“When the wind comes to the sparse bamboo, the bamboo leaves no sound after the wind passes; when the geese fly over the cold pond, the pond leaves no shadow after the geese leave. Therefore, a gentleman’s mind manifests when events arise and empties when events cease.” When the wind blows, the bamboo meets it through causality; after the wind stops, all connections end and return to emptiness, and the bamboo forest restores its tranquility. The wind passes through bamboo without leaving a sound; all dharmas are empty, passing lightly without leaving a trace. Whether long or short, bitter or sweet, the nature of all things is originally empty. When things happen, do your best; when they are gone, let your heart remain at ease. The ordinary mind is the Way.
The people you hate may never be seen again in the next life, so do not waste time on them; the people you love may also never be seen again in the next life, so cherish them well in this life. The cold night cannot cover the past sorrows; the bright moon cannot piece together the image of the person longed for; the bleak winter wind cannot blow away the pain in the heart.
Missing a person does not necessarily mean hearing their voice. Hearing their voice might even lead to a different outcome. Everything in imagination is often slightly more beautiful than reality; the person in longing is slightly warmer than in reality. Longing seems distant, yet sometimes it is closer than reality.
Life is like an endless toil. Do not fear or reject hardship; those who transcend hardship are the strong ones in life. Every experience is an accumulation; the more you accumulate, the more mature you become; the more you experience, the deeper your life becomes.