(英文歌曲演唱)
Inspire each other, face up to the
Down-Matter. Because of great faith, we can meet here together. Dow is our
shelter, don't linger, get on the liner. No matter what we encounter, Teacher
will give us mighty power to go on and turn the corner.
Arms are open wide, embrace the world.
Visions of the dawn carry me through the night. Blessings from the sky, I no
longer ask why. Full of gracious mind, please always by my side.
And you and me, hand in hand we go. And you
and me, heart to heart we go. And you and me, let's color the world. For sure
we can, never let go.
God is here in the heart
bless the heart to go on and on Dao enlightens us on time, it inspires us for a lifetime Pray by saint to give up fake one
《論語》課程開場致詞
Ladies and gentlemen, my dear brothers and sisters. Before I begin, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to grace of Heaven, the great virtue of our Holy Teachers, the merciful guidance of our Senior Elder（老前人） and Elder（前人） in Heaven, and the kind arrangements made by our Tao-transmitting masters and lecturers. And thank you all for joining us tonight.
Today, we
will continue our study of The Analects. If you scan the QR code on the
screen, it will take you straight to the YouTube channel for all the recordings
of the past Analects classes. Please feel free to check them out
whenever you want to review.
And in this online course, the selective readings from The Analects that we share are drawn from the Xinmin Class teaching materials in our Tao community. In the Xinmin Class, these selective passages are organized into six major themes, four of which we have already studied. The two remaining themes are: "The Conduct and Virtue of Confucius", and "The Aspirations and Conduct of His Disciples".
孔門弟子與十哲主題介紹
To start
with the basics, we chose to begin with the sixth theme: "The
Disciples". We started this theme back in November 2025, and continued
with it in March this year. And we still have another one or two sessions to go
before we complete this theme. Once we have finished exploring the aspirations
and conduct of Confucius's disciples, we will eventually move on to the fifth
theme: "The Conduct and Virtue of Confucius Himself". 就是我們先研究孔門弟子行誼，然後我們接著研究孔子行誼。
During my
talk, occasionally you will find me use a little Chinese, and don't worry about
it if you don't understand. I promise I will explain everything clearly in
English beforehand. And using my native language is only to gather my thoughts,
and also to add some clarity for friends who do speak Chinese.
So today,
we will move forward with Part 3 of this theme. You know, it is said that
Confucius had 3,000 disciples, among whom 72 were known as the Worthies——三千弟子，七十二賢。Among these 72, there were also the 10
Eminent Disciples——七十二賢當中有十哲。And
Confucius grouped these 10 into four categories according to their strengths:
virtue, speech, governance, and literature.
And in
this theme, "The Aspirations and Conduct of Confucius's Disciples",
we focus mainly on these 10. 所以我們孔門弟子行誼主要是探討十哲。And because our time is limited, we cannot
cover all of them. Since virtue always comes first, so in Part 1, we looked at
the...
「德行」科與閔子騫、漆雕開等弟子
...category
of virtue. And although this category is led by Yan Hui——We know virtue, 顏淵、閔子騫、冉伯牛、仲弓——the category is led by Yan Hui. We honor
Yan Hui in a special group called "The Torchbearers", 但是我們把顏夫子列入「傳燈者」in Part 2. Therefore, in Part 1, we
introduced Min Ziqian, Ran Boniu, and Zhonggong.
When we
talk about Min Ziqian, his main virtue are filial piety and being unmoved by
fame and wealth. 閔子騫的德行主要是孝行以及淡泊名利. When we
talk about this special trait, being unmoved by fame and wealth, 淡泊名利, meaning he never chased after money or high
status, we naturally introduce another sage called Qidiaokai from the 72
Worthies.
Qidiaokai,
although not one of the ten, Qidiaokai is also known for being untempted by
fame and wealth. He did not seek rank or personal gain; his heart remained
simple and pure.
「傳燈者」與曾子之地位
As
mentioned earlier, in Part 2, we started "The Torchbearers", and we
already introduced Master Yan, 顏夫子. Because Master Yan returned to heaven at a very young
age, Confucius chose another outstanding disciple to pass down the Heavenly
Mandate: 曾夫子. And
today, we will continue to explore the remarkable characteristics of Master
Zeng.
曾夫子, Master Zeng, 曾參, courtesy name as 子輿, revered as 曾子 in The Analects, also honored as 宗聖 in later generations, meaning "The
Lineage Sage". In The Analects, he is revered as 曾子, 子 meaning "Master". You might wonder, why wasn't
Yan Hui called "Master" back then? Because 顏夫子 passed away before Confucius. Out of respect
for their teacher, disciples wouldn't let others call them "Master",
though later generations do honor Yan Hui as 顏子.
Because 曾子 successfully continued the orthodox
transmission of Dao, he was given the title "The Lineage Sage", 宗聖. He was the key person who ensured the
continuation of the Dao lineage at that time. To bear such a heavy
responsibility like 顏夫子, 曾子 possessed many outstanding characteristics,
too. Now, let's look at them one by one.
