But eternal wretchedness awaits those who toady to the powerful.
Wise men fix their gaze on spiritual cultivation, which transcends material things.
They wish to leave a good name after them, and choosing fleeting loneliness over eternal wretchedness.
A man with only slight experience of the world will likewise be only slightly stained with its impurities.
A man well versed in the ways of the world will likewise be replete with its tricks and treacheries.
Therefore, it is better for the upright man to preserve the plainness of his inborn nature than to take pains to acquire worldly wisdom.
It is also better for him to remain uninhibited and straightforward than to be equivocal and compromising.
The heart of a real gentleman is as clear as the blue sky and the broad daylight,
so that others may never misunderstand it.
But he seldom reveals his talents, which are like a jade hidden in a jadestone.
A person who shuns power, wealth and luxury is clean.
But a man who comes into contact with power, wealth and luxury and still remains unsullied is even cleaner.
He who is unacquainted with wiles and intrigues is noble.
But a person who is acquainted with wiles and intrigues but scorns to use them is even nobler.
The frequent hearing of what we do not want to hear,
and the frequent pondering of what troubles the mind act like a whetstone
upon which we refine our nature and conduct.
If everything we hear is pleasant to the ear,
and everything we contemplate is pleasant to the mind,
that is no different from steeping our lives in poisoned wine.
When the wind rages and the rain beats down, even the birds seem woebegone.
But when the rain ceases to pelt and the wind subsides, the very grass and trees bloom luxuriantly in the fresh sunshine.
So, if the world cannot do without a period of sanctified peace during a day's time,
then men can definitely not tolerate a single day with their hearts totally bereft of joy.
Real flavour does not lie in refined liquors or sumptuous dishes;
only plain food gives forth a pure taste.
The man who has attained the realm of perfect virtue
is not the wonder maker who stands out from all his fellows.
He is found among the run-of-the-mill.
Although the Universe seems to be at rest, its components are constantly in motion.
The sun and moon whirl night and day, and cast ceaseless and eternal beams.
Likewise, a man of noble character must keep himself alert while unoccupied, and enjoy repose while exerting himself.
In the still of the night, when a man sits alone in meditation,
the first thing that happens is that his inordinate desires disappear, and his true self holds sway.
Every time this occurs, he enjoys a spontaneous pleasure that comes from within himself.
But if, after finding his true self, he feels he cannot cast aside erroneous thoughts, great shame comes upon him.
A favour received inevitably brings harm in its wake.
When you feel gratified, stop forging ahead, and turn round promptly.
It is equally true that accomplishment may follow defeat.
Therefore, do not give up halfway when feeling terribly upset.
People who take coarse food and drink usually have morals as clean as ice and as pure as jade.
Those, on the other hand, who set great store by fine garments and tasty fare tend to be servile flatterers and willing slaves.
A man's aspirations can only shine forth from purity of heart and paucity of desires,
whereas his moral integrity can be easily forfeited through indulging in creature comforts.
In dealing with other people, a person must be broad-minded and tolerant,
so as not to make them sigh with resentment.
Then after his death his bountiful deeds will live on,
earning people's boundless gratitude.
On a narrow path, step aside one pace so that others may pass.
When treated to fine food, offer some of it to your fellow diners.
Such a manner of behaving in society will best ensure a person peace and happiness.
To live as a true man, you do not need extraordinary accomplishments;
all you need to do is to free yourself from vulgar distractions,
and then you can join the ranks of eminent personages.
To pursue study, you do not need any special formula for success;
all you need to do is to get rid of desires for material comforts
that trouble your head, and then you can enter the domain of the sages.
To make friends with others, you need a strong sense of justice and a readiness to help.
To be a true man, you should preserve a pure heart.
Do not scramble for favour and profit; do not lag behind in virtue and accomplishments.
In receiving material enjoyments, do not exceed what is fitting for your station in life;
in cultivating virtue, do not lower your standards.
When conducting yourself in society, it is wise to be ready to make concessions.
To retreat a pace is to make good preparation for a later advance.
To treat others with kindness is part of your own happiness,
for by benefiting others you lay the foundation for your own future benefit.
No matter how earth-shaking one's achievements, self-conceit will cancel them out.
No matter how horrendous one's sins, repentance will atone for them.
When your good reputation goes hand in hand with your high morals,
you should not treat these achievements exclusively as your own,
but share them with others.

Shameful conduct and unsavoury reputation should not be foisted off entirely onto others,
but some should be taken on your own shoulders.

Whatever I do, I leave some part of it unfinished;
that way the Creator will not frown on me and the ghosts and spirits will not be able to harm me.
If, in the course of self-cultivation, I strive for seamless perfection,
and in the course of earthly achievements I head straight for the summit,
even though I incur no internal calamity,
I will surely bring upon myself some external grief.
Real faith and genuine rules of conduct can be found in the home and in everyday life.
If everyone practised sincerity and harmony, with a smiling countenance and polite words
there would be no estrangement between family members whatsoever and
their interests would coincide completely.
This is ten thousand times better than sitting in meditation or practising breath control.
A man fond of movement is like lightning flashing through the clouds, ephemeral.
He flickers like a candle flame in the wind.
On the other hand, a man devoted to quietude is like dead ashes or
a blighted tree stump, bereft of all vitality.
The essence of the Way is found in movement within stillness and stillness within movement.
Movement and rest must complement each other,
like hawks flitting through stationary clouds or fish leaping in the still waters of a pond.
When censuring someone for his faults, do not be too severe;
consider the other's level of tolerance.
When teaching a man correct conduct,
do not set goals which are too lofty for him to reach;
consider what he is capable of accomplishing.
Nothing is filthier than the dung beetle,
yet in one morning it can turn into a cicada and drink the pure autumn dew.
Rotten grass has no lustre, yet in one morning it can give birth to the glowworm,
which gives out brilliant flashes of light on summer nights.
From this we can know that pure things can emerge from filthy places and
brightness is often a product of darkness.
Self-conceit and arrogance are the result of evil influences from outside oneself.
Such influences must be suppressed; only then can healthy trends be encouraged.
All one's carnal desires and other distractions come from a twisted mind;
only by getting rid of such mental distortions can one's true nature be realized.
If you muse on the flavour of food after you have eaten your fill,
the feeling of relishing different flavours vanishes.
If you ponder the pleasures of the flesh after satisfying your carnal appetites,
then the scene of naked lovemaking disappears.
Therefore, if you can use the remorse of hindsight to dispel future foolish obsessions,
you can make your nature as steady as a rock and
your behaviour will always be on the right track.
The great officers of the court must foster in themselves a bit of
the mindset of the hermit who lives in the mountains and forests.
At the same time, the recluse must never abandon the ambition and ability to serve his country.
In conducting yourself, do not expect to accomplish the greatest things;
so long as you do not make mistakes, you make achievements.
When treating others with kindness, do not expect gratitude in return;
so long as you do not cause resentment, that is gratitude enough.
Exerting yourself to do a good job is a fine moral trait.

Indifference to wealth and power is a noble quality.
But if you are a bit too passive,
then you will not be able to assist people or to benefit society.
When judging a person who has encountered misfortune and hardships,
it is necessary to understand the aspirations and ambitions he set out with.
When judging a person who has achieved success,
it is necessary to examine whether he maintains his moral integrity in his old age.
A person of riches and rank should be magnanimous, and never be envious or stingy.
Otherwise he would be acting like a mean person,
and how then could he really enjoy his riches?
By the same token, a person of learning should keep his talents concealed.

How could he not come to grief?
You can only think of the danger of ascending to a high place after you have stood in a low place.
It is only when you have experienced darkness that you realize how brightness can dazzle the eyes.
After cultivating tranquillity, you then know how those who are fond of movement toil.
Only a person who has fostered the art of taciturnity knows how annoying a babbler can be.
By casting out thoughts of wealth and rank from his heart,
a man rids himself of the taint of the world.
By removing the strictures of worldly virtue and morality from his heart,
a man can enter the sublime realm of perfect beauty.
Desire for fame and wealth does not necessarily harm the heart of a man with a true nature;
it is the clinging to prejudice that is the root of harm to such a nature.
Lasciviousness in itself does not necessarily prevent a man cultivating the Way;
it is the employment of his intelligence that puts a barrier between him and the Way.

When you meet an impasse, you should understand how to retire one step.
When you come to an open road, you should know how to make way for others.
In dealing with mean people, the difficulty lies not in being too strict;
but in avoiding a fastidious attitude.
In dealing with noble-spirited people,
the difficulty lies not in being deferential, but in observing the proprieties.
It is better to preserve the innate simplicity of one's nature and eschew sophistication,
thereby leave a spirit of uprightness in the world.
Likewise, it is better to turn one's back on luxurious living and
take delight in the plain and pristine,
and thereby leave a fine name to the world.
To conquer the demons, you must first conquer the perversity in your own heart.
Once you have done that, the demons will cower and be at your command.
To rein in reckless tendencies,
you must first control the impulses that lead to such tendencies.
Once your heart is tranquil and your life force harmonious,
elements from outside will no longer be able to disturb you.
Instructing one's juniors is like bringing up maidens:
The most important thing is to teach them to be circumspect in making friends outside the home.
Coming into contact with a bad person is like sowing a bad seed on good farmland —
the whole crop will eventually be spoiled.
When you have material gains to pursue,
do not make hasty decisions to do so simply because of their easy accessibility.
If you do, you will stumble into a deep pit out of which you will not be able to get out.
When you seek the truth, do not make even the slightest retreat
from any difficulties which the process may entail.
If you do, you will find that you are separated from
the object of your quest by a thousand mountains.
A man whose thoughts are magnanimous treats both himself and others with consideration.
Then magnanimity is everywhere.
A man whose thoughts are mean treats both himself and others meanly.
Then meanness is everywhere.
Therefore, in pursuing his hobbies,
a man of noble character should avoid passion as well as indifference.
Others have riches; I have a spirit of benevolence.
Others have high rank; I have a sense of righteousness.
A man of virtue should avoid the fetters of high rank and substantial emolument.
Since man can prevail over Nature, with a firm will and devotion,
a man of virtue can certainly build up his strength and
refuse to be moulded by the forces that created the Universe.
Striving to get on in the world without keeping some distance from it
is like trying to shake the dirt off your clothes while shrouded by dust,
or like washing your feet in a mud puddle.
How can you be free of vulgarities and attain refinement?
In your dealings with the world, if you are not good at making concessions
you are like a moth flying into a candle flame or a ram caught by the horns in brambles.
How can you find peace and contentment?
A man who pursues learning must collect his scattered thoughts and
concentrate all his mental powers on his studies.
In the cultivation of virtue, if his aim is simply to gain wealth and fame,
then real ethical improvement becomes impossible.
In pursuing scholarship, if his interest lies merely in reciting poems and rhymed verses,
then a deep understanding of his subject of study becomes impossible.
Everyone possesses the capacity for great mercy.
The saint Vimalakirti and butchers and executioners alike have this capacity.
Everywhere in the world can be found the same genuine mood that accords with Nature —
be it in a magnificent mansion or a humble cottage.
It is just greed that destroys the capacity for great mercy,
and fleshly emotions that lock up the genuine mood.
Men miss the way to salvation when such an opportunity stares them in the face.
A single step in the wrong direction leads them as far from the right path
as if a thousand miles intervened.
Self-cultivation requires a mind impervious to outside allurements,
as if it were made of wood or stone.
Tempted by profit and fame, one will fall a victim to greed.
One who wishes to save his people and benefit his country
must have the temperament of a mendicant monk.
One who seeks fame and wealth will be surrounded by hidden dangers.
Not only are the actions and words of a good man peaceful and serene,
even when asleep his facial expression is full of good will.

