“Life passes quickly. If you waste your time in hesitation, complaining or criticizing others, or if you yield to all own lazy nature, before you know it, your youth will have passed you by. Each and every day is very important. It is my hope that you will spend a fulfilled life.”
-Dr Daisaku Ikeda-
"Bad habits are like a comfortable bed – Easy to get in, hard to get off."
-Anonymous-
"The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one does."
-J. M. Barrie
“Some give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.”
-Herodotus
"The greatest act of revolution in contemporary life, is to come to everyday with joy."
-Carl Hammerschlaq
"To have a good friend is the purest of life’s gifts, for it is a love that has no exchange or payment."
-Frances Farmer
Caught this on the calendar I printed for my clients:
"The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree, but still hold hands."
"When it is in the soil, a seed is invisible, yet a huge tree eventually grows from it over time. In the same way, human thoughts can go unnoticed. Yet the greatest events in human history often grow from such thoughts."
"A smile is not only a result of happiness, it’s also it’s cause. Whatever might happen, bravely transcend your own weakness and make a gentle smile. In the garden of such a strong and rich heart, he fragrant flowers of happiness in life bloom."
"Whatever course you have chosen for yourself, it will not be a chore but an adventure if you bring to it a sense of glory of striving, if your sights are set far above merely secure and mediocre."
-David Sarnoff
"To bring one’s self to a frame of mind and to the proper energy to accomplish things that require plain hard work continuously is the one big battle that everyone has. When this battle is won for all time, then everything is easy."
-Thomas A. Buckner
"The line between failure and success is so fine that we… are often on the line and do not know it. How many a man has thrown up his hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more patience, would have achieved success. A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success."
-Elbert Hubbard-
"If you want to see the sun shine, you have to weather the storm."
-Frank Lane-
"If you want the rainbow, you must first learn to put up with the rain."
-Anonymous-
"A sense of humour… is needed armour. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sian that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life."
-Hugh Sidey-
不要等到别人对你微笑后才面露出笑容。
不要等到被爱了才懂得被爱。
不要等到觉得寂寞才发现对方的重要。
不要等到拥有太多才懂得分享。
不要等到失败了才记得别人的忠告。
不要等到别人受伤了才请求原谅。
不要等到分开了才希望挽回。
不要等到没了才后悔。
好好珍惜现在、身边拥有的人。
We cannot all do great things. But we can all do small things with great love. And together we can do something wonderful.
-Mother Teresa-
Take each day as it comes, life is stressful enough.
Do not look back and grieve over the past, there’s nothing much you can do about it.
Do not worry about the future, for it has yet to come.
As long as it is called TODAY, cherish it!
Live this day as if it was your last, and you will find each day worth living for…
When we run up against trouble and find ourselves facing adversity, we may think we’ve reached our limit, but actually the more trying the circumstances the closer we actually are to making a breakthrough. The darker the night, the nearer the dawn. Victory in life is decided by that last concentrated burst of energy filled with resolve to win.
-Dr Daisaku Ikeda-
To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatet number of good hours, is wisdom.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson-
"To take the initiative to go where the circumstances are most difficult, to be the first to take on the most arduous tasks. Those who live with a dedicated commitment to faith, to kosen-rufu and to their self-realisation are true champions in life."
-Dr Daisaku Ikeda
“Without training, there is no growth. ‘Iron, when heated in flames and pounded, becomes a fine sword. Wise men and saints are tested by abuse.’ It is because of ordeals and discipline that one can carry out one’s human revolution. The present age is an age lacking in discipline. For precisely this reason, one must voluntarily receive training and forge oneself through and through. Those who do so will in the end be victorious.”
-Dr Daisaku Ikeda
"One’s attitude can only transform one’s situation. The thing is to decide to spend each day happily and productively – wherever you happen to be. A wise person can create value under any circumstances.”
- Dr Daisaku Ikeda
“Those who say "I’ll do it," who are willing to take on a challenge even if they are alone, are true winners. The determination, the commitment to take action yourself, is the force that leads to victory. As Buddhism teaches in the principle of a life-moment possesses 3,000 realms, our mind or attitude can change everything.”
-Daisaku Ikeda-
好久没用华语打博客了。假期以来，似乎没动到华文书。有时候真的有点惭愧，一个修读中文系的学生，有些基本的中文知识都不明白。
偶尔在教书的时候，会遇到一些意义深长，耐人寻味的课文。中学时候并没用心阅读。现在重读，别有一番体会。
今天，又重教这么一篇课文，在此与大家分享。有时候，人的感情真是难以理解。“人”写起来容易，做起来难，要了解也挺复杂。有些人实在令我讨厌，试着包容也难。有些人，有些时候你以为了解了，其实并非如此。
内心突然间有许多感触。说不出来，心里真不自在。人生中许多事情都能让我们从中领悟，就像这篇文章一样：
《敲敲蛤蜊（ge2 li2）》
小时候我很喜欢做的一件事，就是帮助妈妈检查买回来的蛤蜊里有没有坏的。
蛤蜊的外壳看起来都差不多，但是如果一不小心让一个臭掉的蛤蜊混在新鲜蛤蜊中，那整碗汤就都糟蹋了，所以虽是小事一桩，我可一点也不敢掉以轻心，并将此神圣的使命视为庄严的仪式，用虔诚又恭敬的心情在做这件事。?
检查的方法是用左手先拿住一个蛤蜊，再用右手捡起其他蛤蜊，一个一个地敲敲看，如果蛤蜊敲出的声音是结实的，就是新鲜的蛤蜊，如果敲的声音是虚的，有点沙哑，不管它的口闭得多紧，还是臭的蛤蜊。?