曾子承接道脈：吾道一以貫之
Now that 曾夫子 has taken on this sacred responsibility,
what was his first and greatest characteristic? Yes, receiving the Dao
transmission. He was the only disciple besides Master Yan who had received Dao.
A well-known passage in The Analects beautifully illustrates this:
子曰：「參乎！吾道一以貫之。」曾子曰：「唯。」子出，門人問曰：「何謂也？」曾子曰：「夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。」
The Master
said, "Zeng, my Dao is that of an all-pervading unity." The disciple
Zeng replied, "Yes." The Master went out, and the other students
asked, "What was the Master referring to?" Zengzi said, "The Dao
of our Master is loyalty and forgiveness, this and nothing more."
We know
only two out of the 3,000 received Dao in Confucius's school back then. Zeng
Shen was the one of the outstanding two, so he replied "Yes", because
he knew the heavenly secret.
And when
the other disciples asked him, "What did the Master mean? What was Master
referring to?" Zengzi answered: 忠恕而已矣, "Loyalty and forgiveness, this and nothing
more." Now, at first glance, some people might think Zengzi was just
giving a superficial answer to satisfy their curiosity. After all, the ultimate
truth of Dao is beyond words, since it was impossible to fully explain the unexplainable
Dao. It might seem like he just threw out two simple words to satisfy their
curiosity, but that is...
忠恕之道之深意
...not the
case. In these two simple words, he managed to speak the unspeakable. He
perfectly captured the absolute essence of Dao. These two words, Zhong (忠) and Shu (恕), are incredibly profound.
Look at the
Chinese character, the word Zhong (忠), meaning loyalty. It's made of
"center" (中) and
"heart" (心). It means
keeping a pure, central, and upright original heart. This is the inner essence.
Now look at Shu (恕), meaning forgiveness. It is made of "like" (如) and "heart" (心). It means having a heart like others,
feeling others' pain. That is true empathy, and this is the outward function.
In fact,
without the pure original heart, Zhong, it is
impossible to possess true empathy, Shu. So, Zhong is the essence and Shu is the function.
And with that two simple words, 曾夫子 perfectly summarized the entire universe of Confucianist
Dao. He truly understood Dao.
曾子之孝行：嚙指痛心
Let's move on
to his second characteristic: He is a model of filial piety. Look at the comic
on the screen, there is a very famous story about him.
When 曾參 was young, his family was very poor. And
one day, while he was gathering firewood deep in the mountains, unexpected
guests arrived at his home. His mom didn't know what to do and became very
anxious, so she bit her own finger.
Far away in
the mountains, 曾參 suddenly felt
a sharp pain in his heart. He immediately knew his mom was calling him in pain,
so he dropped his firewood, rushed back home, and knelt down to ask her what
happened.
Most people
hear this story, just think: "Wow, that's a beautiful bond, a beautiful
bond between the mother and the son." But today I want to share a deeper
spiritual truth with you. Think about it: How could he sense his mom's pain
from so far away? How could he receive her signal? It is because he had a perfectly
pure and peaceful heart. If his heart is full of noise and selfish desires, he
could never have felt that connection.
曾子之修持：每日省察
But how did he
keep his heart so pure and peaceful every single day? Here's how. His third
characteristic is: constant self-reflection. 曾夫子 left us a very famous teaching:
曾子曰：「吾日三省吾身：為人謀而不忠乎？與朋友交而不信乎？傳不習乎？」
Zengzi said,
"Every day I examine myself on three points: In doing things for others,
have I failed to be loyal? In interacting with friends, have I failed to be
faithful? Have I failed to practice what has been transmitted to me?"
At first
glance, this passage may appear simple, but within it lies a very profound
meaning. First, let's explore the meaning of "three" (三). In this passage, "three"
carries two meanings. The first meaning: 三可以代表多，三多嘛. The first meaning: many. In Chinese culture,
"three" does not always refer to the exact number; often it simply
means "many". So, in that case, 「三省吾身」, "三省" points to repeated self-reflection. It emphasizes
the importance of frequent self-reflection, because self-reflection is not
something we do occasionally, only when our conscience suddenly awakens——因為反省不是偶爾才做的，良心發現才做，不是這樣的. Rather, a
true cultivator makes it a daily habit, a constant practice, many times a day.
And the second
meaning: "three" means the exact number three. In this passage, when
it means three, it points to three directions...
省察之具體方向
In
self-reflection, 曾夫子 did not just
generally ask: "Have I done something wrong?" 曾夫子的反省並不是籠統的說：「我今天有沒有做錯什麼呀？」不是的，他有三個方向。He gave us
three specific directions to check.
第一省：為人謀而不忠乎？
Let's look at
the first point: "In doing things for others, have I failed to be
loyal?"
On the
surface, doing things for others simply means working for someone. Thus, people
might think: "Oh, loyalty is being loyal to the boss——對老闆忠心啊，who pays our salary——因為給我們薪水啊." But true loyalty is on a much
higher level.