When the liver succumbs to disease, the eyes become dim.
When the kidneys are disordered, the hearing becomes impaired.
Although the root cause of the trouble always lies hidden in an undetected place,
the symptoms are invariably there for all to see.
Therefore, if a virtuous man does not want his faults manifested in places where all can see them,
he must first ensure that there is nothing amiss with him in places hidden from the public.
No one is happier than he who has caused few troubles.
On the other hand, no one invites more trouble than the person who is always suspicious of others.
Only a troubled man knows that refraining from causing trouble brings happiness,
and only a man with a tranquil mind knows that suspicion brings calamity.
In an era of peace, one needs to be “square”, which means being strict and upright.
In an era of turmoil, one needs to be “rounded”, which means being flexible and tactful.
When the state is rapidly declining, one needs to be both “square” and “round”.
In dealing with good people, one should be tolerant;
in dealing with bad people, one should be strict.
In dealing with people in general, one needs to be both tolerant and strict.
We should not always keep in mind the good deeds we have done for others.
At the same time, we should often reflect on the harm we have done to others.
By the same token, we should not forget the favours others have done for us,
but should cast to the winds all resentment against others.
A true benefactor does not regard himself as doing good deeds,
nor does he regard others as the recipients of his kindness.
A Chinese peck of rice given in such a spirit is worth a granary.
But when an alms-giver expects some requital for his largesse,
even though he gives away a fortune, it is not worth a copper coin.
Every man has his own life experiences.
With some, it is always plain sailing, while others encounter many hardships and failures.
How can a person ensure that he alone will always be successful?
Every man feels differently at different times.
How can one expect others to be always in a good mood?
This reasoning can be regarded as a convenient method for enlightening people.
Only a person of pure moral character can appreciate
the fine nature of the ancient sages through the study of ancient works.
Otherwise, bad people would be able to appropriate the good deeds of
the worthies of antiquity for their own nefarious ends,
and quote their wise words to disguise their own evil actions.
That would he equivalent to supplying weapons to enemies and victuals to bandits.
Those who indulge in luxury and extravagance always find it hard to make both ends meet.
Far better off are the frugal people who, although they have not enough,
feel that they have enough and to spare!
A person of talent strives hard, and yet he only provokes widespread envy.
Far better off is the bumpkin, who lives a comfortable life and preserves his innate nature!
He who studies without appreciating the insights of the wise men of old is no more than a copyist.
He who holds office but loves not the common people is no more than a robber in official attire.
Engaging in learning without refining one's conduct is behaving like a person
who tries to liven up conversations by quoting phrases from the scriptures that he does not understand.
A career pursued without storing up virtue is as transitory as flowers that bloom and die before one's eyes.
In everyone's heart there is a book of truth.
But it is torn and incomplete, and its message is blurred.
Deep in everyone's spirit is a beautiful melody, but it is drowned by lascivious chords.
He who hankers after knowledge must reject all external temptations,
and seek the essence of human nature.
Only then will he be able to acquire really useful knowledge.
Joy can often be found in fulfilling a painstaking job.
And sorrow from an unexpected setback may arise after success has turned one's head.
If a man's wealth, rank and reputation spring from the cultivation of lofty virtue,
they are like wild flowers growing profusely in the mountains and forests;
they will flourish naturally and freely.
If they are a result of his accomplishments,
they are like flowers cultivated in flowerpots or growing on wooden frames;
they have a time to bloom and a time to wither.
If they are the fruits of naked power,
they are like flowers placed in vases and bowls;
their roots are not deeply planted, and they will fade away in no time.
When spring arrives the weather turns mild.
Flowers blossom, carpeting the earth.
The birds sing beautiful canticles of praise.
Scholars rejoice to find their names on the lists of successful examination candidates.
They are finely clad and eat their fill.
At such a time, if they do not turn their attention to worthy words and deeds,
even if they were to live one hundred years,
it would be of no more significance than living for only one day.
Although a scholar should be circumspect in his behaviour,
he should also have a lively and untrammelled spirit.
What will happen if he exercises self-restraint to such an extent
as to allow himself nothing other than a Spartan living?
It will be just like having a world always in the grip of autumn's decay and bereft of spring's vigour.
How then can the universe flourish?
The truly honest man, because he never angles for fame,
does not have the reputation of being an honest man;
only the greedy are eager for such a reputation.
The truly capable man does not resort to showy tricks;
only clumsy oafs do so.
The qi vessel tips over when it is filled with water.
The puman moneybox stays whole only so long as it is not filled up with money.
Therefore, a man of virtue prefers plain poverty to ostentatious wealth,
choosing to live with relative paucity instead of extreme abundance.
A man who has not uprooted his hankering for fame and fortune,
even if he disdains enormous wealth and delights in plain living,
will in the end descend to the level of the vulgar world.
A man who has not eradicated all baleful external influences from his nature,
even if his benevolence extends to all the world and for ten thousand generations,
will show no more than futile gestures.
If a man's thoughts are bright and clear,
then even if he is in a dark place
his heart will be as shiny as daylight.
But if his thoughts are sordid,
then even if he walks in the sunshine
his heart will be as though harbouring demons.
People know that fame and rank make men happy.
But they do not know that the happiest men are those without fame and rank.
People know that hunger and cold are what men worry about.
But they do not know that there are other worries that could be worse.
If a man does a bad thing and fears that others will find out,
it shows that, despite his wickedness, he still has a conscience.
If a man does a good deed and is anxious for others to know about it,
it shows that in the midst of his benevolence lurks a tendency to evil.
The force that binds the universe is unpredictable-
Sometimes it makes man struggle against adversity,
and sometimes it grants him favourable circumstances.
This shows that Heaven has the faculty of making or breaking heroes and other outstanding men.
When a man of noble character meets a temporary setback, he exercises patience.
When everything seems to be smooth sailing,
he keeps in mind the possible approach of adversity.
In this way, even the lord of Heaven cannot manipulate him.

A mean person is as cold as ice; whatever he meets he wants to harm.
A stiff and stubborn person is like stagnant water or rotten wood; he has lost all vitality.
No matter what they do, such people find success and happiness elusive.
Man cannot seize happiness;
it is only by preserving a happy frame of mind that the essence of happiness can be summoned.
Man cannot flee disaster;
it is only by eradicating all thoughts of harming others that evils can be kept at bay.
If out of ten utterances, nine are correct
others will not necessarily call you a genius.
They will, however, throw all the blame on you for the one utterance that proved incorrect.
If you make ten plans and nine of them succeed,
others will not necessarily praise you for your acumen.
They will, however, excoriate you for the one plan that went wrong.

When the essence which pervades nature is warm it promotes the growth of the myriad things.
When it is cold it tends to destroy the vitality of the myriad things.
Therefore, when a man is cold in nature he receives little in the way of enjoyment.
On the other hand, when a man is warm-hearted,
he has lots of happiness and is the beneficiary of a constant stream of kindness.
The path of heavenly principles is wide.
Once you set your foot on this path,
it takes only a bit of hard thinking for you to become fully enlightened.
The path of human desire is narrow.

