Cultivating a content heart helps eliminate greed. When we live with a sense of contentment each day, gratitude and joy naturally arise, making us more willing to give and help others, thereby nurturing virtue.

培養知足的心可以去除貪念,每天的心態都很滿足,自然會感恩、歡喜,並且樂於付出,行善助人而建立德行。

Venerable Master Cheng Yen teaches, "Spiritual practice is about cultivating virtue, and only through action can we gain true realization. Every day, we should reflect on our actions: What did I do today? Did I make any mistakes? If not, I can have peace of mind. Whom did I speak with today? What knowledge did I gain? How did I grow in wisdom?"

證嚴上人說:「修行就是要修德行,有做才有得。每天都要回想自己這一天做了哪些事,有沒有做錯?沒有就安心;這一天與哪些人談話,增長了哪些方面的知識,同時增長智慧。

"When we do what is right, our wisdom grows; when we act wrongly, we diminish virtue and add to our faults. That is why we must be mindful of our thoughts, words, and actions every day. Through continuous self-reflection and diligent practice, we can elevate the purpose of our lives over time."

做對的事,就增長智慧;如果做不對的事,就損了一分的德,多了一分的惡。所以我們天天的起心動念、言談舉止都要謹慎,要好好修行,隨著時間增長生命的價值。」

In life, we inevitably encounter people who see and do things differently from us, and criticism often follows. However, Venerable Master Cheng Yen sees criticism as a reminder to avoid mistakes. She even expresses gratitude to those who criticize her, recognizing them as teachers in her journey of growth.

另外,我們每天都會面對思想與做事習慣不相同的人,難免會受批評,不過證嚴上人總是把批評當成提醒,警惕自己不能有閃失而做錯事,感恩批評的人也在教育自己。

The Master says, "No one is perfect. Just as all religions have pure and noble teachings, their followers are still human and bound to make mistakes. Misunderstandings between people often occur due to lack of interactions. But as long as we recognize this and treat each other with respect, we can all practice wholesome teachings and be a positive influence on others."

上人說:「人無完人,有優點當然也有缺點;就像宗教的本質都很完美,但是宗教信仰者仍然是凡夫,難免會有錯誤,或是彼此之間因為接觸不多而有誤解。只要大家有此認知,彼此尊重,都能在人間運用好方法、做好教育。」

This article is excerpted from the English Tzu Chi Monthly. For the full text, please refer to:慈濟月刊668期
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