“Without indifference, there is no clear ambition; without tranquility, there is no progress.” This comes from the Book of Commandments written by Zhuge Liang to his 8-year-old son Zhuge Zhan when he was 54 years old. It was written by Zhuge Liang. This couplet reflects Zhuge Liang's philosophical thinking on life. He believes that a person must be indifferent and have few desires before he can have a clear ambition, and he must be lonely and quiet to reach a profound state. The language is simple yet profound, full of Taoist philosophy.
1. People with moral cultivation carry out self-cultivation and exercise in this way. They use inner peace to make themselves perfect, and they use frugality to save money to cultivate their noble character. If you don't have a clear mind and few desires, you won't be able to make your ambitions clear and firm, and if you don't have stability and tranquility, you won't be able to realize your lofty ideals. To learn true knowledge, one must study and explore in tranquility, both physically and mentally. People’s talents are accumulated from continuous learning. If you don’t study hard, you can’t grow and develop your talents. If you don’t have an unwavering will, you can’t make progress in your studies. success. Indulgence and debauchery, negativity and neglect cannot inspire the mind and spirit; careless adventures and impatience cannot cultivate the temperament and ennoble moral integrity. If the years and years are wasted and the time is wasted, eventually it will age like a fallen leaf day by day. Such people will not be used by society and benefit society. They will only be sadly trapped in their own poor family and ruins. By then it will be too late to regret.
2. The conduct of a gentleman (should be) tranquility in order to improve oneself, and frugality in order to cultivate one's character. If you don't look down on worldly fame and fortune, you won't be able to clarify your ambitions, and if you don't have peace of mind, you won't be able to look far ahead. Learning requires meditation, and knowledge requires learning. Without learning, there is no way to expand knowledge, and without determination, one cannot learn successfully. If you are obsessed with sluggishness, you will not be able to strive for progress; if you are intolerant and impatient, you will not be able to refine your character. Years pass by, and the will is passing away day by day, so they gradually wither and wither. Most of them are unable to make money in the world and sadly guard their poor homes. How can they regret it at that time?
3. People with high moral character and both ability and political integrity rely on inner peace and concentration to cultivate their body and mind, and they rely on a frugal style to cultivate their character. If you don't see worldly fame and fortune clearly, you won't be able to clarify your ambitions, and if you don't have peace of mind and body, you won't be able to realize your lofty ideals. You must concentrate on learning, and you must study hard to increase your talents. If you don't study hard, you can't increase your intelligence, and if you don't clarify your ambitions, you can't achieve success in learning. Excessive enjoyment and laziness will prevent us from working hard; frivolity and impatience will not cultivate our temperament. Time goes by, and willpower wears away with time. In the end, it is like a withered branch (becoming a person who does nothing) and has no use to society. (At that time), how can we stay in a broken house and sigh with sadness? ? (A poor house can also be interpreted as an empty soul.)