Here's an
example, think about it: A flight attendant. On the surface, they work for the
airline boss. But if an emergency happens, who are they really loyal to? Their
true duty is to protect the passengers' safety, even if it means sacrificing
themselves. I believe this is exactly how they are trained: never to run away.
And that is true loyalty. It is not loyalty to an individual——不是對一個人忠心耿耿，it is loyalty to their duty, to their
core values, and ultimately, to their own conscience——對他們的良心忠心耿耿了。
Or think about
a chef in a restaurant. They get their salary from the boss, but their true
loyalty is to the customers. They must keep the food fresh and the kitchen
clean, even when no one is watching. If the boss asked them to do something
wrong, they will not do it just to get paid. 如果老板說：「這一堆食材快壞掉了，趕快煮一煮吧，給客人吃了。」For example,
imagine there is a batch of expired food, if the boss tells the chef:
"Just cook it quickly and serve it to the customers", a truly loyal
chef will refuse it. Because true loyalty is not blind obedience to a person;
it means following our conscience and taking responsibility for our work,
instead of doing things carelessly or running away from our duty.
第二省：與朋友交而不信乎？
Now, let's move
on to the second question. Master Zeng asked himself every day: "In
interacting with friends, have I failed to be faithful?"
In the modern
world, especially in business or on social media, it is common to see people
confuse networking with friendship. 所以交朋友是在創造人脈呢？還是真心的交朋友呢？
Networking
means that someone might act incredibly nice to another person, offering
superficial praise, simply because they think: "This person might be
useful to me in the future." In that situation, friendship then becomes a transaction,
a calculated investment for worldly benefits. 所以，交友變成是一種投資，一種人脈。
But the spirit
of Chinese character "信" completely rejects saying one thing while secretly
meaning something else. 但是呢，交朋友要有「信」，絕對不能口是心非，所以……
Look at the
character "信". It is
made of a "person" (人) standing right next to their "word" (言). It means a person's words match their
character. When it comes to friendship, the meaning of the Chinese character
"信" is that
true friendship is not based on what we can get from each other. Instead, true
friends are people who share the same values and ideals, working together on
the path of truth.
To sum up this
second reflection, by reflecting on himself, Master Zeng is also leaving an
important lesson for people in later generations. He is reminding us that
friends are not meant to be used. When interacting with friends, if people only
care about what they can get, they will tend to keep up a fake harmony instead
of building a genuine friendship...
第三省：傳不習乎？
Finally,
let's look at the third point, Master Zeng's last reflection point: "Have
I failed to practice what has been transmitted to me?"
What
exactly was transmitted? It was Dao. After the passing of Yan Hui, Master Zeng
was the only disciple to receive Dao, becoming the torchbearer of his era.
Therefore, when 曾子 asked
himself about his practice, he means this: "Now that I have received this
truth that is beyond words, am I practicing this heart Dharma in my daily life
to awaken my true self? Is the light of my true nature shining brightly? Am I
living my life as a radiant beam of light, so as not to fail the sacred mission
of a keeper of the flame?"
光得持有者啊，a keeper of the flame. To bridge the wisdom
of the past to the generations of the future, 繼往開來啊.
My
friends, the Dao we have received is the exact same truth that Master Zeng
received over 2,500 years ago. Shouldn't we also reflect upon ourselves every
single day? Let us ask ourselves: "Am I letting my true nature shine? Am I
living my life as a radiant beam of light?"
反省之真諦：非自責，乃成長
Now, when
we hear about examining ourselves every single day, it might sound a bit
stressful. 一直講反省，好像壓力很大，對不對？ We might
think, "Does this mean I should feel guilty——好像自己一直有過錯，or bad about my mistakes all the time?"
The answer is absolutely no.
As you can
see here, the true essence of inward reflection is never about self-blame. 反省不是……不是自責啊。 It is always about self-correction. It is a process of
growth, not punishment.
So, let's
quickly summarize Master Zeng's three reflection points:
1.
First, asking ourselves about loyalty is not to restrict
us, but to awaken our true sense of responsibility.
2.
Second, asking about faithfulness is simply a way to
cultivate a sincere and generous heart toward others.
3.
And finally, asking about our practice ensures that,
since we have encountered, we have received Dao, encountered this profound
truth, we must vow to truly comprehend its deepest meaning and manifest it in
our daily life.
仙佛聖訓對照與逐句剖析
Next, I
would like to share something very special with you. This is a compassionate
teaching from our Holy Teacher, revealed just recently in March 2026. As you
can see, the text is entirely in Chinese, but I have already translated it into
English. Next, we will go through it together line by line, so everyone can
fully understand this beautiful message.
省思：修辦之要在於省思。 Self-Reflection: The essence of cultivation and
propagation lies in self-reflection.
省己心是否清靜？思己行是否正直？ Reflect: Is my heart calm and pure? Meaning, am I
getting easily upset or distracted by the little things in life? Examine: Are
my actions upright and honest? In other words, am I doing the right thing even
when no one is watching?
