1. The three key words in the Book of Changes express the philosophy of being in the world
Scholar Feng Youlan believes that the Book of Changes is a cosmic algebra, equivalent to the symbols of the universe, and also There is a formula. So although it does not talk about everything in the world, everything in the world can be brought into it. There are three characters with similar strokes in the Book of Changes, which can describe a long state of life. The first is "up". The Book of Changes says: Heaven moves vigorously, and a gentleman strives to constantly strive for self-improvement. First of all, people must have a good ambition. As the old saying goes, a villain always has aspirations, while a gentleman has long aspirations. Sometimes we really need a boost of energy that pulls us forward to achieve small goals first, and then big goals. Set a goal for yourself and develop your own habits. In fact, a person's life is composed of a good habit or a period of good habits. Use good habits to push yourself to a larger platform, and then you will have the opportunity to come into contact with more resources and opportunities, thus Looking for more upward force. But being positive doesn't mean you can't be pessimistic, but it means we must learn to manage our emotions and thinking, and be self-motivated to move forward.
If you add a vertical line to the word "上", it becomes "stop". The Qian hexagram in the Book of Changes says: If you are strong as a dragon, you will have regrets. The state of life, once it reaches its peak, will inevitably come down, and it will naturally usher in the peak and the decline. This is the law of nature. When the moon waxes, it loses, and when the water is full, it overflows. Just like what Sun Tzu said in "The Art of War": Make a decision before taking action; know how to stop and gain something. Only by knowing when enough is enough and the principle of moderation can you advance and retreat in a measured way. The Gen hexagram in the Book of Changes says: When the time comes, it will stop; if it is practiced, it will move; if movement and stillness do not lose their time, the path will be bright. Just like the Three Heroes of the Early Han Dynasty, only Zhang Liang claimed that he was going to follow Chi Songzi to cultivate immortality after helping Liu Bang win the world, and retired with great success. Later, Xiao He was jealous, and Han Xin was killed by Empress Lu, but neither ended well. Therefore, we have said it before, and this truth is indeed very important.
Adding a horizontal line above "stop" is the word "zheng". It is said in the Ding hexagram of the Book of Changes that "a gentleman maintains his destiny by upright position." On the one hand, the ancients paid attention to correct posture. For example, Confucius said: Don't eat if the meat is not cut upright, and don't sit on the table if it is not upright. In fact, just like the sense of ritual we pay attention to now, it cultivates our habits. On the other hand, he also pays attention to the upright mentality. Zeng Guofan once mentioned in his diary his habit of meditation: no matter the time of day, sit quietly for half an hour, experience the benevolence of coming back, and stay in the right position to concentrate on life, like a tripod. . You can use this process to reflect and then cultivate your own righteousness, which is also the bottom line of your own morality and life. Only then can you measure whether your top and bottom are appropriate, and then control your life. When to move forward, when to stop, and how to conduct oneself correctly, I think everyone has their own thoughts, but these three words really inspired me a lot.
? 2. When you complain about life, you might as well take a look at Su Shi's life
? "When will the bright moon come? I ask the sky about my wine, but I don't know what year it is in the palace in the sky." This is a classic word that everyone memorized when they were in school. Mr. Lin Yutang once wrote in his biography of Su Dongpo: When it comes to Su Dongpo, the Chinese people probably smile knowingly. I think this should be the best interpretation of Su Dongpo. Su Shi was admitted to Jinshi at the age of 20, which can be said to be a triumph of youth. But after middle age, life seemed not to be very smooth, because he was either demoted or on the way to being demoted, and was finally demoted directly to Hainan Island. In Su Shi's life, there were three women he loved deeply, but these three women all came before him. So this life is really ups and downs, and there are even some ups and downs. But at the same time, Su Shi was also the biggest literary figure in the Northern Song Dynasty. His fans ranged from the royal family to ordinary people. Whatever he posted would be followed by tens of thousands of people. Even compatriots from neighboring countries would jump out from time to time. Thumbs up for Su Shi. On the Mid-Autumn Festival in Bingchen, I drank happily until the end of the day, and I wrote this article because I was drunk and pregnant with a child. This poem was written by Su Shi to his younger brother Su Che, but it was also written to himself. Su Shi was full of lofty political ambitions and ideals, but because he had different political opinions from Wang Anshi, the reformer in power, he was not very proud of his politics. But despite this, he did not give up his pursuit of life and ideals. A thousand-mile horse often exists, but a bole does not always exist. Nowadays, some young people who are somewhat talented but have not been reused, or people who are slightly unsatisfied in their work and life, often complain that they were born at the wrong time and complain about the unfairness of society. At this time, we can actually say with a smile like Su Shi: The king and his ministers have a dream, and their names are empty now and in the past, but the mountains in the distance are long, the clouds are chaotic, and the mountains are green at dawn. Only by being broad-minded, open-minded and lofty can we go longer.
3. “All four elements are empty”, does it refer to drinking, sex and wealth?