Repeatedly tempering oneself through the interchange of weal and woe
enables one to attain long-term happiness.
Repeatedly testing and checking in a process of doubt to belief and from belief to doubt
enables one to attain true knowledge.
Man must keep his mind wide open, so that righteousness can take up its dwelling there.
At the same time, one must keep one's mind substantially filled,
so that it can block the inroads of endless desires for material comforts.
Many life forms spring up in dirty places.
Fish are rarely found in pristine water.
Therefore, a virtuous man must be broad-minded and tolerant.
He should not stand aloof while admiring his own purity.
An unruly horse can still be ridden after taming.
Melted metals from the smelting furnace are returned to the mould.
A man devoted to idleness and devoid of enthusiasm
will make no progress as long as he lives.
The hermit Baisha said,
“Making mistakes is no cause for shame. What worries me most would be a lifetime without mistakes.”
How true those words are!
Once greed and selfishness dominate a man's mind,
his previously steel-like nature will become soft and weak;
his intelligence will become blocked and dulled;
his benevolent nature will become vicious;
his pure spirit will become muddied;
and the virtue he has accumulated over a lifetime will become dissipated.
That is why the ancients regarded "Be not covetous" as a precious precept for self-improvement.
It was thus that they managed to overcome greed for material things and
enjoyed peace and security throughout their lives.
The ears can hear flattering sounds;
the eyes can be dazzled by silver and gold.
These effects are enemies encroaching from without,
whereas carnal desires are robbers hidden within.
You must maintain vigilance at all times against these enemies.
Seat yourself in the central hall and equip yourself with a sober mind,
and you will surely be able to turn your enemies into helpmates.
It is better to safeguard what you have already accomplished than to crave for exploits of the future.
It is better to guard against further mistakes than to waste time regretting past ones.
A man must be tolerant and broad-minded, but not unfettered and freewheeling.
His thoughts must be meticulous and careful, but not trifling and cluttered.
His temperament must be tranquil and plain, but not insipid and monotonous.
His words and actions must be well-ordered and explicit, but not impulsive or extreme.
When the wind blows through a clump of scattered bamboos it makes a swishing sound.
But as soon as it has passed, it leaves no sound behind,
and silence reigns once more among the bamboos.
When a goose flies over a pond in winter its reflection is seen on the water.
But as soon as the goose has passed its reflection vanishes.
So the mind of a real gentleman starts to work only when an event takes place or a problem arises.
Once the matter becomes a thing of the past, his mind returns to stillness and repose.
To be honest and clean oneself and yet have patience and tolerance towards others;
to have a benevolent heart, and yet show discernment at the same time;
to have clear insight, and yet have the forbearance to refrain from over-harsh judgements;
to be upright and outspoken, and yet have the self-control not to exceed the proper limits —
all these add up to proper conduct.
Just as candied fruit should not be too sweet and seafood should not be too salty,
a person's conduct should be pleasing but just right.
The poor man sweeps his floor until it is spotless.
The poor woman combs her hair until it is neat and tidy.
Neither produces a wonderful sight, but these actions bespeak a sensibility of elegance.
So how can a man of learning get downhearted
when he encounters poverty and misfortune, and abandon his ambitions?
When at leisure do not let precious time slip idly by.
You will discover the great value of such advice in your busy days.
In times of tranquillity do not forget to improve yourself.
You will see the importance of this when you get down to work.
If you can resist all temptations when you are alone,
your behaviour in public will be impeccable.
As soon as you find your thoughts deflecting to the path of material desires,
switch them immediately back to the path of preserving your essential nature.
As soon as you become aware of an evil thought flitting through your mind, turn away from it.
That way you can turn disaster into a blessing and snatch life from the jaws of death.
On no account should you lightly miss such opportunities.
In stillness, a person's thoughts are as clear as water, and his true heart can be seen to the bottom.
In carefree moments, a person's mettle and bearing are unhurried, and his real motive can be recognized.
In a life devoid of wealth and fame, a person's attitude is modest and amiable,
and his temperament and taste can be discovered.
Nothing matters more than these three respects in examining the nature of man and the soundness of his principles.
If you are able to keep quiet in a noiseless place, that kind of quietness does not count for much;
only the quietness that is obtained from hard work accords completely with man's nature.
If you are able to keep happy on a joyous occasion, that is not happiness in the real sense;
only the happiness gained in misery is the source of vitality for man's body and soul.
In making a sacrifice, it is important not to have an indecisive mind.
Such a mind can inflict a great deal of shame on your spirit of self-sacrifice.
When bestowing alms do not expect any return from the recipient —
that would only spoil your original charitable heart.
If Heaven has not granted me enough happiness
I keep increasing my store of virtue to supplement this small portion.
If Heaven inflicts hardship and suffering upon me
I will seek ease of mind to make amends for it.
If Heaven sends disasters my way
I will try to pull through by pursuing the truth.
So what, then, can Heaven do to me?
The man of steadfast morals does not pray for happiness,
but Heaven, without him knowing it, fulfils his heart's desires.
The vicious man is most concerned with escaping calamities,
but as he takes steps to do so Heaven deprives him of his senses and leaves him defenceless.
From this, we can see that the ingenuity and power of Heaven is unfathomable.
What is the use of man's puny efforts and craftiness?
If, in later life, a courtesan marries into a good family,
her past life is no embarrassment.
If a woman who has been upright and chaste all her life
loses her personal integrity in her later years,
all the virtue she has stored up is thrown away.
A proverb goes: "When judging a man, look at his later years."
This is truly perspicacious advice!
If an ordinary person secretly stores up virtue and does charitable deeds
he is as influential as a duke or minister despite his lack of fame and position.
If a noble grandee does nothing but seek greater patronage, power and wealth,
he is nothing more than a beggar with a titled rank.
When we consider that the merits
which we benefit from today
were earned by our forefathers,
we should reflect on the difficulties
they had to undergo in order to acquire those merits.
When we wonder what happiness our descendants will enjoy,
we should consider how easy it will be for them to squander the legacy we bequeath to them.
A supposedly virtuous man who pretends to do good deeds is no better than a selfish scoundrel.
When a virtuous man abandons his moral principles,
he is not worth as much as a mean person who has turned over a new leaf.
When a family member makes a mistake, one must not fly into a rage;
nor should one gloss over the mistake as if nothing had happened.
If it is difficult to thrash the matter out,
one may use an analogy to enlighten the offender.
If this still fails to smooth out the problem,
it is acceptable to wait until another, and more suitable, time to admonish the transgressor.
Just like the spring wind that thaws the frost and the zephyr that melts the ice,
this is a model for home education.
If every person made a habit of looking upon everything as flawless,
then everything in the world would naturally become perfect.
If every person made a habit of making his heart expansive and tranquil,
then men's evil and harmful feelings would naturally disappear.
It is inevitable that the man who seeks not fame and wealth
should arouse the jealousy of a man who is avid for such things.
It is inevitable that he who is circumspect in speech and conduct
should provoke the dislike of reckless or audacious persons.
In such circumstances,
a virtuous man should not compromise his principles or his conduct in the slightest,
nor should he adopt a pugnacious attitude toward them.
When you face trying circumstances,
everything that you encounter has the effect of
bitter medicinal herbs and the stone needles used in acupuncture.
These needles and medicines serve to refine your character and conduct,
although you do not realize it.
When you are experiencing smooth sailing,
it is as if the path ahead were strewn with weapons,
which harm you bit by bit until you are finally destroyed.
At such times a man can be compared to lamp oil,
which is gradually consumed until there is none left, although he is unaware of it.
When people grow up in the households of wealthy families,
their love of luxury and covetousness are like a raging fire,
and their reliance on their power is like a searing flame.
If they do not temper themselves with honest and plain aspirations,
the fierce fire will consume themselves, if not others as well.
When a man's mind reaches the point of perfect sincerity
he can move Heaven and Earth:
Snow can fall in summer, city walls can crumble, and adamantine rock can be carved.
The false man is nothing but an empty shell;
he has lost his innate nature and is hateful in the sight of others.
When he is alone, he is consumed with self-loathing.
When a piece of writing reaches the acme of perfection,
it is not because it contains some miraculous ingredient,
but because it is written in exactly the right way.
When a man refines his moral character to the point of perfection,
he does so not with the aid of any magic formula,
but by letting his pure inborn nature shine forth.
In this dusty world of illusions,
not only are rank and wealth fleeting,
but our very bodies are only lent to us for a short time by the universe.
In the realm of the Way,
when the last vestige of the material world has been eliminated,
not only are family members joined as one,
but everything in the universe is too.
Only if a man can see through the world of things and perceive the world of the pure Way
can he undertake the heavy burden of saving the world and succouring its people,
and shake off the material fetters of rank and wealth.
Tasty foods are like poison that perforates your intestines and erodes your bones.
So long as you only eat until you are half full no harm will ensue.
Pleasure seeking damages your body and morality.
Enjoy a little bit of it, and you will have no regrets afterwards.
Do not take others to task for minor transgressions.
Do not reveal others' shameful secrets.
Do not nurse old grievances.
By sticking to these three precepts
one will refine one's moral character and keep harm at bay.
The learned man should behave with discretion.
If he fails to do so,
he will make himself vulnerable to external distractions,
and will be unable to engage in leisurely and untroubled pursuits.
When he applies his mind to something, he should avoid being obsessed with it.
If he fails to do so, he will become a slave of the external forces and
will not be able to enjoy unrestrained and lively pleasures.
The universe lasts forever, but a man cannot live through all eternity.
His lifespan is about 100 years, and even these 100 years pass quickly.
If a man is fortunate to live long enough, he should taste the happiness of life,
and at the same time keep in mind that to fritter away his days would be deplorable.
Resentment is aroused when a man fails to receive rewards for a favour he has done others.
So, instead of expecting rewards, he should forget about them, and therefore his resentment as well.
Hatred is aroused when a man fails to see gratitude that he thinks others owe him.
So, instead of thinking about it,
he should destroy the seeds of hatred along with expectations of gratitude.
The ailments of old age have their roots in the prime of life.
The hardships and suffering which come after the decline of one's career
have their roots in its acme of success.
That is why a man of virtue is especially careful in his heyday.
Trying to curry favour with individual is not as good as promoting public morality.
Making new friends is not as good as consolidating old friendships.
Creating a vainglorious reputation for oneself is not as good as quietly cultivating virtues.
Advocating flamboyant behaviour and extraordinary deeds is not as good as
acting cautiously in everyday life.
Never transgress against public opinion which is in line with righteousness;
to do so is to bring everlasting shame on oneself.
Do not set foot in places where power is wielded for private gain;
to do so is to sully yourself for life.
It is better to incur hatred by one's upright conduct than to please others by perverting your morals.
It is better to incur slander by refraining from evil deeds than to earn praise by unjust behaviour.
When unexpected troubles break out between family members, keep calm instead of being upset.
When a friend errs, be sure to give him kind advice and help him mend his ways; do not let him go his own way.
The true hero does not neglect small details;
nor does he commit trickery even though he is hidden from men's sight;
nor does he slacken his efforts even when beset by seemingly insuperable difficulties.
One thousand pieces of gold will not earn a moment of true friendship,
but a simple kindness like offering a meal may earn a lifetime's gratitude.
Love, if taken to extremes, can arouse enmity,
while no deep affection is required to generate great satisfaction.

Hide your acumen under the cover of seeming dullness.

Use the method of temporary retreat to make later advance.
These arc invaluable tactics for self-preservation.
To get along in the world is just like crossing a treacherous river;
you need a gourd to keep you afloat.
Even a wily hare has three burrows.
The factors of decay are already latent in times of greatest prosperity,
and a new lease of life starts to exist at a time when everything is in decay.
So, during peaceful and abundant times
a man of virtue pays attention to the possibility of disaster striking.
Conversely, during troubled times he redoubles his fortitude and maps out the course of his future success.
A person who is fascinated by wonders and novelties is one who cannot have far-reaching knowledge.
A person who is uniquely self demanding will not be able to preserve his virtue for very long.
惊奇喜异者，无远大之识；苦节独行者，非恒久之操。

Who is it that knows this frame of mind is wrong?
And who is it that, knowing it is wrong, deliberately makes him commit such inanity?
If the man can turn round at such a moment,
then the “demon"' who is leading him astray can be transformed into the “master”
who reflects the man's original true nature.
Do not listen only to one side or you will be easily fooled by evil people.
Do not be blinded by self-conceit and driven by self-will.
Do not use your strong points to belittle others.

It is necessary to use tactful methods to help a person overcome his faults.
If you use a confrontational and clamorous approach,
you will be using your own shortcomings to counter his.
It is necessary to employ subtle methods to reform a stubborn person.
If you simply get angry and bitter you will simply be using your own stubbornness to counter his.
When meeting an astute person who is not willing to converse much, do not rush to reveal your thoughts to him.
When meeting a person who is puffed up with pride, be careful what you say.
When your mind is befuddled you must concentrate and gather your thoughts together.
When you feel too much tension, you must relax by putting the matter on hand aside.
If you only know how to concentrate but not how to relax,
then your confusion will be replaced by mental instability.
A clear, rainless sky can suddenly change into one dominated by thunder and lightning.
A sky full of blustery wind and pelting rain can suddenly change into a scene of charming moonlight.
Can the movements of nature ever cease even for a moment?
Can even one iota of the essence of the universe ever be blocked up?
The nature of man is also like this.
Some men claim they arc too late in discerning their selfish desires and lack the strength to conquer them.
Other men say that although they have developed a keen perception of their selfish desires,
nevertheless fail to withstand the temptations of the flesh.
Therefore, we say that such power of perception is like a bright pearl
with which we can spy out the demons in our hearts,
and the strength out of a firm will is a splendid sword that can drive out those same demons.
We must never allow either our perception or our strength to diminish.
When you find that someone has cheated you, do not announce it.
When someone insults you, do not let your countenance betray your annoyance.
This will furnish you with an inexhaustible source of good humour and advantages.
A life of hardship, frustration and penury is a furnace and anvil upon which outstanding men are shaped.
Such trials benefit both body and mind.
Without them both body and mind tend to deteriorate.
Man's body is like a small cosmos.
So long as his joy and anger are not excessive, and his love and hatred are not lopsided,
there will be order and harmony.
In the universe, heaven and earth are the mother and father.
For a spirit of benevolence and harmony to prevail in the universe,
there must be no hatred or resentment among people,
and no calamities or dangers among living beings.
“One must never scheme against others, but one must always be wary of others.”
This is a warning against loss of vigilance.
“It is better to risk being cheated than always to assume beforehand that others are out to cheat you.”
This is a warning against premature or faulty judgements about others.
Keep these two admonitions side by side in your mind,
and you will be regarded as a man of keen sagacity and upright virtue.
Do not discard your views just because others doubt them.
Do not stick stubbornly to your own opinions while rejecting out of hand those of others.
Do not harm the general interest for private ends.
Do not try to muster public opinion to achieve your own satisfactions.
When making friends with good men, you should not suddenly become close to them.
Nor should you make your intentions widely known prematurely.
That way you risk incurring the slander of evil men.
When pushing bad people from you, you should not lightly banish them from your presence.
Nor should you prematurely disclose their misdeeds.
That way you risk allowing mischief-makers to stir up trouble.
An upright and virtuous personality, which shines like broad daylight,
is fostered in a dark hut with a leaky roof.
The art of ruling the world is formed and gradually perfected with the same great caution and circumspection
with which a man walks along the edge of a precipice or on a lake covered with a thin sheet of ice.
The father is kind to his children. The children are filial to their parents.
Elder brothers cherish younger brothers, who in turn respect their elder brothers.
Even if such conduct reaches the acme of perfection, it is no more than what ought to be done;
it is not a matter of gratitude.
If a father congratulates himself on being kind to his children,
and if the children want to measure their rewards for his kindness,
then family members become strangers and kinship ties are reduced to the level of market transactions.
If there is beauty there must be ugliness.
If I do not boast of my beauty, how can anyone call me ugly?
The counterpart of cleanliness is filthiness.
If I do not boast of my cleanliness, how can anyone call me dirty?
The fickleness of human relationships is more striking among the rich than among the poor.
Suspicion and jealousy are more painful between kindred than between strangers.
Thus, if people cannot face such a painful situation with a cool head and a peaceful mind,
they can hardly escape being in a constant state of vexation.
There should be no ambiguity as regards others' merits and failures.
Otherwise, people will become slack and cease to strive to advance.
However, favours done for others and grudges held against others should not be too clear-cut.
Otherwise, people will shy away from you.
A man should beware of reaching too high a position, for he might bring danger upon himself.
A man's accomplishments should not be too perfect, for that is the point at which decline sets in.
A man should avoid too high a reputation for his virtues, for that provokes gossip and slander.
It would be harmful for someone to cover up his bad deeds, or publicise his good behaviour.

Good done in public is not worth much;
good done secretly produces the greatest benefit.
Virtue is the master of talent, and talent is the servant of virtue.
Talent without virtue is like a household without a master and run entirely by the servants.
How many masters are there who have their houses run entirely by the servants and
yet without making a havoc of their homes?