省己言是否合理？思己念是否偏私？ Reflect: Are my words sound and appropriate? In other
words, did I say anything that hurt someone's feelings today, or did I speak
kindly? Examine: Are my thoughts free from bias and self-interest? Meaning,
when I make a decision, am I doing it for the good of everyone? or just for
myself?
一日不省，塵垢自積。
If we fail to
reflect for even a single day, dust and impurities will accumulate.
Meaning, just
like a mirror, if we don't wipe the mirror every day, it gets dusty. Our minds
are exactly the same.
一念不察，習氣難移。
If we fail to
examine even a single thought, our deep-seated tendencies will be difficult to
change.
Just like a
tiny weed in a garden, if we don't pull it off when it's still small, when its
roots go deep, it will become almost impossible to remove.
省思非自責內耗，乃照見真實。
Self-reflection
is not self-blame or emotional exhaustion; rather, it is seeing our true self
clearly.
That means
self-reflection is not about constantly blaming ourselves or draining our
energy. Instead, it is like lighting a lamp inside our hearts, illuminating our
true nature.
省思非自我糾結，乃心性洗滌。
It is not
entanglement in overthinking; it is cleansing and purifying our inner nature.
So, 非自我糾結, simply put,
don't get stuck in a loop of thinking: "Why did I do this? Why did I do
that?" 不是糾結說「我為什麼做這個？為什麼做那個做錯？」 Instead, it is just like taking a gentle shower——而是洗心滌慮啊——for our
minds, washing away the dust accumulated today.
省思非自我苛求，乃底蘊累積。
It is not
harsh self-demand; it is building our inner depth and wisdom.
Meaning, we
are not forcing ourselves to be 100% immediately. We are simply letting our
inner wisdom grow day by day.
省思非自我懷疑，乃突破自己。
It is not
self-doubt; it is transcending our own limitations.
So, does
reflecting mean losing our confidence? Not at all! In fact, it helps us build
even greater confidence. Think about it: we are simply stepping out of our old
comfort zone and becoming a better version of ourselves. When we are growing
like this, how could that be self-doubt?
改進、成長與日常修持
修道者知省思，方能改變自己，方能成長自己；
Only when
cultivators understand the value of self-reflection can they truly transform
and grow.
方能造就自己，方能成就自己。
Only then can
they cultivate their character and achieve true fulfillment.
於動中守念微，
In action,
guard even the subtlest thought.
Meaning,
whenever we are interacting with others or handling tasks throughout the day,
we must be mindful of those tiny negative thoughts before they turn into real
mistakes.
於靜中觀己過，
In stillness,
observe our own faults.
And whenever
we have a moment to ourselves, we use that solitude to reflect on our mistakes
and see how we can improve.
於思中悟真理，
Through
contemplation, awaken to the truth.
In other
words, by turning inward and contemplating on our true nature, we can gradually
wake up to the ultimate truth.
於覺中行警惕。
With
awareness, remain ever vigilant.
And once we
awaken to this true nature, we must stay alert, carefully watching our thoughts
so we never lose this inner light.
勇於認錯與見賢思齊
毋推過於人，不居功於己；
Do not shift
our faults onto others, and do not take the credit for ourselves.
不掩飾己非，不扭曲事實；
Do not hide
our own faults or distort the facts.
知過則改，見善則齊；知錯則修，見賢思齊。
When we
recognize our faults, correct them. When we see virtues in others, learn from
them. When we realize our mistakes, cultivate ourselves. When we meet the
virtuous, aspire to be like them.
These two
lines go hand in hand. Simply put, once we admit our own mistakes, we must take
action to fix them and refine our character, because every mistake is actually an opportunity to grow.
And on the
other hand, whenever we notice wonderful virtues in other people, we don't just
admire them from a distance. We humbly learn from them and strive to reach that
same level of goodness. And this is how we constantly elevate ourselves.
此乃省思之意也。 This is the true meaning of
self-reflection.
曾參夫子四大特質總結與延伸
So far, we
have explored three key characteristics of Master Zeng:
1.
First, receiving the Dao transmission. He was the true
successor of Confucius after Yan Hui's passing.
2.
Second, he was a model of filial piety. Remember the
story we shared earlier, when he was far away in the mountains chopping wood,
he instantly felt a pain in his heart when his mom bit her own finger to call
him home for emergency? How could he have such a powerful, almost telepathic——心電感應——connection with her? It was because his
mind was profoundly pure and tranquil.
3.
And where did that deep purity and tranquility come from?
為什麼他能如此清靜呢？ It came
directly from his third characteristic: 限制因為他一直在反省, constant self-reflection and true cultivation.
We know he
reflected on himself daily, but what kind of attitude——他是用什麼態度反省呢——did he have when, when reflecting on
himself? So next, we will introduce his fourth characteristic.
特質四：戰戰兢兢，至死方休
He did
constant self-reflection with absolute vigilance and extreme caution——用戰戰兢兢的態度反省. So how long did Master Zeng keep up this
attitude of constant self-reflection? He kept it up until his very last breath.
