If you imagine a farmer weeding and loosening the soil in the fields, his sweat dripping into the earth beneath the seedlings, would you still dare to waste the rice in your bowl? Without the hard labor of farmers, how could we have food to eat? Therefore, we must not only learn to be frugal and cherish the fruits of their labor, but also learn to be grateful.
1. Where the soul falls, fragrance ends. Having passed through much dust, very little is taken away by time. At the station of seasons, the green years have aged, and weary shadows spread across the frost. Time can be heartless; the dust of age covers forced smiles, and the rings of time are embroidered with grey and white.
2. Daydreaming is what the bored do; venting is what the angry do; exerting is what the clever do; developing is what the hardworking do; promoting is what the honorable do; and making a fortune is what the industrious do.
3. To keep the mind happy and the spirit relaxed, we must change the erroneous concepts and biased thinking patterns in our minds. We must learn to let go, to release, and to forget.
4. Do not spend too much time worrying about the hurts you have received, and do not obsess over questions like "Why did this person play such a prank on me?" Perhaps some people intentionally embarrass you because they feel threatened or want to punish you for something you did; others are simply in the habit of such jokes and do not consider if they cause harm. For such people, there is no need to dwell on their intentions.
5. An individual's strength is limited, but the strength of the crowd can be astonishing. One person may not change anything, but uniting together creates an irresistible force. Do not try to change everything, for there is something called nature; following it is often the most reasonable and practical path. If you change it without restraint, it will likewise change you and the world.
6. Life itself is not bitter; it is bitter because of excessive desire. The heart itself is not weary; it is weary because we hold on to too much. Desire is like sand in your hand: the tighter you grasp, the more you lose. Gain and loss are relative; in gaining, one may be losing, and in losing, one may be gaining. To "let go" means to abandon delusion to gain enlightenment, to sacrifice the small to gain the large, to discard the false to preserve the true, and to let go of the void to grasp the reality. Look at things broadly, and let everything follow fate.
7. Holding a grudge is essentially torturing yourself with pain. Because one dares not seek revenge openly, one attacks secretly, gradually twisting one's own character into that of a petty person. Therefore, no matter what you lose, do not hold grudges, for tolerance is life's greatest virtue. Treat difficulties as turning points, and believe that when life closes one door, it will surely open another window for you.
8. There was a donkey that pulled a mill for its entire life. Out of pity, the owner let it graze freely in the meadow. However, the donkey ignored the vast world and simply walked in circles around a single tree. It turned out that after a lifetime of pulling the mill, it knew nothing but how to walk in circles. Many people are like this donkey, spending their lives circling within their own mental models. Unless you realize you are a donkey, you will never break through yourself.
9. While obsession is often seen as a malady, it is easily praised by outsiders as a form of will or conviction. Many people sympathize with the weak or the failed, offering recognition or even praise to the obsessed, even if they do not personally agree. As the saying goes, "Sincerity can move mountains," and the obsessed sustain themselves in this environment, eventually becoming trapped in the very love they have woven, imprisoned for life.
10. Filial piety is the foundation of blessings, as the debt to parents is as heavy as a mountain. "Xiao" (filial piety) is the integration of one generation with the next; "Jing" (respect) is an attitude of dignity from the heart. As the ancients said, "Filial piety is the constant of heaven, the righteousness of earth, and the practice of man." Buddhism also regards filial piety as the basis of merit, believing that caring for one's parents is akin to honoring all Buddhas. To provide for the gods, one must first provide for one's parents.
11. Water is gentle. It is transparent, colorless, and tasteless. When it flows in a brook, it brings joy; when it drips from a roof, it shows the tenacity of water wearing away stone; when the Yangtze River surges, it possesses a world-shaking power; and when the vast ocean meets dark clouds, it evokes boundless awe.
12. By letting go of the small, one may gain the large; by letting go of the near, one may reach the far. If life were always like the first meeting, we would never experience success, failure, joy, or sorrow. Because we never truly possessed anything, we do not fear loss; because we desire too much, we suffer from gain and loss. In truth, nothing in this world truly belongs to us; we are merely passing travelers, arriving naked and leaving with nothing.
13. You might be too rushed to love, thinking you can outlast time, only to find sweetness fades too quickly; or too rushed to hate, thinking hate can destroy all, only to find yourself exhausted by regret. In this vast wilderness of life, you should awaken your ideals and live slowly and well. Your heart is originally that of a child; since you can give without hesitation and be hurt without defense, you should also be able to recover without hesitation.
14. What does it matter if the dining table is large? You only love a few specific dishes. What does it matter if the house is large? You only need that one bed. What does it matter if the city is large? You only walk those few streets every day. What does it matter if the world is large? In the end, you are only looking for that one person.
15. You may think that being poor or plain means having no emotion. But I swear to you, if God granted me wealth and beauty, I would make you unable to leave me, just as I cannot leave you now. Although God has not done so, we remain equals in spirit.
16. Throughout life, we carry too many burdens: status, money, and fame. Those who weigh these too heavily are destined for a life of toil. If we learn to set some things down at the right time, life may become much more wonderful.
17. Imagine the excitement and anticipation of departure, the agony of waiting before arrival, and the sense of achievement upon reaching the destination. Unfortunately, the rain hindered the journey. I cannot bear to imagine that sense of loss, so I can only entrust my hope to this rain.
18. Letting go is an awakening, a choice, and an end. Only by casting aside complex thoughts can one find simple happiness. Let things be as they will; stay or leave as fate dictates. A life of minimal desire brings peace, and being able to adapt to any situation brings joy.
19. Some souls refuse to accept loss, trying to use the fluttering wings of a butterfly to hold onto a past experience, yet they cannot catch the falling tears. When all hope is gone, the brilliance in your thoughts also slowly fades away.
20. If life were always like the first meeting, we could never return to how we were after enduring so much wind and rain. It turns out there are truly too many things in life that are beyond our control. Prosperity and desolation are often separated by only a single turn of a body.