The result will be that the rat will chew up all your treasured possessions.
You can help others shoulder the blame for faults,
but you cannot share the kudos of achievement with others.
Sharing the kudos of achievement with others leads to mutual jealousy.
You can bear hardships with others, but you cannot share comforts with others.
Seeking to share comforts with others leads to mutual enmity.
A learned man who is poor has no way to assist other people by means of material wealth.
But when he meets a person who is confused and has lost his way in life,
he should say the right words to open his eyes to the truth.
When he meets a person who is struggling with difficulties,
he should say the right words to solve his problems.
This constitutes boundless beneficence.
When we are hungry we seek relief from others.
When we have full stomachs we shun others.
If there is a warm shelter, we all flock to it.
If there is a freezing shanty, we all turn our backs on it.
This is a common flaw in human nature.
The virtuous man makes his gaze ever cooler and brighter;
on no account does he lightly assert his upright nature.
Virtue increases along with magnanimity;
magnanimity arises from the increase in man's knowledge.
Therefore, if you wish to increase your virtue you must make yourself more magnanimous,
and to do so you must increase your knowledge.
When the candle flame flutters weakly and there is no sound on earth, it is time for us to go to sleep.
In the dawn, when one has just woken from sleep and nothing is yet astir, it is time for us to start the day with a sober mind.
If we take advantage of such a time to reflect upon ourselves, like sunlight shining on our souls,
we will then realise that our ears, eyes, mouths and noses are fetters upon our understanding,
and that our carnal desires and addictions are instruments for confusing our true natures.
A person who engages in self-reflection
turns everything he comes into contact with into a good tonic which keeps him alert.
But a man who is always blaming others
turns every single thought into a spear with which to harm others.
Self-reflection is like blazing a trail to all good things,
whereas blaming others is like opening up a channel to the wellspring of all evils:
The two are as far apart as Heaven and Earth.
Accomplishments and hallowed writings perish with their creators.
The spirit, however, is everlasting.
Official position, wealth and fame change with the passage of time, but moral integrity remains constant.
The virtuous man must on no account sacrifice his spirit in pursuit of accomplishments and literary fame,
nor moral integrity for wealth and power.
When a trap is set for fish it sometimes happens that a frog blunders into it.
A mantis stalks a cicada, only to fall prey to the unseen finch following it.
There are wheels within wheels, and cataclysms can occur outside cataclysms.
Of what value or reliability are man's wisdom and schemes?

When dealing with the world,
if a person does not approach matters with a flexible and nimble mind,
he will become a lifeless and wooden object, and encounter obstacles everywhere.
When there are no waves on the surface of the pond, the water is naturally still.
When the dust is cleaned from a mirror, it is naturally bright.
Therefore, it is not necessary to clean your heart:
just get rid of muddy and misleading thoughts, and your pure spirit will naturally emerge.
Likewise, it is not necessary to seek happiness;
just get rid of the pain in your heart, and happiness will naturally abide there.
There are times when a single thought can transgress the taboos of the gods and ghosts,
when one word can mar the harmony of the universe,
when one action can bring disaster upon one's descendants.
One should be especially vigilant against such things.
There are some things which, when we are anxious to understand them,
become more obscure the harder we try to grasp them.
But if you allow them to take their own course, they may become clearer.
Therefore it follows that we should guard against impatience so as not to upset others.
There are some people who, the more you try to guide them, the more rebellious they become.
But if they are allowed to develop in their own way their stubbornness may melt away of its own accord.
Therefore, we should not press them, and thereby make them even more stubborn.
Even though you are so righteous that you can look down upon those of rank and wealth,
and even though your literary works surpass the classics in refinement and elegance,
if such accomplishments do not arise from the moulding of your virtue,
such rectitude amounts to no more than a momentary surging of vigour in an individual,
and such literary works no more than paltry scribbling.
A person should consider retiring
when his career is at its zenith and his fortunes are at their height.
When considering where to live as a recluse,
a person should choose a place most undesirable in the eyes of all others.
When being punctilious about upright conduct,
be sure to be so even in the most trifling affairs.
When doing charitable deeds,
do so to benefit people who cannot repay you.
It is better to associate with the hermits of the wilds than make Philistines one's intimates.
It is better to be close to ordinary people and poor scholars than to frequent the mansions of the mighty.
It is better to listen to the songs of woodcutters and herdsmen than to pay attention to street comer gossip.
It is better to chat about the fine words and deeds of the ancients than
to gossip about the decadence and failings of the modems.
Morality is the underpinning of achievement.
If the foundations are infirm, the edifice will not last long.
Whether your heart is good or not determines whether your descendants prosper or not.
Well-planted roots are what branches and leaves need to thrive.
There is an old saying which tells about people
who “cast away their family wealth and go about begging with a begging bowl.”
Another adage goes:
“An upstart should not brag and boast like a madman talking in his sleep.
Is there any household without smoke spiralling from its kitchen chimney?”
The first warns us against not knowing ourselves; the second warns us against conceit.
We scholars should draw important lessons from them.
The Tao is something that concerns all people.
Different people need different guidance.
Study is like everyday homely fare.
A man should strive to enhance his understanding of different subjects according to actual circumstances.
He who has faith in others must be himself an honest man, even though others may not be all honest.
He who is suspicious of others must have some dishonest ideas himself, even though others may not be all dishonest.
A man of magnanimity is like the spring zephyr, which warms and enlivens all things.
A jealous man is as bleak as the blizzard, which blights everything it comes into contact with.
The benefit accruing from good deeds may not be immediately apparent,
but the fruit of benevolence is like a melon in the grass;
it grows without being noticed.
The consequences of evil deeds may not be clear at first,
but one's good character will surely melt away like spring snow in the courtyard.
When meeting an old friend, your feelings should be even more tender than before.
In handling esoteric matters, you should be more magnanimous and fair-minded than before.
When meeting the old and frail, you should be extra courteous and respectful.
The truly hardworking man strives to improve his nature and virtue.
But there are some people who are diligent simply in order to escape from poverty.
Truly thrifty people are indifferent to wealth and selfish gain.
But there are some people who utilise thrift to disguise their own niggardliness.
How lamentable it is that what a virtuous man uses for self-cultivation
should be abused by blackguards as tools for self-enrichment.
People who do things upon impulse are likely to stop doing things upon impulse.
How can they make steady progress?
A man whose comprehension is based merely upon feelings
is just as likely to be deceived as to gain wisdom.
For him, there is no such thing as a constantly lit lamp.
We should forgive the transgressions of others, but not those of ourselves.
We should be patient in the face of our own sufferings and humiliations,
but not in the face of those inflicted upon others.
He who can shuffle off the commonplace is an outstanding person.
But he who makes a fetish of being different from others is not outstanding, but eccentric.
Not being contaminated by the mainstream is called purity.
But shunning all connection with the mainstream in order to seek purity is not purity; it is extremism.
When being benevolent to others,
start by doing them small favours,
and later bestow great kindness.
If your kindness goes from bountiful to meagre,
others will easily forget what they have received.
When exerting authority, be severe at first, and later be more tolerant.
If your authority starts off weak and increases in harshness, you will incur resentment.
Only when there are no impure thoughts in your mind can you discern your true nature.
To seek one's true nature while still enmeshed in erroneous thoughts
is like disturbing the surface of the water while trying to see the moon's reflection.
When all thoughts are pure, the heart then becomes clear.
Without ousting the worldly concerns that afflict the mind,
not only will it be vain to seek one's true nature,
it will make that nature even more obscure.
If I have rank and power, people fatter me.
But the fact is that they are simply fawning on my fine official robes.
If I am in a lowly station in life, people browbeat me.
But the fact is that it is my humble attire that they are sneering at.
So if the toadies are not actually Battering me, why should I be smug?
And if the bullies are not actually bullying me, why should I feel aggrieved?
An old saying goes, “Leave scraps of food out so that the mice don't starve,
and blow out the candle so that the poor moths don't burn to death.”
This merciful attitude of the ancients is what enables mankind to propagate and flourish.
Without such a kind heart, a man is no more than a soulless empty shell.
Man is basically just like Heaven.

How can man do without any of his emotions — his happiness, anger, benevolence and sternness?
So long as his emotions follow a natural course — now rising, now dying away —
and so long as there are no obstacles blocking the way,
man's heart will keep on beating in the way the cosmos keeps on moving.
When one is unoccupied, the mind easily becomes befogged.
At such times one should accentuate stillness to clarify the thoughts and seek enlightenment.
When one is busy, the mind easily becomes agitated.
At such times one should sober up and master oneself with calmness of thought.
People who make comments on a matter are on the outside.
They ought to understand the true situation regarding gains and losses.
People who are handling the matter are on the inside.
They should cast aside all considerations of gains and losses.
When a scholar is in a position of power and authority he must be strict and upright in performing his duties.
He must be cordial and accessible in his dealings with people.
He must not curry favour with the powerful,
nor must he associate with those who use their position and influence for private ends.
At the same time, he must not go to extremes in upholding his principles;
otherwise he may fall a victim to the treacherous schemes of vile persons.
A person who flaunts his high moral principles and standards
will certainly set slanderous tongues wagging.
A person who boasts of his knowledge about Neo-Confucianism
will often be the object of censure.
So while a virtuous man keeps clear of wrongdoing,
he should also refrain from seeking a prominent reputation.
He should concentrate on preserving his inner purity and calmness.
This is the best way to conduct oneself in society.
When you meet a sly and crafty man, use sincerity to make him change his ways.
When you meet a violent and perverse man, use a spirit of calmness and benevolence to win him over.
When you meet an unrighteous and self-seeking man, use your fine reputation and integrity to change him.
In this way there will be nobody in the world whom you cannot mould under your influence.
A kind thought can help bring harmony to humanity.
A pure heart can bequeath its noble virtue to generation after generation.
Secret plotting, eccentric manners, singular talents and extraordinary behaviour
are the wellsprings of calamity in the mundane world.
It is only by means of commonplace virtue and actions
that one can preserve intact one's natural essence and lead a peaceful and stable life.
There is a saying which goes:
"If you wish to climb a mountain you must endure the perilous path;
if you wish to tread the snows you must endure the sky bridge."
The word "endure" is full of significance.
How many men, when faced with the stark evil of the world as they trudge along life's tortuous path,
encounter disaster because they fail to cling tight to "endurance"?
A person who brags of his accomplishments and shows off his literary creations
is relying on external things to play his role as a human being.
In actual fact, it is only when a person has retained the shining purity of his inner nature
that he can live and work as an honest man,
even though he has not accomplished anything in his whole life nor written a single word.
If you wish to obtain a moment's relaxation in a period of rush and hurry,
you must learn how to seize it beforehand.
If you wish to obtain a moment's peace and quiet in the midst of noise and clamour,
you must master the art of grasping tranquillity beforehand.
If you do not make such preparations,
then you will always have to change according to circumstances and
may get into a panic at any event that takes you by surprise.
Do not go against the promptings of your conscience.
Do not pervert your ordinary human feelings.
Do not use up your financial resources.
Following these three exhortations is equivalent to setting up an ideal for people on earth,
helping them to take their destiny into their own hands and create happiness for their posterity.
There are two precepts to be followed while serving in public life.
The first is that fair judgements can only be made with an impartial mind.
The second is that true authority only attaches to upright officials.
In governing a household there are likewise two precepts to be followed.
The first is that peace and harmony reign where forbearance prevails.
The second is that thrift ensures abundance of supplies.
When you are enjoying riches and prestige,
always be aware of the hardships of people in straitened and humble circumstances.
When you are in the prime of youth,
be ever sympathetic to the difficulties and pains of the old folks.
In exercising self-discipline, do not seek such purity as to be free of all taint.
Be prepared to tolerate insult and slander.
Do not be too selective in choosing people you will associate with,
but be prepared to accept a mixture of fine qualities and degenerate ones.
Do not incur the enmity of people of low character; they have their own foes.
Do not toady to accomplished men; they do not bestow favours as ordinary people do.
Disorders brought about by giving rein to one's carnal desires are simple to pul right,
but those which arise from mistaken perception of circumstances and trends are difficult to rectify.
Barriers formed of material things are easy to clear away,
but barriers to understanding are difficult to dismantle.
Tempering one's body and mind must be done in the same way as smelting gold one hundred times;
to do it in a hurried and careless way would result in a flawed and substanceless shell.
Embarking on an enterprise is like drawing a mighty crossbow:
a light tug on the string will not enable the bolt to hit the target.
In your conduct you should prefer the distrust and slander of the unworthy to their flattery.
By the same token, you should prefer the censure of the upright man to his forgiveness.
A man who pursues profit to the neglect of righteousness
does evil which is obvious to all and so the harm he causes is not serious.
The man who fishes for fame and cloaks his wrongful deeds in a shroud of virtue and good conduct
does evil which is hidden and thus the harm he causes is serious.
To receive bountiful kindness and not to think of repaying the bestower;
to suffer a slight injustice and be determined to seek redress;
to hear vague details of someone else's wrongdoing and to harbour no doubt about it;
and to be sceptical about an obviously good deed.
All these are the hallmarks of a man of low character.
People must be on guard against and keep away from him.
Calumny uttered against men of rectitude is like a wisp of cloud which floats in front of the sun;
the sun will soon shine forth bright and clear again.
But flattery is like a baleful wind infiltrating a cranny and invading the body; its harm is unperceived.
Trees do not grow on a mountainside which is too steep,
but the winding river valleys are lush with vegetation.
No fish linger in swift torrents, but in deep pools there is plenty of aquatic life.
These analogies are a warning to virtuous men against narrow-mindedness as well as a supercilious attitude.
Men of achievement arc mostly modest and flexible.
Those who are pig-headed and refuse to listen to others' opinions invariably fail to seize opportunities,
with the result that their ventures come to nothing.
In conducting yourself in society,
you should not blindly follow social conventions,
nor should you strain after novelty.
In whatever you do,
try not to arouse the disgust of others,
nor go out of your way to gain their favour.
As the sun is about to set, the western sky takes on a brilliant rosy hue.
The autumn grows late, yet orange blossoms are more fragrant than in any other season.
So, in his old age the virtuous man finds his spirit refreshed and ready for outstanding achievements.
The eagle stands as if asleep on its perch.
The tiger prowls as if afflicted with illness.
It is in these postures that they prepare to seize and gobble up their prey.

