how do ordinary people spend their hard days? Only keep a quiet heart. Keep a quiet heart, life will not be so trivial and boring, so sad, so anxious and confused, and so impetuous. So, what is a "quiet heart"? According to Huineng, the southern Sect of Zen, it is a heart of nothing and a heart of vacuum. According to the view of Beizong Shenxiu, it is a clean heart and a clean heart. But we people in the world of mortals, with things in our hearts but not empty, simply can't reach the realm of wisdom. The body has been covered with dust and the heart has been infected, and even the realm of beauty can't be reached. Generally speaking, there are three levels that we can reach.
the first level: the heart of nature. Everything is casual, just do what you do, stop if you don't do it properly, take things as they are, don't force anything, and don't have too many choices of good or bad. Naturally, you are calm and happy. Someone once asked the Taoist Zen master of Guizong Temple in Lushan Mountain: "What is Zen"? Taoist Zen master replied: "After the snow melts, natural spring will come." Chun Hua Qiu Shi, Xia Feng winter snow, these are all natural things, come when you should, go when you should, why do you like spring and hate winter? Why hate summer because you like autumn? Why do you prefer sunny days to rainy days? These are just asking for trouble. Master Zhang Yan of Yunmen said, "Every day is a good day." In the Song Dynasty, there was also a Zen master who had no door to open, saying, "There are flowers in spring, a moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer and snow in winter. If you have nothing to worry about, it is a good time on earth. " Look at things with a natural heart, and the ups and downs, successes and failures, gains and losses in the world become natural. So, there is not much trouble.
the second level: the heart of self-entertainment. Some people say that happiness is the essential pursuit of human beings. People in the world of mortals are not easy to taste the happiness of peace of mind, but prefer the happiness of trembling mind. However, the hand of life, not a master of melody, can not always dial a wonderful vibrato on our heartstrings. If you want to be happy, you must learn to entertain yourself. Su Dongpo was a famous writer in the Northern Song Dynasty. Song Shenzong Xining seven years, he was transferred from Hangzhou to Mizhou Zhizhou. Mizhou belongs to Gulu, and the traffic, residence and environment are very bad. When Dongpo first arrived, he was catching up with the famine in Michigan, where thieves were everywhere and food was very scarce. Dongpo and his family often used wild vegetables as rations. Friends all think that Mr Dongpo is definitely unhappy. Who knows that Dongpo has lived in Mizhou for a year, and his face has gained weight, and some of his old white hair has turned black. Friends were very surprised and asked him what was the secret. Dongpo said: I like the honest customs here very much, and the officials and people here are also happy to accept my management. So I have leisure to tidy up the garden, clean the courtyard and repair the broken houses by myself. In the north of my home, there is an old pavilion. After a little repair, I often climb high and look far, letting my thoughts go and daydreaming endlessly. Looking to the south, there are Maer Mountain and Changshan, vaguely. If you are near, if you are far away, there are probably secluded gentlemen! Looking east is lu shan, where Lu Ao, a hermit in Qin Dynasty, became immortal. Looking west is the Muling Pass, vaguely like a battleground. Jiang Shang's father and Qi Huangong seem to still exist. Overlooking the Wei River to the north, I can't help sighing when I think of Han Xin's brilliant achievements in Huaiyin and his tragic fate. This pavilion is high and quiet, cool in summer and warm in winter. I often visit this place all year round, early in the morning and late in the evening. I really enjoy picking vegetables and fruits in the garden, catching fish in the pond, brewing sorghum wine and cooking brown rice. Su Dongpo was not proud in officialdom, and he was transferred from rich and prosperous Hangzhou to poor and secluded Mizhou, which was not a good job. He can live a free and easy life, and many important works in his life were completed at this time. It's not because his situation deserves to be happy, it's entirely due to his good self-entertainment.
the third level: self-sufficiency. Greed is like a drug. The more you smoke it, the harder it is to extricate yourself. He who can lock greed in a corner of his heart like a beast can live an upright life. Even if he lives the simplest life, his mind will be quiet and happy. Wu Yinzhi, a famous minister in Wei and Jin Dynasties, was aloof and independent when he was young, and his integrity was clean. Although my family is poor, I can't cook beans for dinner until evening every day, but I will never eat food that doesn't belong to me or take anything immoral. He later held various prominent positions, but still maintained a frugal quality. Most of the salary he received was given to relatives and clansmen. His wife went out to carry firewood herself, and his family's life was as poor as that of ordinary people. During the reign of Emperor Long 'an of Jin 'an, Wu Yinzhi was appointed as the secretariat of Guangzhou, leading the army to level the corps commander. At that time, the people who served as the secretariat of Guangzhou were all corrupt and perverted the law. Because Guangzhou is surrounded by mountains and seas, it is a place that produces rare treasures. As long as you bring a box of treasures, you can enjoy it for generations. However, there is a severe epidemic in the local area, and most people do not want to go there. Only those who are hard to stand on their own feet and want to make a fortune want to be officials there. Therefore, the secretariat of Guangzhou is more corrupt than other places. The imperial court sent Wu Yinzhi, who is famous for his incorruptibility, to govern Guangzhou, just to rectify the malpractice here. On his way to his post, Wu Yinzhi passed a place called Shimen and saw a spring flowing. Wu Yinzhi was told that this spring is called "Greedy Spring". It is said that whoever drinks the water from the greedy spring will become insatiable. Hearing this, Wu Yinzhi ran to the greedy spring, scooped up the spring water and drank it calmly, and immediately recited a poem: "The ancients knew this water and drank it with a thousand dollars. Try to drink this water, and then do not change the clean heart. It shows that he should stick to moral integrity and never change his mind, like Bo Yi and Shu Qi at the end of Shang Dynasty. After Wu Yinzhi took office, he was spotless. He usually eats only vegetables and dried fish, and all the curtains, utensils and clothes are delivered to the warehouse. At that time, many people thought that he was deliberately showing his frugality, but he was just showing it to others. After a long time, people realized that he was really an honest official and could not help but feel awe. Because Wu Yinzhi set an example, the local corruption atmosphere has been greatly improved. In recognition of his honesty and self-denial, the imperial court made him a former general. Wu Yinzhi returned to Beijing from Guangzhou without anything with him. His wife Liu brought a catty of agarwood. When Wu Yinzhi saw it, he took it out and threw it into the river. Later, Wu Yinzhi's official leader was Shu Zhi, Tai Chang Temple, and the leader of the middle school. His family's life was still very simple, and his wife and daughter had to spin and weave, instead of enjoying Plutocratic family's pleasures.
as an ancient saying goes, the wall stands tall, and the desire is strong. If a person doesn't have too much lust for life, he can completely dominate his behavior, and he doesn't have to bow down for fame and fortune, and his mood will be as calm as water, and nothing can arouse his greed. Such people, even if they don't practice Buddhism, have already achieved the Tao. It can really be said that "keeping a quiet heart is better than reading ten buddhas".