|
這一段話的思想，源自《論語》里仁篇孔子的兩句話：「見賢思齊焉，見不賢而內自省也。」而更進一步表明了「有過則改」的積極態度。孔子自己是個隨時隨地都能跟任何人學習，而且是活到老、學到老的人。他常說：「三個人在一起的人當中，就一定有值得我學習的人。」這就是說：只要一個人有任何一方面比他強，他一定向對方求教或效法；至於那些不好或不如他的，也可以在反面作為自己的鑑戒，所以還是值得稱做老師。
好像佛在〈法華經〉上說的，佛的堂弟提婆達多，雖然屢次嫉妒陷害釋迦牟尼佛，其實這正是以反面的形相，來幫助釋迦牟尼佛修行，以至於成佛的；提婆達多因為這樣的功德，將來也會成佛的。所以不管他人品德好不好，對我們友善不友善，只要我們秉持「見賢思齊」、「有過則改」的信念，他們都是成就我們的道業的老師。
美國萬佛聖城山祖師宣公上人就認為：法界就是一所大學校，無人不是老師，無處不是學問；所謂「眾人是我師，我是眾人師；時時師自己，自己是常師。」甚至誓願度一切詆識辱罵他的人比自己更早成佛。上人也經常闡示懺悔的法門，強調不嫉賢能、勇於改過；並稱引論語中「子路，人告之以有過，則喜。」和孟子裏所說的「禹聞善言則拜」，苦口婆心地來教化弟子。若是弟子中有嫉妒障礙的情事，上人也必定嚴厲地予以斥責、訓勉。
唐太宗李世民是中國歷史上少有的明君，歷代文治武功都盛的皇帝不是沒有，但是如漢武帝、清高宗等，都免不了好大喜功的毛病，因此周圍也就出現了一批諂媚的弄臣；唯獨唐太宗是從諫如流，廣開言路，所以敢諫之臣特別多，最出名的首推魏徵。魏徵本來是唐太祖太子建成的策士，曾經獻謀教太子早日除去功業顯赫的二弟李世民；可是太子不懂得用他，以致於在玄武門兵變時反而敗死，李世民當上太子，不久又受禪繼位為帝。後來唐太宗問起這段往事，魏徵還大言侃侃地說：「假如當初事成，陛下今天也登不上皇帝寶座！」言下之意，自己的建議沒錯，錯的是太子建成不聽忠言。唐太宗對魏徵擇善固執的精神十分欣賞，不但沒治他的罪，反而升了他的官。魏徵也相當欽佩唐太宗的器量，從此只要唐太宗的言語行為有任何不當，魏徵都直言進諫，唐太宗也都能虛心接受。唐太宗之所以能成為一代明君，正因為他不但能知賢任賢，更能法賢自賢；不像許多帝王將相，自己才識不足，不僅用人，偏又嫉賢害能，終至毀身敗家亡國。唐太宗真不愧是才智兼備的賢君啊！所以我們應該常存學習的心，有不如人之處，就應珍惜時間，努力學習，力求迎頭趕上，毋須把寶貴的精神和時間浪費在對他人的嫉妒上。其實嫉妒他人是很傻的；因為你一旦嫉妒他人，不啻已承認自己輸定了，永遠也趕不上他人了，何必這麼沒自信心呢？
|
|
The ideas in this section come from a quote of Confucius found in the Liren Chapter in the Analects: "When you see worthy ones, strive to equal them. When you see those who are not worthy, reflect upon yourself." This section goes further to say that if one has faults, one should correct them. Confucius was someone who was able to learn from whomever he was with. He continued learning into his old age. He often said, "Among a group of three, there is bound to be someone worth learning from." If anyone was better than him in any skill, he would seek instruction and learn from that person. Those who are inferior to one can also serve as mirrors in which one can look for faults in oneself, so they also deserve to be called teachers.
For example, in the Dharma Flower Sutra, the Buddha says that although his jealous cousin Devadatta tried time and again to hurt and kill him, he was really helping the Buddha to go forward in his cultivation and accomplish Buddhahood. And it is primarily because of this merit that Devadatta will also become a Buddha in the future. Regardless of how good or bad people are and how well or poorly they treat us, as long as we have the attitude that we should emulate worthy ones and change our own faults, they can all be teachers to help us accomplish the Way.
The Venerable Master Hua, founder of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, regarded the Dharma Realm as a huge school in which everyone is a teacher and knowledge is everywhere. He said, "All people are my teachers, and I am everyone's teacher. I always teach myself, so I am also my own constant teacher." He even vowed to take across people who slandered him so that they would accomplish Buddhahood before he did. The Venerable Master often spoke about the practice of repentance and stressed that we should not be jealous of talented people, but should bravely change our own faults. He earnestly remonstrated with his disciples, often quoting the phrase from the Analects, "If people told Zilu about his faults, he was delighted"; and from the Mencius, "When Yu heard good words, he would bow." If any of his disciples were jealous or obstructive, the Master would sternly chastise them.
Li Shiming, the Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, was a ruler of rare wisdom. Although there have been other emperors skilled in both literary and military arts, such as Emperor Wu of Han dynasty and Emperor Gaozong of Qing, they all had the fault of arrogance and so most of their ministers were flatterers. Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty alone allowed his officials to speak freely and easily accepted criticism. Thus, he had many ministers who dared to say what they thought was wrong. The most famous of these was Minister Wei Zheng. Wei Zheng was an advisor of the late Crown Prince Jiancheng of the Emperor Taizu and had advised the late Crown Prince to get rid of Li Shiming—the Crown Prince's younger brother—as soon as possible because his merits were too overpowering and outshone the Crown Prince. But the Crown Prince didn't employ him and consequently lost his own life in the coup of Xunwu Gate. Li Shiming subsequently became the Crown Prince and before long was crowned as emperor. Later when Li Shiming asked him about this event, Wei Zeng wasn't the least bit apologetic and said matter-of-factly, "Had he listened to me, your Majesty would not be on the throne today." In other words he didn't think that his idea had been wrong. What was wrong was that Jiancheng, the former Crown Prince, had not listened to him.
Emperor Taizang fully appreciated Wei Zeng's obstinate adherence to what he thought was good, and not only didn't punish him, but promoted him to an official position. Wei Zeng also admired Taizong's broad-mindedness, and if the emperor ever said or did anything inappropriate, he would frankly tell him. The emperor also humbly accepted the criticism. Emperor Taizong was such a wise ruler because he not only recognized and employed worthy people, he also learned from them and became worthy himself. He was not like many emperors, generals, and ministers who lacked talent and knowledge themselves, didn't know how to employ others' abilities, and regarded those of talent with malicious jealousy, thus ruining themselves, their families, and the nation. Emperor Taizong was truly a worthy ruler endowed with both talent and wisdom.
We should always be open to learning. If you are not up to others, you should use your time well and apply effort in learning so that you make great strides and even surpass others. Don't waste your precious time and energy being jealous of others. Actually it's very foolish to be jealous. If you are jealous, you are just acknowledging your inferiority to others and you'll never be able to catch up to them. Why should you have so little self-confidence?
|
