The 128 most classic philosophical essays in the world

Chapter 2 Gradually

[China] Feng Zikai

Don't be fascinated by "gradualness", don't be deceived by creation, but shrink infinite time and space in the heart of a square inch.Therefore, Buddhists can accept Sumeru in mustard seeds.

The subtle element that makes life progress smoothly is nothing more than "gradualness"; the Creator's means of deceiving people is also "gradualness".Unknowingly, innocent children "gradually" become ambitious youths; generous and heroic youths "gradually" become cruel adults; vigorous adults "gradually" become stubborn old men.Because its change is gradual, year by year, month by month, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second, just like a long-term change from a very gentle slope. Walking up and down the slope, people don't notice the traces of descending, and don't see the realm of each stage, but seem to feel that they are always in the same position, constant, and have the interest and value of life all the time, so life is confirmed. Sure, and the tact was done.If the progress of life is not like a hillside, but like a piano key board, suddenly moving from do to re, that is, like yesterday's child suddenly becoming a young man today; If you look like a young man in the morning and suddenly become an old man in the evening, you must be surprised, emotional, sad, or feel the impermanence of life, and you will not be happy as a human being.Therefore, we can see that life is maintained by "gradualness".This is probably especially necessary for women: in operas, the flowery beauty on the stage is the old woman next to the stove in the future. This sentence is unbelievable at first glance, and the girl refuses to admit it. Girls "gradually" become.

It is also due to this “gradualness” that one is able to endure his reduced circumstances.The wealthy dandies "gradually" go bankrupt due to repeated bankruptcies, and become poor; ... There are many examples of this kind in novels and in reality.Because its decline is achieved step by step and "gradually" over ten or twenty years, and I don't feel any strong stimulation. Therefore, even when I am hungry, cold, sick, tortured, and tortured, I am still greedy for it. The joy of the present life.If a son of a daughter suddenly became a beggar or a thief, this person must be very angry.

This is really the mysterious principle of nature, the subtle work of the Creator!Yin and Yang subtly shift, the order of the Spring and Autumn Dynasties, and the decline and prosperity of things all coincide with this law.From budding spring "gradually" to green summer; from withered autumn "gradually" to withered winter.Although we have experienced dozens of cold and heat, it is still difficult to imagine the summer mood of drinking ice and fanning on a winter night surrounded by a quilt; and vice versa.However, from winter to summer day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second, from summer day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second Moving to winter, there are really no obvious traces to be found.The same is true day and night: when you sit under the window and read a book in the evening, the pages will "gradually" darken. Feel that day has become night.Dawn looks at the eastern sky through the window without blinking, and does not distinguish the traces of the progress from night to day.As the children grow up gradually, the parents who see each other day and night don't feel at all that the distant relatives who rarely see each other are not acquainted with each other.On New Year's Eve last year, we waited for the daffodils to bloom under the red candles. What an idiot!If the daffodils really open up to us in person, then the principles of nature will be destroyed, the foundation of the universe will be shaken, and the end of the world and mankind will come!
The function of “gradual” is to conceal the traces of the past of time and the changes of things by means of slight and slow difference in each step, making people mistake it for unchangeable.This is really a great trick of the Creator to deceive people!Here is a metaphorical story: A certain farmer jumps over a ditch every morning after holding a calf, and goes to work in the field.This is the case every day, without interruption.After a year, the calf has grown bigger and heavier, and almost turned into a big cow, but the farmer didn't feel it at all, and still hugged it and jumped into the ditch.One day he stopped working because of something, and the next day he could no longer hold the cow and jumped into the ditch.This is the method used by creation to deceive people and make people linger on the joys of life every day without realizing the changes and hardships.People are jumping into the ditch every day holding the cattle that are getting heavier every day, and they are not allowed to stop.I mistakenly think that it is unchanged, but in fact, my hard work is increasing every day!
I think the clock is the best symbol of life.The needle of a time clock usually seems to be "moving" at first glance; in fact, the needle of a time clock moves most frequently among man-made objects.The same is true of life in daily life. I always feel that I am me. It seems that this "I" will never change, but in fact it is as impermanent as the needle of a clock!I still have a breath, I always feel that I am still me, I have not changed, I still linger in my life, unfortunately I have been deceived by "gradualness"!

The essence of "gradual" is "time".I think time is more incredible than space, and the music of Jude’s time art is more mysterious than the painting of space art.Because space does not investigate how vast or infinite it is, we can always grasp one end of it and identify one point.Time is completely out of control and irreversible, only the past and the future are constantly chasing each other in the vagueness.It is already slim and inconceivable in nature, and it seems to be too much in life in terms of weight.Because ordinary people's understanding of time seems to be only enough to control the short time of taking a boat or car; they are not competent for the long life span of a hundred years, and they are often obsessed with the part and cannot take into account the whole.Just look at the passengers on the train, there are often wise people, some would rather sacrifice temporary comfort and let their seats sit on the old and the weak, in order to have peace of mind (or to gain a temporary reputation); In the back, or shouted: "Don't be crushed, there will always be someone who will get down!" "Everyone must get down!" There are few such wise people.So I think the lifespan of a hundred years is too long.Like the people in the world today, if their life expectancy is determined during the time they travel by boat or car, it may be possible to reduce many dangerous and cruel struggles in human society, and it is unknown that they will be as humble and peaceful as those in the train.

Of course, among human beings, there are also a few people who can live for a hundred years or thousands of years, which are "big personality" and "big life".They can not be fascinated by "gradualness" and not deceived by creation, but can shrink the infinite time and space in the heart of a square inch.Therefore, Buddhists can accept Sumeru in mustard seeds.The ancient Chinese poet said: "What is the fight on the horn of the snail? I live in the light of the stone fire." The British poet also said: "See the world in a grain of sand, and heaven in a flower; hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and a moment is eternal calamity."

Heart mark notes
Time has used a smooth method for each of us, which is called "gradual".Looking back on my own life history, my face is getting old gradually, and my life is slowly passing by, so I often feel a sense of loss like "a beautiful woman grows old at the fingertips, and she is youthful in an instant".Feng Zikai told us between the lines in a simple and indifferent way that on the train of life, if everyone can be wise and modest, be kind to others, and be indifferent and peaceful, then life will be more optimistic, more comfortable, and more joyful and peaceful.In this way, infinite time and space can be grasped in the heart of a square inch, and the moment at the fingertips can also be turned into eternity.

(End of this chapter)