他戰戰兢兢一直到生命的最後一刻。
In the Analects,
there is a very touching record of his final moment:
When
Master Zeng was seriously ill—and this was not a normal sickness—he knew he was
at the very end of his life, 他已經快要……快要離開人世了. He
called all his disciples to the bedside. He told them: "Uncover the
blankets on my feet (啟予足), and
uncover my hands (啟予手)."
Look at that. Why did he do this? He wanted his disciples to see that his body
was perfectly intact. 他告訴他的弟子們，他的手腳都保護得好好的，如何保護呢？一輩子這個手沒有做過錯誤的事，這個腳沒有踩在錯誤的路上。
He was
telling them: "My whole life, I have been as careful as someone standing
on the edge of a deep cliff (如臨深淵), terrified of falling. I have been as someone as
cautious as walking on thin ice (如履薄冰), terrified of breaking it. I never let my hands do
anything they shouldn't do, and I never let my feet walk down the wrong
path."
Then he
sighed and said: "Only now do I know I'm finally safe." What did he
mean? He meant, "Because I'm in this physical body, I had to be extremely
cautious every single day. But from now on, I don't need to be so careful
anymore, because I'm finally shedding this physical body——因為我要脫下這個臭皮囊了. It can no longer trap me, and it can no
longer burden me with endless desires and worldly troubles."
老子《道德經》之印證
You see,
having a physical body brings desires and worldly troubles, making it so easy
for people to make mistakes. Even a sage like Master Zeng still had to be this
cautious. And this profound realization perfectly connects us to what the great
sage Laozi tells us in the Dao De Jing.
Laozi
said:
「吾之所以有大患者，為吾有身，及吾無身，吾有何患？」
"The
reason I have great trouble is that I'm trapped in this physical body. If I'm
free, what trouble do I have?"
Master
Zeng deeply understood this. For his entire life, he was extremely cautious,
never allowing his physical body to commit even the slightest wrongdoing. So
his attitude of walking on thin ice was not because he was a coward who, who
feared death. 他戰戰兢兢如履薄冰不是懦夫，貪生怕死，不是的。 Not at
all. It was because he knew that in this world, if we are not constantly
watchful, this physical body can easily become a source of bad deeds and
endless, endless mistakes.
Yes, he
guarded his body fearlessly every single day. But if a true moral crisis came,
he would die for righteousness without a second thought. And this is exactly
what we will explore next: Master Zeng's fifth characteristic——
特質五：堅貞氣節（Moral Integrity）
曾子曰：「可以託六尺之孤，可以寄百里之命，臨大節而不可奪也。君子人與？君子人也。」
Master
Zeng said: "Suppose that there is an individual who can be entrusted with
the care of a young orphan prince, and can be charged with the command of a
small state, and who will not waver when faced with a serious crisis—is such a
man a junzi? He is a junzi indeed."
What does
it mean to be "entrusted with a young orphan prince" and "the
command of a state"? These two—these are not two separate things. They are
the exact same mission. Imagine, an emperor passes away, leaving behind a young
child. The entire future of the nation is placed in the hands of a one high
minister. 就是一個皇上要駕崩了，然後有一個皇位第一繼承人還非常小，然後這個時候整個國家的大權在一個大臣的手中。
This is
the ultimate test of human nature. 這個是考驗人性的時候啊. If this minister is fiercely loyal, just like the
famous Chancellor Zhuge Liang, then the nation is safe. But if he is ambitious
and cunning like Sima Yi, then the throne will eventually be stolen. But Master
Zeng says a true junzi can carry this massive burden. He will protect that
child and the nation's destiny with unshakable loyalty. What immense responsibility
and greatness of mind that requires! Master Zeng was actually expressing his
own lifelong vow as a true junzi. 其實這句話是曾夫子自道也，在講他自己啊。
And what,
what does it mean to "never waver in a serious crisis"? 「臨大節而不可奪」是什麼意思呢？ In The Romance of the Three Kingdoms（《三國演義》當中）, there is a famous story: The great warrior
Zhao Zilong（趙雲，趙子龍）charged
through massive enemy lines seven times（七進七出）, risking his own life just to save the lost baby boy, Ah
Dou.
When he
finally brought the baby back, his lord, Liu Bei, threw the baby to the ground,
crying out that he almost lost his greatest general for a child! To protect a
vulnerable life that carries the destiny of the nation during a matter of life
and death, completely ignoring your own safety—that is ultimate loyalty and
breathtaking courage. And this legendary story is the perfect example of what
it means to「臨大節而不可奪」,
"never waver when faced with a serious crisis."
And I
believe that this is exactly a true reflection of Master Zeng's—曾夫子's own inner spirit.
但是現在問題來了喔。 But you might wonder: Master Zeng never led
an army—曾夫子從來沒有上過戰場啊—nor did
he hold a high political office—也從來沒有當過大官啊. So what was his battlefield. 那麼他的戰場在哪裡呢？ His battlefield was the realm of moral
character，就在他的修辦、修道辦道啊。
This
brings us to a beautiful realization:
Earlier,
we saw Master Zeng walking on thin ice. He seemed so cautious, almost as if he
lacked ambition or bold action. 好像很戰戰兢兢，做不了大事，好像是這樣。 But now, look at this true spirit. We
finally understand that his extreme caution was simply strict self-discipline.
