11月28日

虛懷若「谷」
司馬中原 ( 1933~ )

民諺言：「一瓶不響，半瓶晃盪。」

幼讀老子的《道德經》，經常見到「谷」字，並
奉「谷」若乎神明，當時對谷為何物尚朦朧費解，
及後不斷研修，方始有了皮毛之領略，所謂「虛懷
若谷」，正是教導後世要把心靈放入「虛」、「空」，
自居卑下的地位。江河能從涓涓發源，引得萬川齊
匯，浩蕩奔流，正因河床位置最低，所謂「水向低
處流」，一個懂得謙卑的人，深具禮賢下士的風度，
正像彌勒佛那樣笑口常開，大肚能容，則萬流歸入
瀚海矣。

──選自《人間福報 ‧ 副刊》

November 28

A Mind as Open as the Valley
Sima Zhongyuan (1933 - )
English translation: Miao Guang

As the saying goes, "Quiet is a filled bottle, and
sloshes a half-filled one."

During childhood, when I read Laozi's Tao Te
Ching, I came across the word "gu" (valley) very
often, which was also rendered a sacred term. Back
then I was confused about the meaning of "gu," but
after continued study, I was able to gain a slight
understanding of it. The phrase, "to have a mind
as open as the valley" is intended to inspire people
to bear a "void" and "empty" mind. That is, to
put themselves in humble and low positions. It is
just as when single rivers converge into a mighty
torrent due to the reason that a low lying riverbed
allows water to flow downhill. One who is humble
and respectful towards the eminent is exactly like
Maitreya Buddha, who has a huge smile, and a belly
that takes everything in. In the same way, all rivers
will flow into the vast ocean.

── from The Merit Times, Supplement