He will then be in a position to shoulder weighty burdens.
Thrift is a fine quality, but if it is taken to extremes
it becomes niggardliness and results in a flaw in one's otherwise sterling conduct.
Modesty too is a splendid trait, but if it is taken to extremes
it becomes cringing subservience,
and one ends up being suspected by others of having a treacherous mind.
Do not fret when things do not go as you wish them to;
do not rejoice when all is smooth sailing;
do not expect stable times to last long;
and be not dismayed when difficulties crop up at the beginning of your ventures.
A family given to excessive carousing and banqueting is not a good family.
A scholar who is too attracted to fame and vanity is not a good scholar.
An official who puts too much store by exalted rank is not a good official.
People generally regard the things that please them as pleasures.
But a mind besotted with pleasure will in the end plunge into an abyss of misery.
The enlightened man regards difficulties and setbacks as pleasures.
Eventually bitterness changes into felicity.
A man who has all that his heart desires is like a vessel full to the brim;
a single drop more and the liquid will spill.
A man in a crisis is like a piece of wood under extreme tension;
another iota of pressure and it will snap.
With calm eyes gauge your fellow men;
with calm ears listen to their words;
with a calm heart deal with emotional matters;
with a calm mind find the reason in things.
A man of accomplished humanity has a magnanimous and expansive heart.
He is prosperous and eternally blessed, and everything he does is tinged with magnanimity and expansiveness.

When you hear that someone has done evil, do not rush to condemn him,
for it may be that an enemy of his is merely slandering him.
When you hear that someone has done good, do not rush to be close to him,
for it may be a ruse used by a wicked man to lure you.
A person who is rash and careless will botch everything he attempts,
whereas a man who is calm and peaceful will find blessings accruing to him one after the other.
In your dealings with men do not be too acerbic,
otherwise people who could be helpful to you will drift away.
In making friends do not be too indiscriminate;
that way, you will gather false flatterers around you.
In times of storm and stress, set your feet firm.
When your affairs are running at their smoothest, let your gaze roam afar.
When life's road becomes bumpy and dangerous, make sure to turn back in time.
A person who advocates upright conduct
should temper his character with pleasantness in order to avoid clashes with others.
A person who seeks high honours and rank
should cultivate the virtue of modesty in order not to fall a victim to envy.
When enjoying official rank, you must not be easily accessible
when granting interviews to those seeking letters of recommendation;
that way you will nip in the bud the efforts of flatterers to seek advancement through sheer luck.
When returning to your native place after retirement,
you should be highly approachable instead of keeping aloof, so as to strengthen old ties of friendship.
It is essential to regard those in high office with awe,
so that one does not slip into carelessness and irreverence.
It is essential also to treat people of low station with reverence,
so that one does not get an obnoxious reputation as a bully.
When things are not going as well as you would wish,
call to mind those who are in an even worse situation.
Then your resentment will disappear.
When you find your spirits flagging,
think of those who have made achievements surpassing your own.

You must not make rash promises just because you are in a good mood.
You must not fly into a rage on the excuse that you are drunk.
You must not let conceit turn your head and land you in trouble.
You must not abandon a task on the pretext of weariness.
A person who is good at studying is able to understand the essence of a book to the extent
that his hands and feet dance with delight;
only then can he avoid being satisfied by merely getting the literal meanings of the words.
A person who is good at observing phenomena will continue his observations
until he gets into the innermost substance of the object;
only then can he avoid a judgment based on superficial features.
Heaven makes a man wise so that he can teach and enlighten the masses of ignorant folk.
But there are men who go around displaying their talent and learning
simply to show how deficient the others are in these qualities.
Heaven makes a man rich so that he can help to relieve the poverty of the masses of common people.
But there are men who use their wealth to bully the poor.
Does Heaven really intend to punish the masses of the people in this way?

You can study and work together with these two types of people.
People who are innately gifted with only mediocre intellects have a certain degree of perception and understanding.
Such people are subjective in their appraisals and suspicions, and it is difficult to collaborate with them.
The mouth is the doorway of the heart.
If it is not closely guarded, your true motives and intentions will spill out.
Thoughts are the feet of the heart.
If the thoughts are not well controlled you may find yourself travelling the road to damnation.
If a person who takes another to task
can find something blameless in the other's transgression,
he will be a fair-minded man.
If a person can search for something blameworthy in the midst of his innocent deeds,
one will steadily improve one's conduct as a result.
A child is an adult of tomorrow.
A successful candidate at the imperial examination of the lowest level can be a high official of tomorrow.
If proper education is not given at the early stage,
neither the man in society nor the official at court will be of much use to the country.
When a virtuous man finds himself in dire straits he is not worried;
it is feast and leisure that worry him and make him vigilant.
When he encounters with the rich and powerful he is undaunted,
but when he meets old folks living in solitude, he never fails to show his sympathy.
Peach and plum blossoms have a deep and fine lustre,
but how can they compare to the integrity of evergreens like the pine and cypress,
which flourish all the year round?
Pear and apricot trees bear lush, sweet fruit,
but how can they compare to the delicate fragrance of the orange or tangerine.
What is gorgeous quickly fades; what is plain lasts long.
Flowers that bloom early are inferior to those that come to fruition late.
How profound this truth is!
It is only when you arc living amidst calm and stillness
that you can perceive the real topography of human life.
It is only by living on coarse fare and spending your days devoid of distractions
that you can acquire knowledge of the real aspect of the human nature.
It does not always follow that
those who are constantly talking about the delights of the hermit's life
really understand the bliss of such a life.
And it does not always follow that
those who profess to find talk of rank and wealth distasteful
have completely banished from their minds all thoughts of rank and wealth.
Seated by the waterside
fishing is a pleasant and leisurely occupation,
but you still wield the power of life and death.
Chess is a refined pastime,
but the spirit of combat still resides in your heart.
So, delight in action is not as good as eschewing action,
and possession of talent is not as good as lack of talent in preserving man's basic essence!
In spring the birds sing, the flowers blossom and the mountains and valleys put on their best gowns.
But this is nothing but an illusory world, cloaked in the myriad things by Nature.
But in autumn the mountain streams dry up, revealing the naked rocks,
the trees wither and the cliffs are bald and bare.
This is the time when Nature shows her real face.
Time is, in its essence, boundless;
it is busy, harassed people who feel the pressure caused by lack of time.
The world is infinitely vast;
it is petty-minded people who think that it is small and cramped.
The delights of Nature are there for people's enjoyment;
but people in a frantic rush see them as sources of trouble.
To enjoy the beauties of Nature one does not have to travel to dozens of renowned spots;
a pond of clear water and a few rocks of strange shape can contain all the delights of natural landscapes.
To grasp the subtlety of Nature, it is not necessary to journey to awesome mountains or beautiful lakes;
it is sufficient to sit quietly in a humble cottage and
let the breeze brush your cheek and the moonlight shine upon you.
The sound of a temple bell on a still midnight can waken the great dream of life.
Like the moon seen in a limpid pool, the spirit can be glimpsed outside the flesh.
The cries of birds and the chirping of insects express their innermost feelings.
The splendour of flowers and the hues of grasses are invariably the revelations of the laws of Nature.
When a learned man's spirit is bright and his heart is clear,
he can draw inspiration front whatever he comes into contact with.
People can only read books written by using the forms of letters;
they cannot read books written without using the forms of letters.
They only know how to play lutes equipped with strings;
they do not know how to play lutes without strings.
When they use things they do so by relying on their outer forms,
they cannot use them by means of grasping their inner spirits.
Reading and playing the lute in this way,
how can they penetrate to the core of excellence of these things?
If you have no desire for material gain,
your mind will be as broad and bright as a cloudless autumn sky or a vast expanse of sea on a sunny day.
Then, with your lute and books to keep you company,
you will feel as free from all worldly cares as a hermit living in a mountain cave.
Crowds of guests and riotous feasting make one merry enough.
But late at night the candles have burned down,
the incense is extinguished and the fragrant tea is cold,
the wine lees are repulsive and weariness sets in.
The world is like this: why not turn back in good time?
If you can ascertain the joy that is in everything in the mundane world,
then you will enjoy supreme bliss, as if forever viewing the scenery of the Five Great Lakes.
If you can unravel the mysteries of our days,
then you will be able to grasp the secret of success of all the heroes of ancient times.
The mountains, the rivers and the land are seen as no more than a tiny speck of dust in the universe,
so how much smaller must a man seem!
If bodies made of flesh and blood are reduced to no more than bubbles at last,
then how much more fleeting must position and power, which are outside the body, seem!
But only a man of supreme wisdom can have such clarity of perception to understand this.
When light is as fleeting as a spark struck from flint, how much light is there to fight over?
When the world is as tiny as a snail's horn, how much territory can you wrest?
A candle that is burning out has no flames.
A garment that is worn out can no longer keep the body warm.
There is little use for their existence.
If a person has a body like rotten wood, and a heart like dying ashes,
he will have no place to go except to disappear into the void.
When a man is engaged in some task, he should desist as soon as he wants to do so.
If he is seeking an opportunity to rest, then the situation will be like marriage:
although the process is completed there is no shortage of things to do afterwards.
To become a Buddhist monk or a Taoist priest is a fine thing,
but worldly concerns arc not completely expunged from the heart.
The ancients said, "If you want to stop working and stop straight away, it will be impossible to get things doneto fruition."
How enlightened these words are!
In moments of calm take time to reflect on the hustle and bustle,
and you will realize how futile it was.
If you take a moment's respite at a time when you are busy,
you will realize how meaningful the taste of leisure is.
A man with a spirit which regards riches and power as no more than the scudding clouds
has no need to sequester himself in remote mountains and pursue the hermit's life.
A person who is not enraptured with the scenery of mountains and streams
may still enjoy life by drinking wine and reciting poetry from time to time.
If others want to go chasing after fame and wealth, let them;
there is no need to resent the fact that their minds are besotted with such things.
If your own mind is calm and self-composed, and is not driven by impulse to seek fame and fortune,
there will be no need to boast that you alone are sober-minded.
This is what Buddhism teaches about
not being confused by superficial phenomena and
not being fettered by predestined relationships, and
as a consequence liberating both body and mind.
Whether time is long or short depends on subjective conception.
Likewise, whether space is broad or narrow depends on how your mind perceives it.
Therefore, to a person whose mind is at leisure
the space of a single day can be longer than a thousand years.
To a person of broad mental horizons
a tiny hovel can seem as vast as the very universe itself.
Reduce the number of things you need to do in order to enjoy life
until all that is left is raising flowers and planting bamboos.
Even these will eventually be returned to nature.
Concerning worldly things, forget them and then forget again until there is nothing left to forget.
Only burning ceremonial incense and boiling contemplative tea will remain part of an unworldly life.
A person who is contented with things that come to pass lives like an immortal.
A person who is discontented with things that come to pass lives as a philistine.

