Lesson From The Moon

Anonymous¹

When the moon is fullest it begins to wane²,

When it is darkest it begins to grow.

—Chinese Proverb

There is a calm wisdom in this old saying that impressed me when I heard it first from a monk³ of a Buddhist⁴ monastery⁵ in China. It has often, helped me to retain a good measure of equanimity⁶ under stress and hardship as well as when some unexpected success or good luck might have made me too exuberant⁷. There is hope and consolation⁸ in the sure knowledge that even the darkest hours of pains and troubles won't last: but also a warning against overrating the passing glories of wealth, power and great good fortune. A warning and a hope, not only for the individual, but also for governments,nations and their leaders, a brief summing up of all that history and human experience can tell us. And beyond all that we might hear in it an echo of the law and order that holds our universe in safe balance.

月亮的启示

佚名

“月盈则亏，晦则明。”这句中国的古语里有种平静的智慧，它最初是由佛教寺院中的一位和尚告诉我的，当时我在中国，这句话给我的印象很深。从那时起，每当我遭遇困难阻碍，或者遇到可能使我过于兴奋的成功或好运的时候，这句话对我的帮助很大，它使我保持镇定，泰然处之。这句话启示我们，不论痛苦或困难的时刻有多么黑暗，它们不会长久持续下去，我们因此会感到希望和宽慰；这句话同时也警示我们，财富、权力或鸿运当头的荣耀，都不过是过眼烟云，我们不必太放在心上。这个道理对个人如此，对于国家和政治领袖也是如此。这句谚语所提供的希望和警示，是整个人类历史经验的结晶。除此之外，我们从这句话里面还可以聆听到使宇宙保持平衡状态的法则与秩序的回声。