The Buddha says:
If you keep thinking things like,
“They yelled at me… They hit me…
They destroyed my life… They violated my rights…,”
then you will always live in resentment.
People may criticize me, misunderstand me, or lie about me. I should be grateful and thank them for giving me the opportunity to cultivate myself.
If we always doubt other people, then we cannot love them, forgive them, or trust them.
If all people can get rid of their arrogance, attachments, and ignorance, then there will be no more friction among people.
One afternoon, several musicians visited the Jing Si Abode and performed five Buddhist songs that they had composed. The enchanting melodies won the praise of all present.
Master Cheng Yen said: “Confucius once said that if we want to predict the destiny of a country, all we have to do is to listen to their popular songs. If the music is provocatively intense and emphasizes deviant values, then the country must be in chaos. Therefore, we can see how much the cultural arts, such as music, drama, singing, and dancing, can affect people’s minds.”
Translated by E. E. Ho and W. L. Rathje; drawings by Tsai Chih-chung; coloring by May E. Gu