Toadying to the powerful brings the swiftest and most tragic disaster.
The enjoyment of tranquillity and peace when one is indifferent to fame and gain is everlasting.
By day, walking alone with a staff through the pine-covered gully,
a man pauses, and the mists from the mountain crevices wind round his tattered robe.
By night, sleeping beneath a window made of bamboo slats, head pillowed on a book,
he wakes, and sees the chilly moonlight on the flimsy blanket.
Lust is as intense and hard to bear as a flame.
But when one thinks of how abandoning oneself to lust can bring about illness and suffering,
the fire of desire can immediately turn into a heap of cold ashes.
Fame and fortune are as enticing as delicious sweets.
But when one thinks of how striving for name and gain can result in death,
then they at once become tasteless.
Therefore, if you constantly bear in mind suffering and death
you will eradicate lust and craving for fame and wealth from your heart,
and strengthen your desire for enlightenment.
When everybody is struggling to get ahead on a narrow road, the way seems even more congested.
But if, at such a time, you step back a pace
you will immediately find that the way has become a bit more spacious.
Rich and pungent food may be stimulating for a few moments,
but it is plain dishes that leave a nice aftertaste.
If you wish to preserve your mind untroubled in hectic times,
you must train your spirit to be pure and clear in times of leisure.
If you want to be composed and fearless in the face of death,
you must get a thoroughgoing grasp of things,
and know clearly that where there is life there is also death.
Among hermits there is neither worldly esteem nor worldly disgrace;
along the path of justice there should be no favouring of some and rejecting of others.
There is no need to make efforts to get rid of parching heat;
all you have to do is expel vexing thoughts about parching heat from your mind.
Then you will always feel as if you are on a breeze-cooled terrace.
There is little you can do in coping with poverty;
but you can drive out distressing thoughts about poverty from your mind.
If you do so, even if you live in a freezing hovel
you will always feel as if you are living in a comfortable nest.
At times when you are making great strides forward in your undertakings,
keep in mind the fact that at some time in the future matters may not go so smoothly,
and you must think of a way to step backward.
This is perhaps the only way for you to avoid the disasters
which are inherent in both advance and retreat.
When you set your hand to a task, it is best to first figure out a good way to wind it up.
This is perhaps the only way for you to avoid the problem of "riding a tiger" (it is dangerous to dismount).

Even if you raise him to the rank of duke, he will resent the fact that he has not been appointed a marquis.
Such people, no matter how exalted in wealth and power, still have the mentality of beggars and are never satisfied.
A man contented with his lot in life, on the other hand,
may eat plain food and find it more delicious than sumptuous dishes,
and find the garb of the common people warmer than robes of fox and ermine.
Despite his humble station, he will be happier than princes and dukes.
It is better to conceal one's fame than to trumpet it abroad.
It is better to do little and find peace and relaxation than
to busy oneself trying to become well-versed in the world's affairs.
A person who is inclined to quietude
can penetrate the mystery of the Way just by gazing at the clouds in the sky and the hidden rocks in the gullies.
A person who pursues honour and fame
finds relief from fatigue in the enjoyment of fine singing and dancing.
Only he who preserves his natural essence
will find a world naturally congenial to himself wherever he goes.
And he will feel carefree and happy in whatever circumstances —
whether being busy in high office or being idle in solitary obscurity.
When a patch of cloud floats among mountain peaks,
it cares not whether it hovers or drifts.
The serenity of the bright moon hanging in the night sky
has no connection whatsoever with worldly flurry.
A truly pleasing taste is found not in rich and rare dishes, but in plain food and drink.
Heartache is not a product of a life of solitude, but a life of gaiety often brings vexation and anxiety.
Therefore, be aware that sensuous delights are ephemeral,
and true enjoyment is only to be found in a cloistered life and simple tastes.
The Chan (Zen) Buddhist sect teaches:
“When you are hungry, eat; when you are tired, sleep.”
The secret of composing poetry is
“Take the scene in front of your eyes, and express it in colloquial language.”
The loftiest and most profound truth has its original home in the most commonplace,
and the most difficult accomplishment emerges from the easiest.
A man who determines to accomplish something ends up far from doing so,
while a man who has no intention of accomplishing it comes nearest to doing so.
The people who live on the banks of the rivers
do not hear the sound of the water as it flows past them.
From this we can appreciate the profound truth that
it is possible to achieve tranquillity in the midst of turmoil.
No matter how high the mountains are, they do not hinder the passage of the clouds.
From this we can appreciate the subtle mystery of emergence from the solid and entry to the empty.
Mountains and forests are places of beautiful scenery, but once people flock to them, they turn into market places.
Calligraphy and painting are things of elegance, but once people start to covet them, refined scholars become shrewd merchants.
So long as the heart is not contaminated with aspirations for fame and wealth,
then even though one lives in the mundane world filled with base desires it will be like living in Paradise.
But once one's heart is beguiled by the temptations of fame and wealth, this fairyland will become a real sea of suffering.
When you find yourself in the midst of clamour and confusion,
many of the things in your memory are all completely forgotten.
When you are in a state of repose,
the things that have slipped your mind in the past all suddenly appear vividly in your brain.
Thus, it is plain that
a slight difference in your circumstances makes a big difference in the degree of clarity of your mind.
With a quilt stuffed with reed catkins for a blanket, sleep beneath the clouds and surrounded by snow.
This way, you will be able to retain the purity of your heart.
With a cup of local wine, recite poetry extolling nature.
Then you will distance yourself from the world of men and their din.
Allowing a country recluse with his rude walking slick into the ranks of officials in all their finery
would raise the refined tone of the gathering.
An official dressed in all his robes of state who joined a group of fishermen or woodcutters on the road
would only make the company even more uncouth.
So we can see from this that
riches and ostentation are not as good as plainness and simplicity, and vulgarity cannot compare to refinement.
The way to transcend the mean world is to temper oneself in the course of dealing with people;
there is no need to retire from the world and stop associating with people.
The way to purify one's mind lies in fully exercising its powers;
there is no need to turn it into dead ashes by eschewing completely all worldly thoughts.
If my body is often in a state of leisure,
no considerations of either glory and shame or gain and loss can sway me.
If my mind is constantly in a state of stillness,
no considerations of right and wrong or benefit and harm can confuse me.
Lingering by the bamboo fence, I hear the bark of dogs and the cluck of hens.
Suddenly I feel as though I am in the land of the immortals.
From outside my study window come the chirping of crickets and the cawing of crows.
Then I realize that in silence there is another world.
If I care not for fame and riches, why should material gains and similar things trouble me?
If I do not struggle along the road that leads to high official position,
what terrors can the vicissitudes of official life hold for me?
Wandering among mountains and forests, springs and rocks,
cravings for fame and fortune are wafted from the mind.
In poetry, calligraphy and painting
one effortlessly finds contentment and worldly stirrings pass away unnoticed.
Thus, the virtuous man, without indulging in sensuous pleasures and losing his lofty aspirations,
often finds a place where he can foster both body and mind.
In the spring the gorgeous brocade-like scene makes people light hearted.
But spring cannot compare to autumn, with its snowy clouds and clear breezes,
the fragrance of orchids and osmanthus, and the sky and the water merging into the same colour.
In autumn the sky and the earth are vast and bright,
bringing to the body and spirit a freshness without compare.
A person who, knowing not a single letter, speaks words full of poetic cadences
has reached the inner genius of the poet.
A person who, having learned not a single Buddhist chant, speaks words full of Buddhist wisdom
has plumbed the arcane mysteries of Buddhism.
A person with a wicked and restless mind tends to see ghosts and spirits everywhere.
He imagines the reflection of a bow in his wine cup to be a snake,
and the rock half-hidden in the undergrowth to be a lurking tiger:
Whatever he looks upon has a sinister connotation.
On the other hand, a person with a tranquil and trusting mind gazes upon a rock and sees a seagull, where others see a tiger.
The raucous clamour of frogs is sweet music to him, and whatever he comes into contact with assumes an auspicious aspect.
The body is like an untethered boat; it drifts with the current until it bumps against the shore.

