12 Mindfulness Lessons Listened to at Tsinghua University

Chapter 25: People and Me (1)
1.In heaven and earth, I am the only one
How can we not be confused?The most important thing is to develop our judgment.To develop judgment, the first step is to have at least a considerable amount of common sense, the next step is to have specialized knowledge about what one is going to do, and the next step is to have the wisdom to make decisions when things happen.If a person doesn't even have common sense, if he hears thunder, he says it's thunder, and when he sees a moon eclipse, he says it's a greedy toad. To solve it, the so-called "perplexity" has become the most pitiful person.

——Liang Qichao (famous modern writer, thinker, political activist, one of the four mentors of Tsinghua University)

Su Dongpo of the Northern Song Dynasty was not only a great writer, but also a great gourmet.It is said that Su Dongpo likes to eat pork the most, and he invented the famous dish "Dongpo Pork" based on his years of experience.One year, Su Dongpo lived at the foot of Qishan Mountain. He heard that the pork in Heyang County nearby was very delicious, so he ordered a messenger to buy pigs in Heyang County.This policeman was a drunkard, and he endured and endured it all the way, and when he was almost home, he finally couldn't help it, so he started drinking heavily.Once he was drunk, the pigs were left unattended and all ran away.After the messenger sobered up, he didn't dare to go back empty-handed, so he had to spend his own money to buy a few pigs near Qishan to replace the pigs from Heyang County.

Su Dongpo was not a biologist, so he couldn't tell whether the pigs were produced in Heyang County or not.He only said that the police would not lie to him, so he sent out invitations and invited friends to taste Heyang pork.

Soon, the friends gathered together and exchanged cups and cups, all of them were full of praise for the pork in Heyang County, saying that it was fragrant, fat and delicious, and so on.Unexpectedly, when everyone was full of praise, someone came in to announce: some ordinary people want to see Su Dongpo.Su Dongpo rushed to meet them, and after asking, he found out that they came to return the escaped Heyang pigs.My friends all felt that it was boring, and they slipped away in a blink of an eye.

Whether the pork in Heyang County is really delicious, fragrant and sweet, we dare not say because we have never tasted it ourselves.However, once a certain thing is labeled with a certain label, and then it is properly speculated by a merchant, its value will soar and the supply will exceed demand, which is the most common thing in our era.

Such as the saury in the Yangtze River.When it was about to become extinct, a relative by the Yangtze River gave me two.But I ate and ate, and finally came up with four words: nothing more than that.For me from Baoding, it feels even worse than a donkey meat fire.Some people say that I am a cow chewing peonies, but how does he know that cows don't like peonies, but only grass.If Niu really chews peonies, it is the fault of hype.

A similar problem exists with shark fins.Many people know that shark fins are taken from sharks. This ferocious large fish plays an indispensable role in maintaining the ecological balance of the ocean. From a nutritional point of view, the nutritional value of shark fins is no different from that of pig's trotters.However, when a big bowl of shark's fin is placed in front of them, few people can push it away like Yao Ming in the public service advertisement, and say the last sentence: If there is no business, there will be no killing!More people are depressed because they cannot eat shark fin.After all, eating shark fin has been a powerful badge of wealth and status for thousands of years.

As with things, so with people.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the entertainment industry.With the help of the powerful combined force of the modern media and the funds of some compatriots who got rich first, the entertainment industry can launch an emperor and queen every now and then.There is a song that says: Don't be madly obsessed with brother, brother is just a legend.But most groupies don't buy it.In their view, I said this because I am humble.This is exactly where my character and personality charm lie, and it is what I am most worthy of pursuing.

The same is true in the cultural world.Some people can copy the rich list of writers by copying books, and some people dare to call themselves famous writers without shame after writing something that they don't even know what the central idea is.As for the readers, they are a bunch of people who have been taken advantage of.Hearing that a certain health-preserving book is selling well, I immediately put down my job and went to buy it.Hearing that a certain writer said on TV that long eggplants can cure all diseases, he immediately organized a group to kill the eggplant fields.

