Wednesday, January 03, 2007

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.]

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like what you share with us. it is very wise. I think it is hard for "people" and myself too to focus on our own weakness and not so much point of others.

question that bother me is: BeekHoon sister and you please help me on this.

where do you drive on line on "helping" other or "minding too much our business"?

based on the wisdom here. focus on ourselves. it just sometime I felt I am not doing a right thing by not share something right with someone.

thank you a lot.

hope you both can find a new place soon. goodlucks

Say Lee said...

That's a tough one, and a very thin line indeed.

I think the first thing one has to accept is that one should not expect any "reward" in helping others. Then any "backlash" that comes one's way pursuant to the "help" rendered would not make us feel "cheated".

As for the second part, I guess unless someone specifically asks you to butt out, that's the time. But perhaps there are other ways of indirect help that would not lead to you as long as you don't care where the credit for the help goes to.

Hope the above helps.

If what I blogged today at aPleasant Surprise(s) is any indication, we think it's going to be a long haul looking for a new home. But find it we must.

Anonymous said...

Those are indeed words of wisdom, and which I hope to eventually ingrain in myself. In paricular no. 5... huhuhu

Say Lee said...

Let's see, #5. Oh, that's a tough one, but one, when mastered, will bring unfettered peace of mind.