It is normal for people to find the cry of the oriole pleasant and the croak of the frog irksome.
It is also normal for people to cultivate flowers when beholding them and to eradicate weeds when seeing them.
These are simply our reactions to external images and things.
If we examine the basic essence of things,
we will recognize that the oriole and the frog alike utter cries prompted by their innate natures,
and both flowers and weeds flourish at the dictate of their vital springs.
Hair and teeth fall, out in accordance with the vicissitudes of the flesh.
From the songs of the birds and the blooming of the flowers
we can realize that the law of nature is everlasting.
A heart filled with desires could create surging waves on a frozen pond.
A person with such a heart would not find tranquillity even in the depths of the mountains and forests.
On the other hand, a man whose heart contains no distracting thoughts would find even the dog days cool,
and would not notice the hubbub even in a crowded market.
When a man accumulates a great store of wealth, he becomes susceptible to losing a large fortune.
From this we can know that a rich man has more worries than a poor man.
When a man ascends to a lofty position too quickly, it is hard for him to avoid toppling to the ground.
From this we can know that a man of high rank does not rest as easy as a commoner.
Reading the Book of Changes by an open window in the early morning,
use the dew dripping from the pine trees to make cinnabar ink with which to underline passages of outstanding wisdom.
At noon, standing by the study table expounding on Buddhist Scriptures,
tap the jade chimes and let their tinkling be carried far and wide by the wind in the bamboos.
When a flower is planted in a pot it may wax luxuriant, but in the end it will lack the vitality of natural growth.
When a bird is housed in a cage it may sing as before, but its natural exuberance will be decreased.
The captive flower and bird will not be like the flowers and birds
which mingle freely in the mountains and form that natural tableau which so delights people's hearts.
It is the freedom and contentment of the wild bird's soaring flight
that enables a person to grasp the zest of Nature.
The unenlightened man is self-centred,
and therefore has many addictions and at the same time many worries.
It was said in olden times:
"If you don't keep reflecting on your own existence,
how can you consider the objects outside you as important?"
Again: "If you recognize that your fleshly body is not your real self, how can worries enter your mind?"
Really words that hit home.
When an old man looks back on his youthful days,
it is easy for him to banish the desires for fame and gain from his mind.
When a frustrated man looks back on his past honours and achievements,
it is easy for him to cast aside all dreams of luxury and opulence.
The ways of man and the world change in the twinkling of an eye,
so they must not be taken too seriously.
In the words of Shao Yong:
"What was previously called 'I' has now become 'He'.
I wonder who today's 'I' will afterwards become?"
If a man would often reflect thus, he would be able to dispel cares from his breast.
If you can view all matters with sober eyes when caught up in the hustle and bustle of worldly strivings,
you will be able to eradicate the troublesome thoughts that cause you anguish.
If you can preserve the warmth of vitality in your heart when the world seems a cold and desolate place,
you will be able to find many sources of true joy.
Wherever there is happiness, there also must be its counterpart in sorrow.
Wherever there is a fine scene, there also must be an unpleasant sight.
Therefore, by eating homely fare and being contented with your lot, you will find paradise.
Open the curtain and gaze upon the green mountains and pure streams enveloped in fleecy clouds;
then you will appreciate how untrammelled and self-contained Nature is.
Contemplating the jade green bamboos and the lush trees and how the swallows and turtledoves herald the changes in the seasons,
you will feel that you and the world are one.
If a person realizes that as long as success exists so does failure,
he will not be so desirous of success.
If he knows that where there is life there must also be death,
he will not waste too much energy seeking to prolong life.
An exalted Buddhist monk of ancient times once said,
“The flickering shadow of a bamboo on steps cannot remove the dust from them.
Moonbeams shining on a pond leave no traces on the water.”
A Confucian scholar commented,
“Even with torrents raging and roaring, the quiet surroundings remain undisturbed.
Notwithstanding flower petals that fall in showers, an atmosphere of leisure and peace prevails.”
If you take this attitude towards the world, you will always feel comfortable and relaxed.
In utter repose, hearing the tune of waving pine branches, or the tinkling of a brook over pebbles,
one senses that these are the murmurings of Nature.
With an undisturbed mind, gazing at the heavy fog hovering over the boundless prairie or the reflections of clouds flickering on a still lake,
one can perceive the exquisitely beautiful pattern of Nature.
As the former territory of the State of Western Jin has already become a land of briars and brambles,
men still glory in their military exploits.
Knowing that after death their bodies will be buried in the high mountains, there to be carrion for foxes and rabbits,
men still struggle for riches.
An old saying goes:
“Wild beasts are easy to tame, but men's hearts are difficult to control;
valleys can be filled up without much ado, but it is difficult to fulfil men's desires.”
How true those words are!
If your innermost heart is at rest, wherever you go you will be in the midst of green mountains and limpid streams.
If your innate nature has achieved enlightenment, wherever you go you will see fish leaping and birds flying.
When the grandee in his splendid attire sees how leisurely and poised an ordinary person is, although clad in peasant garb,
he cannot help but sigh with envy.
When a wealthy man gorging himself on a sumptuous feast catches sight of the carefree and happy family life of humble people living in their clean, neat hut,
he cannot help but feel a pang of nostalgia.
Why do people harness themselves like animals in order to pursue wealth and fame?
This is like tying flaming torches to the tails of cattle to make them stampede or spurring horses to gallop at a lightning speed.
They would be far better off living in accordance with their innate natures.
When a fish swims in the water, it forgets that it is the water that is helping it to swim;
when a bird soars aloft on the wind, it forgets that it is the wind that is helping it to fly.
Realizing this enables one to cast off the bonds of exterior things and taste the joys of nature.
The ruins of battlements where the fox slumbers, and the abandoned pavilions and terraces where the rabbit scampers
were once scenes of gaiety and feasting.
The misty plains covered in sere grass and soaked in chilly dew
were once sites where heroes battled.
Neither prosperity nor decline can last forever.
Where are the weak and the strong of those days now?
This thought causes men's hearts to shrink within them.
In the course of your career, do not be disturbed
whether you are in favour or out of favour with your superiors;
watch the flowers as they bloom and droop outside your door.
Pay no heed to whether you remain in or are removed from office.
Be as nonchalant as the clouds drifting in the sky,
and be as flexible as the manner in which they gather and disperse.
In the clear and boundless night sky, there is ample room for a winged insect to soar,
but the moth flies straight to the burning candle.
The pure spring water and fresh fruit are everywhere to be enjoyed,
but the owl prefers the decayed carcasses of rats!
Alas, how many people are there in the world who are not like the moth and the owl?
A person who, having just got on to a raft to cross a river, is contemplating getting off the raft
is a person who has attained enlightenment and is untrammelled by external things.
A person who, while riding a donkey, is still thinking of finding another donkey to ride
is a monk who does not understand the Buddhist doctrines.

When contention arises over right and wrong and
debates on profit and loss spring up like the spines on a hedgehog,
so long as you can handle them with a tranquil mind
the controversies will vanish
just as a furnace melts gold and hot water gets rid of snow.
A person who is bound by the fetters of worldly desires feels that life is tragic,
but a person who gets to know his true and pure nature feels that life is full of joy.
Realization of the tragedy of the bonds of desire immediately dispels all mundane attachments,
and the knowledge of the joy of grasping one's true and pure nature can lead one to the realm of the blessed.
When there is no longer even one iota of desire for external things left in your heart,
it is as if snow has been melted on a stove or ice has been thawed by the warmth of the sun.
When you see the reflection of the moon in water
you know that it is the image of the true moon hanging in the sky.
Poetic inspiration wells from an enchanting natural spot like Baling Bridge
where people bid farewell to departing friends.
The moment one murmurs a few lines, the forests and gullies already present a spectacular sight.
The yearning for travel comes about in a magnificent setting like those of Jinghu Lake or the Qu River.
When you go there all alone, you will find the surrounding green hills mirrored in the emerald water —
and everything there becomes intoxicating.
A bird that has been resting for a long time soars to a great height once it takes to flight.
A flower which is in a hurry to bloom will inevitably fade and wither before the others.
Keeping this in mind will help you avoid worries and frustrations about your official career;
it will also help erase feelings of restlessness and anxiety.
When we see the leaves fall from the trees in winter and turn into mud,
we realize that they flourished for a time, but all in vain.
When we see a man being put in his coffin,
we realize that things we have most treasured, such as abundance of wealth and offspring, count for very little.
People want to transcend the limits of sensation and knowledge and
yet try to preserve purity of heart.
To cling to the external forms of things or
try to totally negate them —
either way shows that you have not tempered oneself to the point of reaching the realm of the True.
Ask the Buddhist patriarchs how this can be.
People live in the vulgar world and at the same time try to transcend it.
They find that the pursuit of worldly desires brings pain,
but the rejection of them also brings pain.
That is why self-cultivation is always necessary.
A man of lofty ambitions and great attainments may give away a vast fortune for nothing,
whereas a mean-spirited man will fight for a copper.
Although their characters are as different as Heaven and Earth,
their desires — one for fame and the other for wealth — are not much different.
The emperor ruling the country and the beggar crying out for scraps
are as unlike in their situations as Heaven and Earth,
yet what difference is there between the emperor's worried frown and the beggar's anguished wail?
A person who has tasted to the full all the flavours of the world
does not feel like opening his eyes to find out what tricks others are up to.
A person who has penetrated the ways of the world
does not pay any attention to whatever appellations others may give him,
but only nods his head aimlessly.
People today are eagerly seeking to get rid of desire from their hearts,
but do not succeed in doing so.
As a matter of fact, it is easy to enter the state of no desire
so long as the previous desire does not linger in their hearts,
a new desire is not allowed in,
and any thoughts that may stimulate a desire are expelled.
An image which the mind grasps naturally becomes a beautiful land,
and a thing which arises in the course of nature bares its mystery.
If there is even the slightest trace of artificial adornment, its flavour is lessened.
The Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi said,
"An unoccupied mind gives the greatest comfort and ease.
Only a natural breeze can really refresh?"
How profound this utterance is!

But if your spirit is contaminated, even though you study the scriptures and chant prayers,
in the end you will be doing no more than idly toying with your mind and soul.
With an enlightened mind, even though no music plays,
you can still feel contented and happy,
and even though there is no scent of incense or fragrant tea,
you are regaled with refreshing odours.
Just think upon the Pure Land of Buddha, and all vexations will disappear from your mind.
Cast aside all fleshly concerns, and you may wander entranced in the Realm of the Blessed.
Just as gold comes from ore and jade from rock,
so can truth only be sought from one's tangible surroundings.
One can attain the mystery of the Way from the wine cup,
or meet immortals while looking at flowers.
Thus, although one seeks the noble it cannot be done in isolation from the material world.
The myriad things of the world,
the myriad human relationships and
the myriad affairs of the cosmos are all different from each other.
This is the perspective of the man in the street.
But seen through the eyes of one who has found the Way, in essence they are all the same.
Where is the need to distinguish between them, and to choose or reject?
Sleeping soundly wrapped in a rough quilt
one can grasp the spirit of harmony of the universe.
Living on plain rations
one can appreciate the true worth of a simple life.
Whether you stay entangled in the bonds of the world or free yourself from them
depends entirely on the state of your own mind.
If you have attained complete enlightenment,
you can be in a slaughterhouse or wine cellar and still feel that you are living in the Pure Land.
Otherwise, even though you spend your time playing a lute, raising cranes or appreciating flowers,
these elegant pursuits will still not be able to banish yearnings for material comforts from your mind.
An old saying goes:
"If you can rid yourself of all worldly desires, the commonplace world becomes a Paradise.

Indeed, it is so!
Seated in a tiny room in a humble cottage,
I find that all troublesome thoughts of the mundane world disappear;
why then should I long for luxurious mansions?
After three cups of wine I grasp the secret of maintaining my true nature in repose,
and only think of the music of lute and pipe while reciting poetry under the moon.
Amid the silence of Nature I suddenly hear the cry of a bird,
and it stirs up in my heart a feeling of superb elegance.
When all the flowers are fading, suddenly I catch sight of one which is still freshly blooming,
and I am filled with a feeling of boundless vitality.
So I know that the original essence never withers and that the divine spark instils life into everything it touches.
The Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi said,
“Leave the body and mind to their own devices, and man's fate to Heaven.”
But Chao Buzhi, a man of letters in the Northern Song Dynasty, remarked:
“It is best to keep the body and mind on a tight rein.
Gather your scattered thoughts, and you will be able to restore quietude.”
In actual fact, people who allow their bodies and minds to do whatever they will,
often become unbridled and wanton,
whereas those who keep strict control of them
often find themselves stagnant and sluggish.
Only those who know how to handle their inner selves properly
are able to restrain or let their bodies and minds go at the proper times.
Gazing on the pale moon hanging in the sky on a snowy night,
your heart feels just as limpid.
When the free-and-easy spring breeze blows,
your heart feels just as airy and joyful.
At such times it can be truly said that Nature and men's hearts blend as one.
Simplicity not only produces better essays, it also makes self-cultivation successful.
How much purity and simplicity there is in the lines
“The barking of dogs in the inner court and the crowing of chickens on the mulberry tree tops.”
Whereas, from the lines
“The moon's reflection in the cold pool and the crows in the ancient trees”
we get a feeling of dreary decay.
When you use your own powers to manipulate things outside yourself,
you neither feel pleased when you accomplish something,
nor do you feel downcast when you fail.
Such a person never loses his equilibrium of mind no matter what situation he finds himself in.

