praise or return; even if fate is difficult, do not extinguish the lamp of hope; even if insulted, do not be petty; even if slightly successful, do not become self-absorbed; even if wronged, do not fall into despair.
Yesterday is precious, and tomorrow is even more so, but if one lives only for today, both should be cast aside. Life is but three days; one must not dwell solely on the past or dream only of the future, for doing so makes one forget the most important thing: the present!
If your childhood lacks play, your youth lacks learning, your early adulthood lacks ambition, and your middle age lacks entrepreneurship, your life will fade with old age. Life is vibrant through movement, enriched by joy, deepened by thought, and sustained by sincere friendships!
Trouble comes from the mouth; be cautious with your words, for excessive talk is useless and brings trouble. When speaking, look the person in the eye and think twice before you speak. Remember: what the speaker says is unintentional, but what the listener hears is meaningful.
If one constantly forgives oneself, one will surely lose oneself; if one treats oneself too well everywhere, one will repeatedly lose oneself. One should be free, autonomous, and independent. But let freedom not lead to arrogance, let autonomy not lead to conceit, and let independence not lead to pride!
Changing concepts does not change things themselves, but changes the perception of things. However, concepts can change people, and people can change the world. The most important aspects of a person are character, attitude, mindset, and values!
The smartest people use the painful experiences of others as their own, while the foolish people use their own painful experiences as lessons for others.
A painter once told me that a master's work often utilizes "blank space," for being too full or crowded causes one to lose the space for imagination. Much of life's charm lies not in perfection, but in the reflection upon imperfections.
Letting go is an awakening, a choice, and an outcome. Only by casting aside overly complex thoughts can one find simple happiness. Let things follow fate, and go or stay as they may. A pure heart and fewer desires lead to a more tranquil life; finding peace in any circumstance brings true joy.
People of similar character flock together. We certainly have the right to like or dislike some people. When facing those you dislike, why waste time? Isn't it better to use that time to do things you enjoy?
Since we parted, I have known the taste of longing—how it can be both sweet and bitter. When I miss you, I let my soul pour out in my dreams, searching for your shadow in every corner you have touched. And you, like a drifting firefly, shine in the darkness touched by my gaze.
Gifts like clothes, ties, belts, watches, and briefcases have been sent, and they lack novelty. Gifting a new car is not something every woman can afford unless she uses his money. Knitting a warm sweater for him is also a good idea, though unfortunately, most women do not know how to knit anymore.
Bodhisattvas are not high above; they place themselves in the lowest position to carry the joys and sorrows of all sentient beings. Therefore, regardless of your social status, if you wish to resonate with the Bodhisattvas, you must lower yourself in your heart. The lower you place yourself, the easier it is for the Bodhisattvas to dwell in your heart.
