Little Window Reflections: Conversations by the Hearth

Author: (Ming) Chen Jiru et al. / Country of Origin:
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-12-01
Features:
52. The unending distance of longing cannot be shortened by the magic of Fei Changfang; the shattered sky of separation cannot be mended by Nuwa's skill.
[Annotation] ① Fei Changfang: According to The Legend of Immortals, there is a myth about Fei Changfang learning sorcery from a jar-god. When the jar-god asked what kind of sorcery he wanted to learn, Fei Changfang said, "I want to see the entire world." The jar-god gave him a "Shrinking Earth Whip." With this whip, wherever he thought of going, that place would immediately shrink and appear before his eyes. ② Nuwa: In ancient mythology, there is the story of Nuwa mending the sky. It is said that in ancient times, Nuwa found a gap in the sky and used five-colored stones to mend it.
[Translation] Even if there were the magical shrinking earth technique of Fei Changfang, it could not shorten the distance of longing; even if there were Nuwa's skill in mending the sky, it could not mend the shattered sky of separation and sorrow.
53. The dream leaves the heart, and the heart does not return after waking.
[Annotation] ① Dream leaves the heart: Describes how a person who longs for someone else enters a dream, and their heart follows the dream away. ② The heart does not return after waking: Refers to returning from the dream to reality, but the heart remains in the dream and refuses to come back.
[Translation] The heart follows the dream to the lover's side; upon waking, the dream is gone, but the heart remains with the lover and refuses to return.
137. Only by understanding the true nature of the heart can one speak of fulfillment.
[Annotation] ① The true nature of the heart: The original appearance of the mind; the true state of the deepest thoughts. ② Fulfillment of the heart: Understanding the true state of the mind; understanding the essence of the mind. ③ The eternal way: The unchanging law. Usually refers to the dialectical relationship between "change" and "emptiness." Everything in the world is in constant change, and ultimately becomes empty—this is the law. ④ World-renunciation: Transcending the mortal world. "World-renunciation" does not necessarily mean escaping the secular world negatively, but rather truly understanding the unchanging laws of the world, and then one is qualified to speak of world-renunciation.
[Translation] Only by fully understanding the true nature of one's thoughts can one be said to have fulfilled the essence of the heart. Only by thoroughly comprehending the eternal laws of the world can one be qualified to speak of world-renunciation.
138. Methods of adjusting temperament.
[Annotation] ① Methods of adjusting temperament: Methods of adjusting one's temperament. ② When, wear leather: According to The Literary Garden, "Ximen Bao and Fan Dan were both impatient and wore leather to remind themselves to be gentle." Leather is soft and tanned. Impatient people wear soft leather to remind themselves to be gentle and not to be easily agitated. ③ When slow, wear bowstring: According to The Literary Garden, "Fu Zijian and Dong Anzi were both slow and wore bowstring to remind themselves to act decisively." Bowstring refers to the string of a bow, which has a sharp and urgent nature. People with overly slow tempers wear sharp bowstring to remind themselves to act decisively and be proactive. ④ Methods of harmonizing emotions: Methods of adjusting one's emotions. ⑤ Take a boat: Travel by boat. ⑥ Take a carriage: Travel by carriage.
[Translation] The method of adjusting one's temperament: An impatient person wears soft leather on their body to remind themselves not to be too impatient; a slow person wears bowstring to remind themselves to be proactive. The method of harmonizing emotions is like taking a boat on water and a carriage on land—natural and appropriate for the situation.
139. Good incense is used to refine virtue.
[Annotation] ① Refine virtue: Cultivate moral character. ② Last for generations: Eternal. Here refers to using good paper to pass down immortal literary works. ③ Good brush to write flowers: Using a good brush to write beautiful articles. It is said that the Southern Dynasties litterateur Jiang Yan dreamed that his brush grew flowers, and his literary talent greatly improved. ④ Radiant: Painting a picture with radiant colors. ⑤ Wash worries: Wash away worries, remove worries. ⑥ Eliminate worries: Eliminate worries; resolve worries.
