The Art of Living Chinese Proverbs and Wisdom. Hong Yingming
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harmful to the character. The Seven Emotions and Six Desires (The Six Desires are generally taken to be Color, Sound, Scent, Touch and Means; the Seven Emotions are Joy, Anger, Grief, Fear, Love, Hatred and Lust) are very apparent and thus easy to correct or overcome. However, inner prejudice and self-assumed cleverness can cloud the judgment and are much more difficult to detect. In the end they can hinder the growth of a proper wisdom and render clever people stupid.
35. The mind of man is complex and the ways of the world rugged and steep. When you cannot get through you should know how to step back; when you can get through you should know the merit of giving way.
It is impossible to predict the changing moods of man, and human relationships are complicated and ever changing. The path of life has never been smooth, it is full of twists and turns and changes of direction. Thus, when we encounter a pit that we cannot cross we should understand how to step back and not rush forward. We should understand how to slacken our pace and regard withdrawal as progress, so that we can see the situation clearly and avoid wasting time and effort. Similarly, when things are going well and the wind fills our sails, then that is the time for modesty and prudence and to politely give way so as to avoid disaster caused by faulty judgment born of over-confidence.
36. In dealing with a rogue it is easy to be severe but difficult not to feel hatred; in dealing with a man of virtue it is easy to show respect but difficult to demonstrate the correct degree of politeness.
It is not difficult when dealing with an uncultivated and ill-behaved rogue to adopt an attitude of severity, what is difficult is to empty the depths of one’s heart of loathing and treat him well and to help and educate him. When you discover the mistakes and faults in others, indulging in criticism and hatred rather than instructing or helping demonstrates a similar lack of moral responsibility. Most people feel respect for a deeply cultivated person of virtue and prestige, what is difficult is to treat them with true politeness. Over-politeness can descend into flattery and with that there comes an element of falsity.
37. Better to be simple in mind rather than clever and retain some righteousness to repay heaven and earth; better to decline a life of luxury and delight in plain living and leave some purity for the world.
The ancient saying goes: “Cleverness is the enemy of intelligence.” Man’s thought and wisdom are limited. Using a fistful of clever trickery to scheme for petty advantage may seem like getting the better of others but in the end one is damaged by one’s own prejudices to the harm of others and without benefit to self. Laozi said: “The Way is of and in the Natural World.” In life one should learn from all the sentient beings of the universe and indulge less in cunning trickery and more in a natural simplicity. This is the only means of retaining a nature that is both upright and honest, leaving a reputation for pure simplicity and gaining a life that is tranquil and harmonious.
38. Devilry first seizes the mind, subdue the mind and the devils depart; to rid the mind of wayward thoughts, subdue one’s mood and they will no longer intrude.
The Buddhist Garland Sutra says: “The mind is like a painter’s brush, capable of depicting everything that exists.” The devils and demons of life have their source in the evil thoughts of the mind. If the mind remains immovable, then the devils and demons from outside retreat without a battle. Dealing with ruthless and tyrannical barbarity is much the same. Controlling the violent unreason of the outside world first requires control of the thoughtless frivolity of one’s own heart. A mind like still water and as stable as a rock will keep out evil and defeat poison.
39. The instruction of disciples resembles the raising of daughters; one should emphasize severity in the control of their coming and going and prudence in their friendships. If they become close to someone undesirable it is tantamount to planting bad seed in a fertile field; it will be difficult to grow good rice.
There is an ancient saying: “Stand next to vermilion and you will look red, stand next to ink and you will look black.” When someone is growing up and their habits are being formed and their characters molded, the demands on them should be severe and they should be strictly controlled, particularly in the matter of close friends who should be selected for their virtue. Otherwise, making friends with a pack of ne’er-do-wells will exert a bad influence and lead to the acquisition of bad habits, rather like planting bad seed in a fertile field. Once the wrong path is taken, education becomes extremely difficult.
40. When the attractions of desire appear, take no joy in their lucky convenience or fortuitous advantage, to do so is to fall into an abyss; when the path of principle appears, do not be put off by its difficulty and step back, once that step is taken you will be separated by a mountain range.
A proverb says: “Learning is like paddling a boat against the current, unless there is progress there is retreat; the heart is like riding a horse on a plain, easy to loose but difficult to rein in.” Man is prone to the Seven Emotions and Six Desires and finds it difficult to avoid the temptations of the outer world. Even its slightest infection makes it easy to let oneself go and enjoy it, thus taking step after step to corruption. Ascetic practice is like paddling a boat upstream, relax but a little and one loses a thousand miles. In the face of physical desire, one should increase vigilance and understand how to suppress desire; in the pursuit of truth one should concentrate all one’s efforts and not slacken them otherwise previous achievement will be thrown away and all will come to naught.
41. Those of a generous disposition who treat themselves well will also treat others well and generosity will abound; those of a stingy disposition who treat themselves stingily will treat others badly as well and meanness will be all. Thus it is that the gentleman in his habits should be neither over-generous nor too parsimonious.
Pamper oneself and you will pamper others and all will be extravagance and luxury; treat oneself harshly and you will treat others harshly and all will be mean and stingy. Extravagance and luxury may well be enjoyable but they very easily unsettle the mind and lead to over-indulgence in pleasure; stinginess may well be economical but it easily saps the energy from life and renders it without interest. Hence, a gentleman will strike an appropriate balance between generosity and parsimony, neither the noisy commotion of luxury and extravagance nor the tedium of miserliness.
42. Others possess riches, I have humanity; others have rank, I have righteousness; a true gentleman should not be constrained by the power of others. A determined man may overcome circumstances and a resolute man may master his own temperament. A gentleman does not suffer himself to be molded by the movement of fate.
Mengzi wrote: “One should not be corrupted by wealth and honor, altered by poverty or bent by power.” A man of profound cultivation and a gentleman of parts will not be enticed by the external attractions of high office and a generous salary but will steadfastly maintain his inner integrity and righteousness in the face of riches and power. Mengzi also said: “A concentrated will may move the spirit and a concentrated spirit may move the will”—meaning that when will and spirit are combined one may control the inner workings of physical life. As the thought moves so the workings of the body move with it. In the same way, the internal workings of the physical body can further strengthen the concentration of the will and spirit. Zhuangzi said, “The gentleman may master the material.” A gentleman of determination may control the external world through mind alone and, in a state that transcends the external material world, remain impervious to the whims of fate.
43. If you do not stand tall when improving your character it is like dragging your clothing in dust or washing your feet in mud, how then are you to transcend the commonplace? If you do not withdraw a pace when engaging with the world and act like a moth drawn to a flame or a goat caught in a fence, how are you to achieve peace and happiness?
In the cultivation of character and spirit one should aspire to lofty ambitions before one can expand the horizons of one’s mind and transcend