聖人告誡我們，無論做任何事情，「毋欲速；欲速則不達。」我們做任何事，只要預先有個全盤計畫，如何進行也有個架構，對於時間的掌控留有餘裕；如此，謀定而後動，即使中間有什麼變卦，也不致於慌了手腳。反之，若是衝勁有餘，謀略不足，則臨變就慌，慌了便急，愈急則愈亂，愈亂又愈錯，事情想成就都難。所謂「忙中多錯」，君不見經常闖紅燈、出車禍的，都是那種做事沒計畫，又不給自己預留時間、空間的人？所以說性燥心粗的人，總是寡德多敗，一事無成；而心平氣和的，自然得道多助，百福雲集。做人做事是這樣，求學修道也是這樣，總要以平常心對待，按部就班，才能真正有得於心，成就是急不來的。
日本有個劍道名家，看看兒子不成材，就把他趕出門，斷絕了父子關係。這年輕人深受刺激，發憤要學成一流的劍術，就不辭辛苦地爬上深山，想拜當時的名劍手武藏學藝；可是武藏也認為他不能有所成就。年輕人不死心，堅持地問：「假使我努力學習，需要多少年才能成為一名劍師？」武藏微微頷首：「也許十年吧！」年輕人又問：「家父年歲已高，我一定得早點學成。假如我加倍努力學習，需要多少年才能學成？」武藏搖搖頭：「那得要三十年囉！」年輕人著急地又問：「我不惜任何勞苦，一定要在最短的時間內學成。」武藏不禁大笑：「你有這種心態，那恐怕要花七十年才能學成了！」
這故事是要我們保持一個平常心，持續進行，功夫夠了，自然就水到渠成，急功近利是不能有所成就的；並非在教人不用努力，慢慢來就好。所謂平常心，也就是一個在日用間，不須特別造作的心；也就是一個不畏難也不輕易的心。這世間人對世間事，總是怯懦的人畏怕困難的事，而自負的人輕忽簡略的事；要恆持平常心，確是大不易。常看到很多年輕孩子，總是自以為什麼都會，不論是教他做功課，或讓他做工作，都表現得很馬虎不屑，認為那太沒有挑戰性了，因此不想學、不想做；到最後一事無成，就怨天尤人，一副懷才不遇的樣子。殊不知「他山之石可攻錯」，一洞若通，洞洞皆通。徒具聰明或學歷，卻沒有基層的實務經驗，最後只是流於眼高手低，什麼也沒學到，什麼也沒做成。孔子自己就說過，他並非天生多才多智，只不過是從小家庭貧賤，他必須做很多瑣事罷了！所以想啟發孩子的智慧，要從小就鍛鍊孩子把日常小事都做好。
俗云：「近朱者赤，近墨者黑。」環境和交往，對人一生的影響真是大！孟母三遷，就為著給小孩換個好的環境。年輕孩子不但好奇心強，模倣得也很快，若是涉足是非地，輕者遭池魚之殃，重者恐怕會同流合污，再也無法全身而退了。靠近染坊、掉進醬缸，難道還想保持清白？孔子說：「非禮勿視，非禮勿聽，非禮勿言，非禮勿動。」所謂禮者理也，非禮，就是指一切不合乎道理的事情；尤其對那些個殘暴悖亂，或者稀奇古怪、驚世駭俗的事情，我們更須塞耳杜口。為什麼呢？因為如今是個魔強法弱的時代，修羅道大盛，修行貪神通的人亦比比皆是；若是和這些人物太接近，或是知道人家祕密太多，遲早會著魔或惹禍上身的，切記切記啊！ |
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The Sages have warned us that, no matter what we are doing, “Don‘t rush, because if you rush you won’t reach your destination.” In any endeavor, if we plan things well before we start, proceed in a systematic way, and give ourselves plenty of time to complete each step, then even if unforeseen circumstances arise, we will not be thrown into confusion. On the other hand, if we are overly impulsive and don’t plan things out in advance, we will panic at any unexpected change and become anxious. The more anxious we get, the more confused we become, and the more confused we become, the more mistakes we make. As a result, it’s difficult to accomplish anything. It is said, “If you rush, you tend to make more mistakes.” Have you noticed that the people who run red lights and get into car accidents are the kind who never think things out before they act or leave enough time and space for themselves? People who are rash and careless tend to lack virtue, and never succeed at anything. People who are calm and composed naturally obtain plenty of help and blessings. This applies to human conduct and work, as well as to studying and cultivation. We should always have an ordinary attitude and do things methodically. Then we will have some true attainment in our mind. Success cannot be rushed.