He was
terrified of letting his physical body commit a sin. But when it comes to
shouldering the mandate of heaven and protecting the sacred torch of Dao, he is
absolutely fearless.
所以他的戰戰兢兢是自律，但是如果要承擔使命，他是毫不恐懼，完全無懼。 And that
is the true power of moral integrity，這個就是他老人家節操。
So far, we
have explored five characteristics of Master Zeng. Now let's take a look at the
sixth:
特質六：慈悲大愛（Love and Compassion）
曾子有疾，孟敬子問之。曾子言曰：「鳥之將死，其鳴也哀；人之將死，其言也善。」
Master
Zeng was seriously ill. Meng Jingzi came to ask how he was. Master Zeng said:
"When a bird is about to die, its cries are sorrowful. When a man is about
to die, he speaks from his heart."
Before we
look at Master Zeng's advice, we must understand the background of the visitor,
Meng Jingzi. Was he one of Master Zeng's disciples？孟敬子是曾夫子的弟子嗎？不是。 Actually, no. Meng Jingzi was a very young,
wealthy, extremely powerful minister in the State of Lu.
Because
Master Zeng was highly respected—好像一個國寶一樣，曾夫子那時候簡直是國寶—so this powerful noble came to pay his
respects，所以這個年輕的貴族啊，在這個國寶即將離世的時候，也來探望了，when
Master Zeng was on his deathbed.
But what
kind of attitude did Meng Jingzi have as a leader? As a young man with immense
political power, he was known to be quite arrogant, harsh, and unapproachable.
He lacked the gentle and sincere demeanor of a true leader. He ruled with
power, not with virtue.
In the
face of such arrogance, Master Zeng responded only with pure love and
compassion. Think about it: Master Zeng was in immense physical pain, drawing
his last breath. He could have just said a few polite words to this powerful
politician and let him go. But he did not. Looking at this arrogant young
minister, Master Zeng felt a deep sense of compassion for him, and especially
for the people he ruled. He knew Meng Jingzi's arrogance would not only bring
disaster upon himself, but the people of the entire nation would also suffer as
a result.
So he used
this famous and heartbreaking metaphor: 「鳥之將死，其鳴也哀；when a bird is about to die, its cries are sorrowful. 人之將死，其言也善；when a man is about to die, he speaks from
his heart.」
To touch
the young minister's heart, the great sage lowered his own status and compared
himself to a dying bird. 所以為了感動這位趾高氣揚的貴族呢，曾夫子是如此地放下身段，為了百姓。 He was
saying: "I don't have much time left. Please accept the kind and sorrowful
plea of a dying man."
曾夫子 continues:
「君子所貴乎道者三……」
There are
three principles of conduct which the man of high rank should consider especially
important:
「君子所貴乎道者三：動容貌，斯遠暴慢矣；……」
That is, in
his behavior and manner he keeps from violence and disrespect lessness. 「動容貌，斯遠暴慢矣。」
So what does
the first principle mean? Master Zeng says that a person in a high position
must control their outward behavior and manners. They must stay away from
violence, which means being harsh or cruel, and heedlessness, which means being
arrogant or looking down on others.
Master Zeng
wasn't actually demanding too much from this young, powerful official. 曾夫子並沒有對孟敬子做過多的要求哦。 He wasn't asking him to become—並沒有要求他立刻變成聖賢哦—he wasn't asking him to become a
perfect saint overnight. He only hoped for one simple thing, 簡單而已：when this minister issued orders to
the people, he would not have violent tendencies, 下命令的時候不要太兇了；and he would not hold an arrogant,
dismissive attitude, 啊不要瞧不起百姓, toward
others.
And 曾夫子 goes on to say, 第三個，
「正顏色，斯近信矣；」
That in a...
in the rectification of his countenance, he is close to sincerity. 正顏色，斯近信矣。這是第二個哦。
「出辭氣，斯遠鄙倍矣。」
And that in
his words and tones, he keeps far from lowness and impropriety. 出辭氣，斯遠鄙倍矣。這是第三個哦。
Now, let's
look at the second and third principles. Once again, 曾夫子 was not making any excessive demands.
We must remember who Meng Jingzi was: a young, noble, born with a silver spoon
in his mouth, perhaps even a bit spoiled by his power and wealth.
Knowing this,
Master Zeng simply hoped for two basic things when this young man issued
orders: first, that he would keep a proper and dignified facial expression to
show his sincerity; and second, that he would use appropriate language to keep
far from lowness and impropriety—simply means to avoid using vulgar, coarse, or
inappropriate words. 就是孟敬子可能含著金湯匙出生，已經被慣壞，所以曾夫子希望他不要……就是下命令的時候要莊嚴啊，然後呢講話不要講不三不四的話，就這樣。 It was just a
humble plea for basic, basic dignity.