When the idea of a thing is extinguished, the thing itself is extinguished.
But when a person banishes a thing, and yet clings to the idea of it,
this is like trying to get rid of the shadow while keeping the shape —
the shape will still preserve its shadow.
When the heart is made void (free from worldly thoughts),
the environment it finds itself in will also become void.
A person, who wishes to make his environment void without making his heart void first,
is like a man who puts out a piece of carrion and tries to drive the mosquitoes and flies away —
it will not succeed.
The recluse finds satisfaction in everything he does to kill time:
He finds the greatest pleasure in drinking wine when no one urges him to;
he revels in playing chess without rivalry;
he finds flute music without a player most entertaining,
and a zither without strings producing the sweetest sound.
To him chance meetings are the best,
and guests who need neither welcoming nor seeing off are the most candid.
To engage in any of these pursuits
while rigidly adhering to mundane reasoning and formality
condemns one to the sea of bitterness which is the world.
If you try to contemplate what you were like before you were born and
what you will be like after you die,
all your thoughts and yearnings will disappear;
all that will remain will be the unchanging stillness of your basic essence.
Then you can transcend the world of things and roam in the world before the creation of the myriad things.
To realize how precious health is after one has fallen ill,
to appreciate the blessings of peace after having encountered turmoil —
this cannot be called foresight.
To be happy and perceive that happiness is the root cause of disaster,
to crave life and perceive that life is the cause of extinction —
this shows a high degree of perspicacity!
Actors use cosmetics and brushes to change their faces as they will,
painting them to look attractive or hideous.
But in the twinkling of an eye the performance is over;
where now are the beauty and ugliness?
Chess players strain every nerve to defeat their opponents.
But in the twinkling of an eye the game is over;
where now are the victory and defeat?
The grace of flowers caressed by the breeze and
the brightness of the moon on a snowy night
can only be fully appreciated by one who has cultivated stillness of the mind.
The expansion and shrinking of the groves and ponds,
and the growth and decay of bamboos and rockeries
can only be mastered by a person who has cultivated the art of utter relaxation.
Mention plain boiled chicken and unrefined wine to country fellows,
and their eyes will light up with joy.
But tell them of sumptuous banquets, and their eyes will dull with a complete lack of comprehension.
Discuss coarse rustic garb, and they will beam with pleasure.
But quiz them about the gaudy robes worn by officials,
and they will shake their heads in bewilderment.
So we can understand that, as they have kept their original natures intact,
their desires have been kept at a rudimentary level.
This is the ultimate realm of pleasure human life should reach.
When your mind has been cultivated to the point at which it harbours no more worldly thoughts,
what purpose does introspection serve?
The Buddhist admonition to spend time looking deeply into the mind
can only impede self-cultivation.
The myriad things are identical in their essence,
so what is the point of making special efforts to treat them equally?
Zhuang Zi's doctrine of the unity of all things in fact assumes distinctions where no distinctions exist.
A man who can adjust his clothing and depart without regret just when the revelry is at its height
is an enlightened man who knows how to rein in his horse at the edge of the precipice.
He arouses universal admiration.
A man who is still caught up in scheming for fame and wealth even deep into the night
is an unworthy fellow who is sinking in the sea of bitterness.
He provokes only scornful laughter.
If your efforts to cultivate your mind and improve your conduct are not very successful,
and you still lack the ability to master worldly desires,
you should shun vulgar society
so that things that will arouse lowly desires may not confuse your mind.
This will keep you tranquil and pure.
When your efforts come to a successful conclusion,
equipping you with the ability to withstand worldly temptations,
you should return to society, for your mind will not be led astray by exposure to mean desires.
This is the way to achieve perfection in cultivating your virtues and merits.

They do not realize that by doing so,
they have burdened themselves with fresh worries,
which stem from a pursuit to exclude others,
an effort that attaches too much importance to the physical existence of human beings.
Seeking quietude causes anxiety to move away.
So how can we in this case cultivate the ability
to treat others like ourselves and forget all distinction between motion and stillness?
Living in the mountains with a fresh mind,
everything one comes into contact with can give rise to beautiful ideas and impressions.
Gazing upon a wisp of leisurely cloud or a flock of wild cranes can stimulate sublime thoughts.
Coming across a gurgling stream or babbling brook can induce yearnings to dispel all foulness from both body and mind.
Caressing a juniper or plum tree can in an instant spur the gushing forth of notions of sturdy integrity.
With gulls and deer for companions, all traces of scheming and trickery vanish from the mind.
But once back in worldly society, one not only becomes ensnared by external things, but also becomes an ornament for others.
When a feeling of delight comes over you, walk at leisure barefoot in the fragrant grass.
Then the wild birds will forget all human treachery and snares, and flutter and play along with you.
When you blend with your surroundings and sit lost in thought beneath tree branches laden with blossoms,
with your outer garment loosened, the silent clouds seem to be asking you to stay longer.
Happiness and sadness both spring from the mind.
Thus, according to Buddhist teaching:
“Greed is like a raging fire; it is a fiery pit.
To immerse oneself in avarice and covetousness is to sink one's body into a sea of bitterness,
whereas seeking quietude can change the fiery pit into a cooling moat,
and guarding against greed can guide the boat to shore.”
From this, we can see that
even a minute shift in thought can immediately change the world we find ourselves in.
Does it not follow that we should exercise the utmost vigilance over our thoughts?
With time, a rope can saw through a block of wood, and dripping water can bore a hole in a rock.
In the same way, he who cultivates the Way
must constantly exert himself in his explorations.
Where water flows, a channel is formed.
When a melon ripens, it falls off its stem.
Thus, the person who wishes to master the Way only has to persevere in self-cultivation,
and he will eventually become accomplished.
When worldly plotting and striving for advantage are banished from the heart,
you will appreciate the beauty of the bright and clear moonlight and spring breeze.
There is no need to regard human life as a sea of bitterness from which there is no escape.
All one has to do is remove one's heart far from the vulgar world,
and the clamour of everyday things will no longer be heard —
there is no need to go and live as a hermit in the hills.
When vegetation withers and dies, new shoots appear in the place it used to be.
Even when the winter season conies around, everything outside becomes cold,
but the warm weather will return when the reed ashes move about in the flutes.
When the myriad things are locked in dreariness,
signs of unceasing growth are everywhere in evidence.
From this we can perceive Nature's love of life.
View mountain scenery after a shower of rain, and you will find that it looks especially beautiful.
Listen to the sound of a bell tolling in the dead of night, and you will find that it sounds exceptionally clear.
Ascending a lofty peak helps to broaden one's mental outlook;
contemplating a rushing stream helps one's thoughts to wander afar.
Reading a book on a snowy night helps to refresh the spirit;
facing Heaven and calling out from the summit of a mountain fills a man with vigour.
To a person with a magnanimous heart,
a lucrative salary is worth no more than a heap of broken crockery.
But to a narrow-minded person,
something as petty as a hair seems to be as big as a cartwheel.
Just as Nature cannot exist without the wind, the moon, flowers and willows,
neither can a body, which has spirit, exist without emotions, desires, addictions and predilections.
But it is only when you control external things and are not controlled by them
that your addictions will all be inspired by Heaven and your worldly desires be governed by its principles.
It is only when a person thoroughly understands himself
that he can let the myriad things develop in accordance with their own natures.
It is only when a person returns the world to the people
can he leave behind the vulgar environment and enter the Buddhist Paradise.
If life is too leisurely, extraneous notions cannot help but spring up and multiply;
if you are too busy, you will lose your natural essence.
Therefore, it is impossible for a noble-minded person not to worry about things that threaten his body and mind;
likewise, it is impossible for him not to appreciate the mystery of Nature.
Men's hearts often lose their original pure essence because of restlessness.
If, divested of all distractions,
you can sit in complete silence and watch the clouds rise and float by,
your heart will become carefree and float afar with them.
Watching the raindrops, you will have an acute sensation of your heart becoming refreshed and renewed.
Listening to the songs of the birds, you will find your heart becoming refreshingly enlightened.
Gazing on the falling flowers, you will experience a beautiful and calm feeling as your heart attains self composure.
And so, what place cannot become a Paradise? What thing is devoid of vitality?
The birth of a child may bring danger to the mother;
a hoard of coins may attract the unwelcome attention of robbers.
Thus, we can see that where there is something to rejoice over,
there is also always something to worry about.
Poverty can help to cultivate a thrifty character;
frequent bouts of illness can teach us to take care of our bodies.
Thus, we can see that where there is misfortune, there is also something to congratulate ourselves about.
Therefore, the man with a broad mind should look upon both fortune and adversity
with an equally calm eye, and be unmoved by either joy or sorrow.
Voices pass over the ears like wind rushes through the mountain gorges.
As soon as the gust passes nothing is left behind.
If we can apply this principle to the question of right and wrong in the world,
then such commonplace concepts disappear.
Our innermost thoughts are like the reflection of the moon on water;
they vanish as completely as the moon does from the water.
In the same way, we should forget about the self as well as external things.
When people's hearts arc ensnared in the bonds of fame and gain,
at every turn the world appears as a sea of bitterness.
Surely you must know that all you have to do is cast off such fetters,
and pay attention to the call of the white clouds and green valleys,
the flowing streams and towering rocks, the blooming flowers and the twittering birds,
and the song of the woodcutter echoing in the hills.

What you thought was a sea of bitterness
will no longer be so,
because it was you yourself who plunged your heart into the cauldron of contention.
To appreciate flowers, it is best to observe them when they are half-open.
When savouring wine, drink only until you are half tipsy.
This is the way to attain full enjoyment.
If you gaze upon flowers in the full riot of their colour,
or drink until you are completely intoxicated,
revulsion will set in.
People who have reached the pinnacle of their careers should ponder this truth deeply.
Edible plants which grow in the mountains are not tended artificially.
Wild birds are not raised artificially. Yet their flavour is unsurpassed.
If we remain unspotted by the vulgar world and its habits,
our natures will be far from those of the common herd.
Planting flowers and bamboos, sporting with cranes and admiring fish,
these things should all be done in a way that helps to enlighten the mind.
If one merely gazes bemused at the wonders of Nature
one will be no better than what the Confucianists call the “petty man,” whose learning is superficial,
or what the Buddhists call the “lesser vehicle,”
which in its search for truth has no formula for the salvation of the world.
What sublime mystery can there be in that?
Although a hermit's life is a spartan one, it is replete with fulfilment and satisfaction.

If a man who has renounced the world
returns to the everyday pursuits of ordinary people and becomes a grasping trickster,
he would have been better off to die in the wilderness,
where his soul and body would have preserved their purity.
When a person gets more happiness than he deserves and receives unearned bounty,
this is either an enticement of Nature
or a snare set by the mundane world to lead him lo disaster.
There are not a few unwary men who fall for others' tricks in this way.

Moreover, you will be able to escape the bonds of the vulgar world.
When advantage appears, disadvantage emerges too.
Therefore, people often regard refraining from activity as happiness.
An ancient poem goes:
“I would advise my lord to shun discussing warfare and the acquisition of fiefdoms,
because one general's victory leaves thousands of men's bones to rot.”
There is also the saying:
“If only peace and disengagement could come to the Empire,
it would be no matter of regret if the sword rusted in its scabbard for a thousand years.”
Upon reading these lines, even a valiant and fiery spirit would not help becoming as cold and desolate as a drop of ice.
A lascivious woman may pretend to be remorseful and become a nun.
A man who has pursued fame and fortune all his life
may become disillusioned and retire to a Taoist temple.
Thus, the convent and the shrine, which are havens far removed from the vulgar world,
may become refuges for the wicked.
When the waves tower to the sky,
the people inside the boat remain unperturbed,
whereas the people outside are terrified.
When a hullabaloo breaks out at a feast,
those seated inside the feasting chamber are not alarmed in the least;
it is the people outside who are seized with consternation.
Thus, a wise man projects his mind outside the situation he finds himself in.
By cutting back on his activities, a man increases his ability to transcend the vulgar world by so much.
For instance, by narrowing the circle of his friends he saves himself much to-ing and fro-ing, and
by becoming a man of few words he reduces his chances of making mistakes.
Moreover, by being sparing with his thoughts he saves wear and tear on his spirit,
and by setting less store by cleverness he retains more of his natural essence.
Those who do not seek daily to reduce their activities,
but instead strive to increase them are forging manacles for themselves!
It is easy to avoid the cold and the heat as the seasons change,
but the inconstancy of human relations is difficult to eradicate.
Even if it were easy to expunge it,
the feelings of attachment and aversion in our hearts would still be difficult to get rid of.
For if we could banish such feelings
our whole being would be filled with the amiability which gives birth to the myriad things,
and then it would be as if the breath of spring were blowing over the whole Earth.
When drinking tea, it is not important to sip fine blends;
what is important is to make sure that the teapot is never dry and that there is always tea to drink.
When drinking wine, it is not important to savour the mellow products of famous vats;
what is important is to make sure that the wine cup is never empty and that there is always wine to drink.
Laying your hands on a lute, even though it has no strings, can soothe your mind.
Holding a simple flute, even though it has no holes, can refresh your brain.
Thus, although it would be difficult to surpass the wisdom of the ancient mythical emperor Fu Xi,
by putting themselves in conformity with Nature,
people could perhaps reach the level of Ji Kang and Ruan Ji,
two of the sages widely admired in the Three Kingdoms Period of the 3rd century.
Buddhism encourages people to let things follow their natural course;
Confucianism teaches people to be contented with the present state of things.
These two principles are the lifebelts which enable men to cross the sea of suffering.
The roads of the vulgar world are vast and boundless;
to seek perfection is to stir up a multitude of desires and problems.
If you can adapt yourself with satisfaction to any situation that arises,
then wherever you go you will find contentment.