We often hear this sentence in TV movies or in life: Monks have nothing in common. So which of the four elements are empty? Is it about giving up drinking and sex? Or abstain from greed and delusion? In fact, The Four Elements is Nothing talks about the principles of the composition of all things in the universe. What is the world we live in made of? There may be many answers. In ancient times, it was said that everything is composed of yin and yang and the five elements. In modern terms, the universe is made of atoms. According to Buddhism, there are four elements that make up the world, wind, fire, water, earth, and everything in the world is composed of these four elements. For example, a flower needs land, water, air, sunlight and wind. Therefore, all four elements are empty refers to the emptiness of these four elements. If these four elements are in harmony, everything will develop for the better. If they are not in harmony, the world will be chaotic and destroyed. The objects composed of the four elements are only temporary. For example, we are human beings. After the life dissipates, these elements will re-form another object and still exist. In fact, it means that everything in the world is changing, illusory, and impermanent. If we understand this impermanence, it can help us stay calm and have a balanced mentality.
Buddhists often say: Bodhi has no tree, and the mirror is not a stand. There is nothing in the beginning, so how can it cause dust. Many people understand it as a passive escape mentality, thinking that everything is false, so there is no need to persist. But I think in this materialistic world, sometimes we should have this kind of mentality of being indifferent to favors and humiliations, looking down on life and death, following our hearts and doing our best. For some things that you can't get even after working hard, you must know how to let go, not to be attached, and not to be greedy.
? 4. What does "death" mean in Buddhism?
For Buddhism, death is not a painful or terrifying thing, it is just the disappearance of a life form, like the burning out of lamp oil. But the disappearance of life will still exist in another form, endlessly reborn in reincarnation. Therefore, Buddhists have a calmer and calmer attitude towards death than us ordinary people. Here are three last words from Buddhist monks.
First of all, Huineng, the sixth patriarch of Zen Buddhism, left a verse before his death: Wuwu does not repair, Tengteng does not do evil, silence stops seeing and hearing, and the mind wanders without attachment. . It means that only when the mind is not stained with dust, is pure, has no purpose or intention, and looks at it objectively, can everything be seen clearly. At the same time, he also advised everyone to know how to let go. We often follow our inner desires, constantly pursue, ask for, and pick up, but we will never learn to let go. Set limits for yourself and then trap yourself.
The second one is the modern Master Xuyun. Before he died, he left only one word: quit. The five precepts of Buddhism are not to kill, not to steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to lie, and not to drink alcohol. Therefore, we need to be able to dilute greed, anger, and ignorance in our lives and control our own desires. By eliminating these tedious aspects, you can save more time and energy to focus on a more efficient life.
The last one is Master Hongyi Li Shutong. Li Shutong left four words: a mixture of sorrow and joy. Some people think that he sympathizes with all living beings in dire straits, while others think that he sympathizes with his own life. Sadness may still have some regrets, but happiness means that he has achieved success in his life and is about to bid farewell to the suffering in this world. Before he died, he specially asked the waiters one thing: to be careful about damaging the lives of ants when incineration, which brought the compassion of Buddhism to the extreme.
In fact, what is true kindness? It is a very pure and upright quality. Many of us today rarely think about others from their perspective, are self-centered, or have a purpose in everything they do. The kind of simple kindness and helping others are becoming less and less common. , especially those in positions of authority, cannot tell whether others are helping them out of kindness or for other purposes. The ancient emperors said that high places are too cold, but it is also because they cannot be treated sincerely by others.
Having shared so many great truths, let me tell you an interesting little story. What kind of pig is Zhu Bajie in Journey to the West? The first thing that can be determined is that Zhu Bajie must be a black pig. Although in the TV series, Zhu Bajie is a white and fat domestic pig, in real history, white pigs were only introduced to China from the West in the 1980s and 1990s, so It is said that all pigs in the country were supposed to be big black pigs before. In "Journey to the West", there is this sentence to describe Zhu Bajie's appearance: The back of his head has a long row of iron arrows, and his skin is rough and green. It can be seen that the prototype of Zhu Bajie should be a black pig with a blue and black body. So where is the ancestral home of Zhu Bajie? It is recorded in many places in the book that Zhu Bajie was demoted from Tianpeng Marshal and was reborn as a pig. The pig nest is located in Uzang, Hezhou, Xiniu. In Buddhist legends, Xiniu Hezhou is probably in our current India and Tibet. After obtaining the scripture, Tang Monk introduced Zhu Bajie to Emperor Taizong in this way: He was originally from Yunzhan Cave in Fuling Mountain. Because he caused mischief on Gaolaozhuang in Uzang, he was advised by the Bodhisattva to do good, and he was strong enough to wade through the water along the way. meritorious service.
Where is Us hiding? Before the Qing Dynasty, Uszang was the name of Tibet. Because Wu Cheng was from the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Bajie’s hometown was probably in Tibet in ancient China, and here lived a very ancient breed of Tibetan fragrant pig called Yue. It is pitch black, with a mane on the back of its head, a black face with short hair and fangs, which matches the appearance of Zhu Bajie in "Journey to the West". It can be seen that Zhu Bajie should be a Tibetan pig produced in Tibet.
? "Yishu Shi" really contains a lot of the essence of ancient Chinese thought, including the principles of life, and some folklore, such as where the mountain of Shoubinan Mountain refers to, and the uncle who died after cutting his hair in the first month. The origin of the sentence is also like the difference between glutinous rice balls and yuanxiao, etc. Compared with some foreign books, I prefer ancient Chinese history and culture. I think it is more suitable for our environment and the situations we encounter. China has five thousand years of cultural history and countless spiritual food from Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Isn’t it delicious? I hope that through my sharing, everyone can learn more about the cultural connotation of our Greater China and find the direction of their own life.