然後最後呢，finally, what is Master's last piece
of advice? 曾夫子 goes on to
say:
「邊豆之事，則有司存。」
As to the
business of the ritual vessels, such as bian and dou, 邊豆之事，則有司存。There are the
proper officers to attend to them. What does that mean?
He says, as to
the business of the ritual vessels, there are the proper officers to attend to
them. In plain terms, he is telling this high-ranking noble: don't micromanage.
不要管太多了，不要管太細。Don't try to
control every little detail. There are specific staff—要懂得授權啊—there are specific staff members
whose job it is to handle those tasks.
And 曾夫子 is advising him that a top leader
should not get bogged down in administrative chores. He is essentially saying:
your job as a leader is to grasp the big picture. 一個領導者抓住大方向就好了啊。Cultivate your own virtue, 要培德；and treat people with respect, 要尊重人民、百姓；with and dignity, 要莊重自己，這樣就好了哦。
Once you set
the right direction and appoint the right people, you must learn to delegate, 要懂得授權，the technical details to the
professionals, 相信專業吧。Lead with
character and leave the chores to the experts.
To sum up, why
did Master Zeng say all this on his deathbed? 為什麼他已經快要臨終，還要講這麼多呢？Because even at the very end of his
life, his heart was still with the common people. In that ancient era of
absolute power, a leader's character completely determined the survival and
well-being of the people. And that is why even with his dying breath, he
earnestly pleaded with this young powerful noble. He did not
demand the impossible. He gave the practical advice that this young man could
easily achieve if only he was willing to.
Master
Zeng knew that if this minister simply adjusted his attitude, the people would
suffer so much less. Caring for the people until his very last breath, this is
the true compassion and great love of Master Zeng.
Characteristic
6: Love and Compassion.
Now we
come to Master Zeng's seventh characteristic: Being broad-minded and resolute.
This is the quality I personally admire the most.
曾子曰：「士不可以不弘毅，任重而道遠。仁以為己任，不亦重乎？死而後已，不亦遠乎？」
Master
Zeng said: "A cultivator must be broad-minded, perseverant, and resolute.
His burden is heavy and his road is long. He takes the fulfillment of benevolence
as his burden—is it not heavy? And his road ends only with death—is it not
long?"
You see,
for ordinary people, being broad-minded often means being carefree. And being
carefree can easily turn into carelessness, a lack of discipline, or a lack of
determination. But Master Zeng is different. He combines an incredibly vast,
open heart with absolute, ironclad perseverance. He is perfectly broad-minded
yet completely resolute.
Why must a
cultivator have these qualities—「士不可以不弘毅」—why must a cultivator have these qualities? Because his
burden is heavy. And what is this burden? It is 「仁」 (benevolence). What exactly is this
benevolence, or 「仁」?
You see,
when ordinary people look at the troubles of others, they might think,
"Oh, that is not my problem. Why should I care?" But a sage is
different. When Master Zeng looks at the suffering of the people, he feels
their pain. His heart simply cannot bear to watch the world suffer. He makes a
sacred vow to carry the responsibility of saving humanity on his own shoulders,
and wholeheartedly strives to lift them out of their misery. Naturally, this
burden is heavy. And what immense greatness of mind!
And why is
his road long? Because he never treats this duty as a job you can do for a few
years and then retire from. 為什麼這條路很遠呢？因為這條路是沒有退休的。 It is a lifelong calling. And as long as he
can still breathe and his heart is still beating, he never dares to forget it.
He never dares to retire, even for a moment. His journey does not end until his
final breath. That is the ultimate expression of true perseverance.
Finally,
let's look at the eighth characteristic, the last one: Simplicity and a
non-calculating mind.
In the
Analects, Chapter 11, Verse 18, Confucius said: 「參也魯。」 "Sen is dull."
This
characteristic of Master Zeng perfectly echoes the very first trait we
discussed about 顏夫子. 顏夫子啊，「回也如愚」，「回如愚」—appearing foolish.
Isn't it
fascinating? The only two disciples who truly inherited Confucius's profound
wisdom were not known for being sharp, or high IQ, or clever. In our modern
world, we highly value worldly cleverness—叫做佛教叫做「世智辯聰」啊，wordly cleverness. People who are
quick-witted, sharp-tongued, and always calculating for their own benefits. But
both Master Yan's "foolishness" and Master Zeng's
"dullness" mean the exact opposite……
顏夫子「回也如愚」，曾夫子「參也魯」，剛好跟這個「世智辯聰」剛好相反。
They
completely lack that superficial calculating mind. They were not sharp because
they possessed true, profound wisdom—what we call great wisdom that appears
foolish. 他們為什麼沒有顯現表面的聰明呢？因為「大智若愚」。
Now, ladies and gentlemen, as we look at this complete list of Master Zeng's eight characteristics, we see the portrait of a true sage:
1.
