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English version As a son, one should keep his parents warm in winter and cool in summer, ensure their comfort at night and inquire after their well-being in the morning. Exhausting one's thoughts Mencius said, 'Without benevolent governance, one cannot pacify and govern the world, even with the Way of Yao (a legendary sage king) and Shun (another legendary sage king).' He also said, 'Exhaust your thoughts, and then implement policies of compassion, and benevolence will cover the world.' The function of the heart is to think 'The function of the heart is to think; thinking leads to understanding, while not thinking leads to no understanding' (From Mencius. '官' (guan), like '司' (si), means to manage, referring to one's duty. '得' (de) means to obtain, referring to obtaining the principle). Sincerity to the extreme can communicate with ghosts and spirits Guanzi (a Chinese philosopher) said, 'Think, think, and think again. If thinking does not lead to understanding, ghosts and spirits may enlighten you.' It is not that ghosts and spirits enlighten you, but that sincerity has reached its extreme. Ru Zi (a young man) enfeoffed as a marquis When Emperor Gaozu (Liu Bang) of the Han Dynasty first rose in revolt, Wei Wuzhi recommended Chen Ping, believing him to be talented and capable. Thus, Liu Bang appointed him as Lieutenant of the Guards. When the empire was established and meritorious officials were enfeoffed, Chen Ping was enfeoffed as Marquis of Qunie. Chen Ping said, 'If not for Wei Wuzhi's recommendation, how could I have been advanced?' He wished to yield the title to him. Emperor Gaozu said, 'Chen Ping can be said to not forget his roots.' Therefore, he also granted Wei Wuzhi an official position. When Chen Ping was poor and humble, he divided meat for the village community very evenly. The village elders praised him, saying, 'Ru Zi is good at butchering.' Chen Ping said, 'If I were to govern the world, I would be as fair as dividing meat.' Ru Zi became famous because of this. Measuring the sea with a gourd, viewing the sky through a tube Dongfang Shuo (a Han Dynasty scholar) said in 'Answering the Guest's Difficulties,' 'To view the sky through a tube, to measure the sea with a gourd, to strike a bell with a stick—how can one understand its principles, examine its depths, or produce its sound?' Ant hill Fengshui (geomancy) The 'Lianzong Baojian' (Precious Mirror of the Lotus School) says, 'Studying the Way through other methods is like ants climbing a high mountain; seeking rebirth through reciting the Buddha's name is like a sailboat sailing with the wind.' Field frog and well loach Zhuangzi (a Daoist philosopher) said, 'One cannot discuss the sea with a field frog, for it is confined to its small ditch.' The ninth line of the second hexagram of the 'Jing' (Well) hexagram in the 'I Ching' (Book of Changes) says, 'The well valley shoots loach.' Exposing gills The 'Huayan Xuantan' (Profound Discourses on the Avatamsaka Sutra) says, 'The Shravakas (listeners) of superior virtue shut off sight and sound from auspicious gatherings; the Bodhisattvas (enlightenment beings) who accumulate merit expose their gills at the Dragon Gate (a legendary gate on the Yellow River), striving to ascend.