小孩子耳朵好，很容易就可以辨别出好坏，自从母亲教过我之后，我几乎不曾“误判”过，也使家人每次在享受鲜美的蛤蜊汤时，都会夸奖这个“蛤蜊鉴定专家”。?
有一天，母亲又买回一包蛤蜊，我熟练地拿出一个大碗，开始我的鉴定工作，出乎意料之外的是：居然“所有的”蛤蜊都是坏掉的！我简直不敢相信我的耳朵，一个一个再敲过一次，竟然仍然“没有一个”蛤蜊是好的！那种感觉就很像一位警察到一部公交车上去抓扒手，结果发现一车的人都是扒手！?
我捧着那一大碗被判刑的蛤蜊去禀告母亲，母亲很是惊讶：“怎么会这样呢？这个卖蛤蜊的从来不会骗我的呀？”?
于是母亲大人亲自动手检验，这才发现原来我抓在左手中的那个蛤蜊是坏的！难怪敲起来声音全部不对劲！这种“原来如此”的恍然大悟的经验，往往在孩子心中烙下深刻的烙印，然后进入记忆的深处，等候生命的唱盘再度转到那个相似的部位。?大学毕业后我开始工作，我非常的努力，对自己有些期许，也有些要求，但是有一段时间我对周围的人都看不顺眼，在我眼中，“每一个人”都有令我难以忍受的缺点，我很想改造他们，而改造不了时，我又想躲避他们。我觉得自己很倒霉，很不幸，怎么“都”遇到不好的人！?
正当我沉醉于自怨自艾时，心中忽然响起“蛤蜊之歌”，难不成我就是那个坏掉的蛤蜊？我听到那么多“别人的”沙哑之声竟可能是我本身造成的？按照常理，一个人不会只遇到坏人，周围有些人对你友善，有些人对你不友善，这样的几率最大。那我？那我可能就是那个不友善的人，我用自己的高标准去检验我周围的人，看起来我对大家都不满意，其实我最不满意的人是我自己！我没那么好，别人也没那么差！?我忘了我震惊于这个内心的自我发现有多久，我其实很难过，原来我没我装出来的那么好，别人也没我看的那么差。我有两个抉择的方向：一个是——把自己装得更好，使得别人看起来更差！另一个选择则是──开始学着去欣赏别人。因为只有在看到别人的好时，我才会发现自己的好，也才能真正欣赏自己。?
这是一段漫长的历程，一开始甚至要强迫自己，很像视力矫正。要把不顺眼的看、看、看，看到顺眼。每当我想放弃时，就想起那个差点害我将整碗新鲜的蛤蜊倒掉的臭蛤蜊。?
几年下来，我也体验到原来这项能力不仅改善了我的人际关系，对于教师这个职业也有不可或缺的重要性。面对形形色色的学生，我如何去听出噪音中的乐音，更进一步去判断他的旋律和节奏？做不成伟人，做友善的人吧！没想到吧？这么一件小小的家事训练，竟也可以影响我如此巨大！?
你，如果没有成为伟人的抱负，至少也可以像我敲敲蛤蜊，学会做个友善的人吧。
“Happiness doesn’t exist on the far ride of distant mountains. It is within you, yourself. Not you, however, sitting in idle passivity. It is to be found in the vibrant dynamism of your own life as you struggle to challenge and overcome one obstacle after another, as you clamber up a perilous ridge in pursuit of that which lies beyond.”
-Dr Daisaku Ikeda
“A river meanders but never stops. This is the natural way of things. Similarly, if you make continuous efforts, your personality will improve slowly but steadily. The key is to keep moving forward and never stop.”
-Daisaku Ikeda
“To the weak, difficulty is a closed door. To the strong, however, it is a door waiting to be opened.” Difficulties impede the progress of those who are weak. For the strong, however, they are an opportunity to open wide the doors to a bright future. Everything is determined by our attitude, by our resolve. Our heart is what matters most.”
-Almafuerte
“Molly Brown was on board the Titanic when it tragically sunk in 1912. Although she knew the ship was taking in water, she shouted to a panic-striken felllow passenger: ‘There’s no danger. It simply can’t go down, because I’m on it and I’m unsinkable.’ Her bantering words, which rang out with the determination never to be defeated and neer to give in to despair are said to have given courage to her fellow passengers. Those who stand up at a crucial moment demonstrate genuine greatness.”
-Dr Daisaku Ikeda
Be the one who stands up and influence the rest positively. In the midst of preparing for exams, many of us might despair. 1st believe you can perform, then work towards it. People around you might say desparing things, but You can change them but encouraging them. Give hope to others.
Find humour or create humour in what you do. Even when there’s impending stress. For it’ll help you go thru it more easily. The challenge we’re facing now is little compared to those passengers on board the sinking Titanic.
I love this guidance a lot and I find it very true:
“Having good friends is like being equipped with a powerful auxiliary engine. When we encounter a steep hill or an obstacle, we can encourage one another and find the strength to keep pressing forward vigourously.”
-Dr Daisaku Ikeda
A person of courage views things calmly, and for this reason acquires wisdom. A person of wisdom is able to discern future outcomes, and so acquires courage. By the same process, we must strive to become people of wisdom and courage.
-Dr Daisaku Ikeda
YOU must not be half-hearted. When you pursue something with a strong determination, you will have no regrets even should you fail. But if you succeed, you will achieve truly great things. Either way, your unceasing efforts will lead you to the next path you should follow.
-Dr Daisaku Ikeda
melvintay