[Translation] Good incense is used to refine noble virtue; good paper is used to pass down immortal words; a good brush is used to write beautiful articles; good ink is used to paint radiant pictures; good tea is used to wash away worries; good wine is used to resolve worries.
140. To break free from worries, listen to the wooden fish sound at the temple at midnight; to see through the spiritual nature, observe the lotus flower in the hall.
[Annotation] ① Wooden fish: A Buddhist musical instrument made of wood. It is said that fish are always awake day and night, so wood is carved into the shape of a fish, hollowed out in the middle, and struck to make a sound, used to wake people up from drowsiness. ② Cloud hall: Refers to the meditation hall or Buddhist hall of a monk in the mountains. Lotus flower shadow: Refers to the Utpala flower, also known as the blue lotus or red lotus.
[Translation] To break free from worries, listen carefully to the wooden fish sound at the temple at midnight; to see through the spiritual nature of humanity and wisdom, quietly observe the blue lotus flower in the hall.
141. Too much leisure breeds evil; too much purity resembles worldly sentiment.
[Annotation] ① No better than: No better than. ② Breeds evil: Does bad things. ③ Purity: Purity. Traditionally refers to someone who is not eager for fame or fortune, lives a clean life, and is pure; also refers to someone who is unwilling to associate with others, admires themselves excessively. ④ Too pure: Too pure, self-righteous, becomes overly self-admiring and out of harmony with others. Worldly sentiment: Artificial and tiresome secular emotions.
[Translation] There is nothing better in life than leisure, but too much leisure leads to doing bad things; there is nothing better in life than purity, but too much purity resembles worldly sentiment.
142. To transform worldly sentiment, one must have a spiritual elixir in the heart.
[Annotation] ① A spiritual elixir in the heart: Refers to having a clear and bright mind. Transform: Change; transform and make it change. ③ Worldly affairs: All affairs in the mortal world.
[Translation] Only with a clear and bright mind can one transform worldly sentiment in the heart and break free from worldly cunning.
143. Beauty will eventually become a skeleton in the underworld; fame and fortune are but butterflies in a dream.
[Annotation] ① Endlessly: Endlessly; infinitely. ② Beauty: Beautiful and charming. Underworld: The netherworld, the afterlife. ③ With the opportunity: With the opportunity. Butterfly in a dream: Refers to the Zhuangzi dream of a butterfly; here implies that it is ultimately illusory.
[Translation] No matter how beautiful and charming a woman is, she will eventually become a skeleton buried in the earth. Even if one has the opportunity to achieve fame and fortune, it is no more than a butterfly in a dream—ultimately illusory.
144. Sitting alone in a meditation room, bowing to Darma in thought.
[Annotation] ① Serene and carefree: A carefree and pleasant appearance. ② Darma facing the wall: Darma is the founder of Chan Buddhism. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, he came from India to China and meditated facing the wall at the Shaolin Temple in Songshan for nine years. Later, he passed his robe to the second patriarch Huiguo, and it was passed down to the sixth patriarch Huineng, when Chan Buddhism in China flourished greatly. ② Pulling the curtain: Pulling the curtain. ④ Chaos: Also written as "hundun," the state of the world before it was created in ancient mythology. ⑤ Bowing to Darma in thought: Mentally bowing to Darma, the founder of Chan Buddhism. ⑥ Raft: A raft. Maogu: An ancient mythological fairy.
[Translation] Sitting alone in a meditation room, carefree and without worries, brewing a pot of tea, lighting a stick of incense, and looking at the picture of Darma facing the wall. After pulling the curtain for a short while, one becomes calm and clear-minded, with gentle breath and settled spirit. In a hazy state like the primordial chaos, one mentally bows to Darma and boards a raft to meet Maogu.