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。言积行菩萨不能入华严大道。如禹门三级。鱼跃不过者。曝腮而还。 永嘉拟之萤光 证道歌云。有二比丘犯淫杀。波离萤光增罪结。维摩大士顿除疑。犹如赫日消霜雪。 不净错施炉韝数息不利冢人 舍利弗教二弟子修不净观。及数息观。久之无益。心欲反道。往见佛。佛问在家业何行。修数息者曰守坟冢。修不净者曰治金器。佛令二人易观修之。不久。皆证道果。 三心圆发 观经上品上生章。一者至诚心。二者深心。三者回向发愿心。 乾曰大生坤曰广生 系辞云。夫干。其静也专。其动也直。是以大生焉。夫坤。其静也翕。其动也辟。是以广生焉。 宝镜遁妖 隋王度得宝镜。为县令。县中有大树。树有神。令至者必祭。否则为崇。度令人夜悬宝镜于树。其夜大雷雨。则晨视之。树粉碎。有大蛇死树下。又遇逆旅。见其家有女殊色。主人云。数月前有客携至此。云续当来取。迄今杳然。度心疑其非人。潜出镜。女即惶骇请死。曰。我乃狐也。惑人多矣。今死于君手。乞藏镜。即当受死。度曰。藏镜。汝得无遁乎。妖曰。神物所烛。何处隐形。愿得一醉而死。与之酒。大醉而寝。就视之。老狐死于床上。其余种种灵异。不可尽述。 七 现代汉语译本：有人说，积功累行的菩萨不能进入华严大道的境界，就像鲤鱼跃龙门，三级台阶跃不过去，只能曝晒着腮帮子退回来一样。 永嘉禅师将此比作萤火虫的光芒。 《证道歌》中说：‘有二比丘犯淫杀，波离萤光增罪结。维摩大士顿除疑，犹如赫日消霜雪。’ 修不净观错用了冶炼工具，修数息观不利于守墓人。 舍利弗（Śāriputra，佛陀十大弟子之一，以智慧著称）教导两个弟子修习不净观和数息观，时间很久却没有效果，他们心中想要放弃。于是去见佛陀。佛陀问他们在出家前是做什么的。修数息观的弟子说自己是守坟墓的，修不净观的弟子说自己是冶炼金器的。佛陀让两人交换所修的法门，不久之后，两人都证得了道果。 三心圆满生起 《观经》上品上生章中说：一是至诚心，二是深心，三是回向发愿心。 乾代表伟大产生，坤代表广泛产生 《系辞》中说：乾的静止状态是专一的，它的运动状态是刚直的，所以能伟大产生万物。坤的静止状态是收敛的，它的运动状态是舒展的，所以能广泛产生万物。 宝镜使妖怪遁形 隋朝的王度得到一面宝镜，担任县令。县里有一棵大树，树里有神灵，到任的县令一定要祭祀它，否则就会受到作祟。王度让人晚上把宝镜悬挂在树上。当晚电闪雷鸣，第二天早晨去看，树已经粉碎，有一条大蛇死在树下。王度又遇到一家旅店，看到这家有一个女子容貌非常出色。主人说，几个月前有一个客人带着她来到这里，说是过几天会来接她，到现在还没有来。王度心里怀疑她不是人，偷偷拿出宝镜。女子立刻惊慌地请求死去，说：‘我是一只狐狸，迷惑人太多了，现在要死在您的手里，请您把镜子藏起来，我就去死。’王度说：‘藏起镜子，你不会逃走吗？’妖怪说：‘神物的光芒照耀着，我能隐藏到哪里去呢？我希望能喝醉一次再死。’王度给她酒，她喝得大醉后睡着了。王度去看她，发现一只老狐狸死在床上。其余种种灵异的事情，说也说不完。 七
English
English version: It is said that Bodhisattvas who accumulate merit and practice diligently cannot enter the realm of the Avatamsaka (Huayan) Great Path, just like a carp trying to leap over the Dragon Gate, unable to pass the three levels of steps, and can only return with its gills exposed to the sun. Yongjia (Yongjia Xuanjue, a Chan Buddhist monk) compared it to the light of a firefly. The 'Song of Enlightenment' says: 'Two Bhikkhus committed adultery and murder, Polli's (Upali, one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha) firefly light increased the entanglement of sins. Vimalakirti (a central figure in the Vimalakirti Sutra) immediately removed their doubts, like the bright sun melting frost and snow.' Improper application of impurity contemplation with smelting tools, and counting breaths is unfavorable for a gravedigger. Sariputra (Śāriputra, one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha, known for his wisdom) taught two disciples to practice impurity contemplation and breath counting, but after a long time, it was ineffective, and they wanted to give up. So they went to see the Buddha. The Buddha asked them what they did before they became monks. The disciple who practiced breath counting said he was a gravedigger, and the disciple who practiced impurity contemplation said he was a metalworker. The Buddha told them to exchange their practices, and soon after, both of them attained the fruit of the path. The perfect arising of the Three Minds In the chapter on the highest level of rebirth in the 'Contemplation Sutra', it says: First, the sincere