Words of Wisdom to Live By

I chanced upon the 115 wise sayings that prompt immediate (or gradual as the case may be) realizations here. While they encapsulate the teaching of Buddha, they too can be viewed as faith-neutral precepts that everyone can hold dear to. Therefore, in this first blog of 2007 of mine here, I've elected to actualize one of my New Year resolutions by doing an English translation of the sayings in blocks of ten. You are welcome to share your thoughts and experience whether any one has been partcularly germane to your circumstances and has put you in good stead to face the challenges of life. In like manner, I would also relate to those that have served me well or those that have helped point out my foolish and errant ways.

I’ve originally intended to group in pairs the Chinese saying and its English translation. In order for the Chinese characters to be independent of the Chinese viewer platform, I opted to use the image format. However, after a few trials, I found that I could not control the size of the individual images (no doubt a reflection on my limited knowledge of HTML script) so that they all would appear the same. Therefore, for the sake of uniformity in appearance, I had settled for the use of a single image containing the block of Chinese sayings, followed by a listing of the English translation in tow. Let me know if you have a better plan. I’m always all ears.

1) We suffer because we seek the wrong things.
[Admittedly we don't always realize the truism here until it's too late. Oftentimes the realization is triggered by an precipitous event that has cost us dearly.]

2) Instead of blaming others for our suffering, it’s more instructive to ascribe it to our lack of self discipline.
[Blaming others helps to deflect attention on our weakness, but it will only propagate the tendency to commit the same mistake. Facing up to our own inadequacy takes courage, and in no way projects diffidence.]

3) If you do not bring worry unto yourself, others will never be able to do so. Because there is no space in your heart for that.

4) Watch and learn yourself instead of criticizing others.

5) The inability to tolerate others and forgive them is a sure way of making yourself miserable.
[This is akin to "Don't sweat over the small stuff" admonished by Richard Carlson.]

6) Don’t view others as pathetic. Examine yourself. How are you conducting yourself in life? How much do you know about life?
[Humility, humility, and more humility.]

7) Learning the Buddha way is to be at peace with our conscience, and not for the envy of others.
[There is no place for vanity.]

8) We indulge in gossip because we suffer from inadequate good merits for those with sufficient good merits are oblivious to small talk.
[Good merits come from good deeds, and doing good deeds is a continuous effort that could ill-afford any idle time.]

9) Actualizing the Buddha way advances in small increments.
[And there is no room for retreat.]

10) We will never become Buddha if we practice within our own comfort zone.
[No venture, no gain or you reap what you sow.]