Su Dongpo (蘇東坡) used to be a skilled and well-known writer and poet all through the Track Dynasty (a couple of thousand years in the past) in China’s historical past. He had a pal who used to be a top achieved monk named Grasp Fo Yin (佛印). One time, whilst he used to be in Huangzhou, Su Dongpo had a burst of inspiration and wrote the next poem:
Sitting on my golden lotus,
(Authentic textual content: 稽首天中天，毫光照大千；八風吹不動，端坐紫金蓮。The unique textual content is a poem, so I did my perfect to make the interpretation poetic.)
After writing it, Su Dongpo felt reasonably happy. No longer most effective did he reward the Buddha poetically, he additionally subtly hinted at his personal transcendence, announcing that the “8 winds” can not transfer him.
Su Dongpo then sealed the poem in an envelope and had a messenger ship it to Grasp Foyin around the river at Jinshan Temple. He believed Grasp Foyin would certainly reward his poem very much.
On the other hand, when Grasp Foyin learn the poem, he wrote “Fart” on the backside of it and despatched it again with the messenger.
When Su Dongpo noticed the phrase “Fart,” he straight away become livid and shouted, “How outrageous!” He stormed off to Jinshan Temple to confront Grasp Foyin, but if he arrived, he discovered that Grasp Foyin had already ordered that no visitors could be noticed nowadays.
Su Dongpo, even angrier, not noted this and used to be about to push open the door when he noticed a be aware at the door, which learn:
The 8 winds can not transfer you,
But one fart blew you around the river?
Upon studying this, Su Dongpo learned his mistake and used to be deeply humbled.
Remark
In Buddhism, the “8 winds” seek advice from 4 not unusual favorable and negative cases: beneficial properties and losses, reward and insult, excellent and dangerous recognition, pleasure and struggling. Buddhism teaches us to domesticate the thoughts in order that on every occasion we come upon any of those 8 winds, our thoughts and feelings stay unmoved and undisturbed. That is what Su Dongpo supposed by way of “the 8 winds can not transfer me.”
This tale teaches us to be vigilant in guarding in opposition to satisfaction. Clearly, no person likes people who find themselves conceited and stuffed with themselves. People who find themselves overconfident in themselves also are much more likely to take dangers that they actually should not as a result of they overestimate themselves, thereby attracting risk.
Additionally, once we assume extremely of ourselves, we may boast about ourselves in opposition to others, as used to be the case with Su Dongpo. This may be very unhealthy. Why? As a result of other people can have extraordinarily top expectancies in opposition to us. Later, when other people follow us, they’re going to understand that we will’t if truth be told stroll our communicate, after which slander will come. Thus, an individual with true cultivation and knowledge would not boast about oneself to others.
As Ezra Taft Benson stated,
“With satisfaction, there are lots of curses. With humility, there come many blessings.”
My mentor additionally stated to me sooner than,
“Should you assume you are actually one thing, then you are actually not anything.”
In different phrases, if you happen to assume you are actually excellent, then you are now not excellent. Should you assume you are worthy, then you are no longer actually worthy. Those that develop into proud and smug after luck and beneficial properties will quickly meet their downfall. Handiest those that stay humble and wary within the face of luck and beneficial properties can keep away from risk and handle their luck.
Su Dongpo is if truth be told reasonably lucky to have a really perfect and smart pal like Grasp Foyin who no longer most effective noticed his downside however used to be additionally prepared to indicate it out and nip it within the bud sooner than his satisfaction evolved additional. This additionally presentations that Su Dongpo will have to have had a enough quantity of humility, in addition to consider and appreciate for Grasp Foyin, or else Grasp Foyin shouldn’t have to criticize him.
Much more admirable used to be Grasp Foyin’s skillful method of guiding Su Dongpo to appreciate his personal mistake with out even desiring to inform him in individual. Advising others on their shortcomings is one thing all of us wish to do in existence, so we must all be told from Grasp Foyin’s spirit.
In any case, to score the extent of being unaffected by way of the 8 winds is not any simple job, however this is a profitable pursuit. Recently, I am serving to some scholars get ready for his or her IELTS take a look at (an English talent take a look at), and a few of them are slightly pissed off. Feelings are contagious, so both their negativity will conquer my calm, or my calm will conquer their negativity. It is a day by day struggle.
Additionally, whether they go their take a look at will inevitably be connected to me, and I shouldn’t develop into proud in the event that they go or dejected if they do not. In the event that they go, that is principally because of their talents and difficult paintings; I am simply a supporting issue. For a similar reason why, if they do not go, I shouldn’t lose self-confidence, however I must inspire them to stay on finding out and take a look at once more at some point.
Conclusion
The 8 winds don’t seem to be to be underestimated, and if we need to handle luck, we will have to be vigilant in opposition to satisfaction and be grateful for many who indicate our faults.