Receiving the Tao transmission: When
Confucius was 71 years old, he tragically lost his greatest disciple, Yan Hui,
who was then the sole successor to the Tao lineage. In that critical moment,
how would the sacred torch of Tao be passed on? It could not be carried by just
anyone—那不是任何一個人可以承擔的啊！ It was
Master Zeng—幸好曾夫子出現了—with his
vigilant and cautious self-cultivation and profound moral strength, who proved
worthy to bear this sacred torch, ensuring its light would never be
extinguished.
2.
Filial piety and self-reflection: He was a
true model of filial piety. The famous story tell us that the profound bond
between him and his mom is because of his tranquility and the purity of his
heart. So he was able to sense his mom's anxiety from so far away, and this
profound tranquility and purity of his heart is from his constant
self-reflection.
3.
Vigilant and cautious moral integrity: While he
was always vigilant and cautious—他一直是戰戰兢兢、如臨深淵、如履薄冰，一直到生命的最後一刻—in his self-reflection, make no mistake, 但是他絕對不是懦夫啊！ This caution was never cowardice. Underneath
that caution was unbreakable moral integrity—在那個謹慎的下面是非常強大的節操！ When it comes to his ultimate mission of
shoulderings the heavenly mandate, he was absolutely fearless—但是要他承擔天命的時候，他是毫無所懼！ Ready to sacrifice—甚至犧牲性命在所不惜，不然他怎麼會講「死而後已」呢—ready to
sacrifice everything, even his own life, to protect the sacred torch of Tao.
4.
Love and compassion: His love and compassion were so boundless,
even on his deathbed. He never forgot the suffering of the people, earnestly
advising a powerful noble to be a good and decent leader.
5.
Broad-minded and resolute: He embraced the aspiration of saving the
people as his lifelong calling, and dedicated his entire life to this goal,
never daring to retire or to rest as long as he had a breath left in his body—「死而後已」，so resolute!
6.
A pure, original heart: Ultimately, all these beautiful traits stem
from one source: a pure, original heart. It is no wonder he is revered as one
of the Four Great Sages of the Confucian school—真的是不愧為「四配」之一啊！
His
simplicity and non-calculating mind perfectly echoes Master Yan's traits of
appearing foolish. 所以「參也魯」真的是跟「回也如愚」互相的呼應。 These two
great torchbearers of the Tao lineage truly earned their eternal legacy—這兩位傳燈者真的是名不虛傳啊！ Looking at the characteristics of these two
sages, we come to understand that the true cultivation of Tao is far beyond the
reach of worldly cleverness.
Well,
we'll wrap up today's session here. Finally, if I have misspoken in any way, I
humbly beg God and the Buddhas for forgiveness, and ask all of you, my brothers
and sisters, for your understanding. Thank you, and thank you for listening.
May you all be blessed with wisdom and light. Thank you.
小編認為：
關於「託六尺之孤」、「寄百里之命」這段話，應是曾子自述其人生的兩大抉擇：
一、曾子27歲時，孔子將死，要接受孔子對4歲孫子(子思)的託孤。以當時魯尺的長度約為19.1公分而言，6尺則約114公分，相當於今日4歲童身長的頂標(孔子本人很高)。
二、曾子51歲時，《韓詩外傳》：「齊聘以相，楚迎以令尹，晉迎以上卿，皆不應命。」春秋時期的齊國、楚國、晉國皆屬大國，所謂「百里」之國，本是周天子賜封百里見方的「井田」，例如：
公爵、侯爵：封地見方百里。
伯爵：封地見方七十里。
子爵：封地見方五十里。
男爵：封地見方五里。
1.「古者三百步為里，名曰井田。」一個井田單位就是「里」，含私田8、公田1，共有9塊田，每塊田長寬各100步(1步是2個跨距)；故每「里」長寬各為300步，平直成方而能「井井有條」。
2. 「寄百里之命」是擱置委以卿相的任命，即是「不應命」，理由可能有二。
1)《孔子家語·七十二弟子解》：「曾參……齊嘗聘，欲以為卿而不就。曰：『吾父母老，食人之祿則憂人之事，吾不忍遠親而為人役。』」（另一說，曾子拒絕出仕時，其父親曾皙已故，但母親仍在！）
2)齊國、楚國、晉國等國君並不會真心支持曾子的儒家治世理想，如《大學》云「用賢而不能舉，舉而不能先，命(名)也。」用賢而不授權，授權又不給資源，徒有用賢的名聲而已。又《大戴禮記·曾子制言上》：「聽而不賢，則不踐其朝。」即便國君願意聽取意見，卻不能真正尊重、重用賢能的人，那麼就不必出仕為官。
※「寄」字可作「託付」解，但曾子實際上沒有赴任，故此處「寄」字，可解釋為「擱置」。因決定擱置了三國邀約之任命，故接著自評「臨大節而不可奪也。君子人與？君子人也！」
※曾子處於人生二大關卡，「接受託孤」是可以不為而為，「承接寄命」則是可以為而不為，但擇直道而行，是「臨大節而不可奪」，是君子之行也。