Once there was an expert swordsman in Japan who saw that his son was a failure and threw him out of the house, disinheriting him. As a result, the boy developed a burning aspiration to become a first-rate swordsman. He went to all kinds of trouble and climbed deep into the mountains to bow to Wuzang, a famous swordsman of the time, hoping to train under him. But Wuzang felt that he was a hopeless case. The boy didn’t give up hope, but persisted in asking, “If I work hard, how many years would it take me to become a great swordsman?”
Wuzang shook his head slightly. Maybe ten years.”
The boy said, “My father is already old. I must succeed sooner. If I double my efforts, how long will it take me?”
Wuzang shook his head and said, “Then it’ll take thirty years.”
The boy anxiously asked, “I’m willing to take any kind of hardship, but I must finish my training in the shortest time possible.”
Wuzang couldn’t help laughing and said, “With your attitude, it might take you seventy years before you succeed.”
In doing work, we should maintain an ordinary state of mind and make constant progress. When we have put in enough effort, we will naturally succeed. If we rush in our work and try to make a quick profit, we won’t have any success. This does not mean we should take it easy and not work hard. An ordinary state of mind means the state that our mind is in as we go about our daily affairs. There is nothing contrived or artificial about it. It is a state of not fearing difficulty and not scorning easy things. In this world, timid people are afraid of hard things, and people with a sense of self-importance tend to overlook simple things. To constantly maintain an ordinary state of mind is not at all easy.
I often see young people who think they know everything. If asked to do their homework or to do some other task, they casually shrug it off as not challenging enough, so they don’t want to study or do the work. In the end they don’t accomplish anything, and then they complain and blame others, acting as if no one recognized their talent. They don’t understand that “Advice from others may help one overcome one’s defects.” If they master one field of knowledge, they will naturally understand all fields. If they possess talents or academic degrees but lack the foundation of hands-on experience, their situation is that of having great aims but poor abilities; they end up learning nothing and accomplishing nothing. Confucius said that he was not born with much talent and wisdom; it was just that he had to do lots of menial chores because his family was very poor. In order to develop children’s wisdom, we should start by training children to do a good job in the trivial affairs of daily life.
An old saying goes, “He who draws near vermillion becomes red; he who draws near ink becomes black.” A person’s surroundings can make a great difference! Mencius’ mother moved three times only because she wanted to provide a proper environment for her son to grow up in. Young children are curious about everything and quickly learn to imitate what they see. If they are in a bad environment, they might get into trouble or even follow the bad examples of others and never be able to get themselves out of there. When one gets near a dyer’s shop or falls into a vat of dye, how can one expect to stay clean and white?
Confucius said, “Don’t look at improper things; don’t listen to improper things; don’t say improper things; and don’t do improper things.” “Proper” means in accord with principle. “Improper things” refers to things that do not accord with principle. In particular, when we encounter cruel, violent, weird, or scary things, we should plug our ears and zip our lips. Why is that? Because in this age when demons are strong and the Dharma is weak, the ways of asuras are popular and cultivators who crave spiritual powers are everywhere. If you get too close to these people or learn too much about their secrets, you will become possessed or get into trouble sooner or later. Be careful! |