mind; second, the deep mind; third, the mind of dedicating merit and making vows. Qian (Heaven) represents great generation, Kun (Earth) represents broad generation The 'Appended Remarks' says: 'Qian, in its stillness, is focused; in its movement, it is upright. Therefore, it greatly generates. Kun, in its stillness, is receptive; in its movement, it is expansive. Therefore, it broadly generates.' A magic mirror reveals a demon's true form Wang Du of the Sui Dynasty obtained a magic mirror and became a county magistrate. There was a large tree in the county, and a spirit resided in the tree. Any magistrate who came to office had to worship it, or else they would be harmed. Wang Du had people hang the magic mirror on the tree at night. That night, there was thunder and lightning, and the next morning, the tree was shattered, and a large snake was found dead under the tree. Wang Du also encountered an inn and saw a woman of extraordinary beauty. The owner said that a guest had brought her there several months ago, saying that he would come back to pick her up, but he had not returned. Wang Du suspected that she was not human and secretly took out the mirror. The woman immediately panicked and begged to die, saying: 'I am a fox, and I have deceived too many people. Now I am going to die at your hands. Please hide the mirror, and I will die.' Wang Du said: 'If I hide the mirror, won't you run away?' The demon said: 'The light of the divine object shines everywhere, where can I hide? I wish to get drunk once before I die.' Wang Du gave her wine, and she fell asleep after getting drunk. Wang Du went to check on her and found an old fox dead on the bed. The other strange and miraculous events are too numerous to mention. Seven -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 年之病
Chinese
孟子曰。今之欲王者。犹七年之病。求三年之艾也。 如牛坏车 如牛以牵车为苦。便坏其车。主人复造。如人厌身为苦。速灭其身。不知此身虽灭。复受余身。 生身尊特犹待辩疑 有言六十万亿那由他之身。乃是生身。盖净土之身。胜于秽土。秽土生身丈六。净土生身。宜尔许高大也。知礼法师以十三重问答。辩此决是尊特身也(出妙宗钞)。 菩萨六念 念佛。念法。念僧。念天。念戒。念施。念佛者。慈悲导师。念法者。三世佛母。念僧者。人天福田。念天者。长寿安乐。念戒者。清净身心。念施者。普济贫穷。 十心向往 一。于众生起大慈。无损害心。二。于众生起大悲。无逼恼心。三。于佛法不惜身命。乐守护心。四。于一切法发生胜忍。无执着心。五。不贪利养敬重。净意乐心。六。求佛种智。于一切时无忘失心。七。于众生尊重恭敬。无下劣心。八。不着世论。于菩提分生决定心。九。种诸善根。无有杂染清净之心。十。于诸佛舍离诸相。起随念心。 诸天共器食有精粗 净名经云。譬如诸天。共宝器食。随其福德。食色有异。 三兽同河渡分深浅 永嘉集云。譬夫象马兔渡河。足有短长。而分深浅。 现代汉语译本 年之病 孟子说：‘现在想要称王的人，就像病了七年，却要寻找三年的艾草一样。’（比喻为时已晚，或方法错误） 如牛坏车 好比牛觉得拉车很痛苦，就毁坏了车子。主人又重新制造。又如人厌恶自身觉得痛苦，就 দ্রুত 灭绝其身。却不知道此身虽然灭了，还会再次承受其他的身体。 生身尊特犹待辩疑 有人说六十万亿那由他（nayuta，数量单位，表示极大的数）之身，才是生身。大概是因为净土（pure land）的身体，胜过秽土（impure land）。秽土的生身有一丈六尺，净土的生身，应该那样高大。知礼法师用十三重问答，辩论此事，确定那是尊特身（尊贵特别的身体）。（出自《妙宗钞》） 菩萨六念 念佛（Buddha-anusmriti，忆念佛陀）。念法（Dharma-anusmriti，忆念佛法）。念僧（Sangha-anusmriti，忆念僧伽）。念天（Deva-anusmriti，忆念天神）。念戒（Sila-anusmriti，忆念戒律）。念施（Dana-anusmriti，忆念布施）。念佛，是慈悲的导师。念法，是三世诸佛之母。念僧，是人天福田。念天，能长寿安乐。念戒，能清净身心。念施，能普济贫穷。 十心向往 一、对于众生生起大慈，没有损害的心。二、对于众生生起大悲，没有逼恼的心。三、对于佛法不惜身命，乐于守护的心。四、对于一切法发生殊胜的忍耐，没有执着的心。五、不贪图利养敬重，清净意乐的心。六、寻求佛的智慧，在一切时侯没有忘失的心。七、对于众生尊重恭敬，没有下劣的心。八、不执着世俗的言论，对于菩提（bodhi，觉悟）之分生起决定的心。九、种植各种善根，没有杂染清净的心。十、对于诸佛舍离各种表相，生起随念的心。 诸天共器食有精粗 《净名经》（Vimalakirti Sutra）说：‘譬如诸天，共同用宝器吃饭，随着他们的福德，食物的颜色有所不同。’ 三兽同河渡分深浅 《永嘉集》说：‘譬如大象、马、兔子渡河，脚有长短，因此区分出深浅。’