Therefore, do not worship blindly.Only by being yourself, can you break the myth of idols, discover your own potential, and finally become an object of worship.

Let’s look at a Zen allusion:

According to the Buddhist scriptures, when the Buddha Sakyamuni was born, the sky was filled with celestial music, colorful flowers and rain, surrounded by gods and gods.For a time, the universe is bright and everything is thriving.Two streams of clean water like silver chains poured down from the sky, one warm and the other cool, to bathe the Buddha.Immediately afterwards, the Buddha took seven steps in the southeast, north, and west directions. Every time he took a step, a lotus flower gushed out from under his feet.Finally, the Buddha pointed to the sky with his right hand and the ground with his left hand, declaring loudly: "I am the only one in the sky and the world."

I once discussed with a master of Jingzong the eight words "heaven and earth, I am the only one" and was reprimanded by the other party: Don't talk nonsense, how could the Buddha say that?Only the leader of the Demon Cult in martial arts novels would say "Heaven and earth, I am the only one"!
At first glance, what the master said seems to make sense.But only it seems.His understanding is too superficial.Practitioners with a little common sense of Buddhism, especially Zen, understand that the Buddha's words are actually telling us: everyone has Buddha nature, and everyone can become a Buddha.Everyone in the world is unique.Everyone should stand independently between heaven and earth, be their own Buddha, and live their own life, without having to obey anyone or any so-called superhuman god.When you get rid of the shackles of all kinds of worship, material desires, confusion and illusions, isn't that "I am the only one"?Realizing this point, anyone can shout to the heaven and the earth - "Heaven and earth, I am the only one"!
There are two follow-up versions of this story: At the end of the Tang Dynasty, a student monk asked the famous Zen monk Yunmen Wenyan: "Master, the Buddhist scriptures say that the Buddha walked seven steps in all directions when he was born. Pointing to the ground, he said, 'Heaven and earth, I am the only one', what do you mean?" Yunmen said, "It's a pity I wasn't there at the time, but I want to be there, and beat the dog to death with a stick, so as to make the world peaceful." In the Song Dynasty, there was another A student monk asked Hui Hong, an eminent monk at that time, about this allusion, and Hui Hong said: "If I had been there at that time, even Wen Yan of Yunmen would have been beaten to death with a stick to feed the dog."

In fact, it is not the Buddha that Yunmen Wenyan wants to kill, but those crooked monks who fabricate myths and deceive people. A superstitious person who understands.What is Buddha?enlightened person.What is a person?Unawakened Buddha.Before the Buddha enlightened, he was also raised by his parents. How could he be able to walk and talk after he was born?As for Hui Hong, the reason why Yunmen Wenyan was also beaten to death and fed to the dogs was to get rid of that student monk's mentality of blindly worshiping authority idols.For example, many people who study Buddhism admire Mr. Nan Huaijin who passed away not long ago. If Hui Hong was still alive, he would definitely say, I beat Nan Huaijin to death too, and it depends on who else you worship.As you know, we do not mean to disparage the master in the slightest.Although the master is indeed as some big online editors said, there are many irresponsible words in his works, and I have also found some nonsense when reading his works (for example, he said in "Miscellaneous Comments on the Book of Changes" that American scientists have studied A sound of thunder when the waking of stings is discovered is worth 400 million tons of fertilizer, etc.), but 99% of the words in most of the master's works can still stand the test of time.

But then again, what's the use of worshiping blindly?Those who study Shakespeare will never become Shakespeare, and those who worship Nan Huaijin will never become Nan Huaijin.Our top priority is to break through our own psychological barriers of blind obedience, conformity, inferiority, and slavishness as soon as possible, bravely occupy the side of the masters, and stand on the shoulders of the masters when necessary, and finally become our own masters.

2.One thought becomes a Buddha, one thought becomes a demon

A person who is not mad at the age of 20 is not promising, and he is not mad at the age of 30.

——Qian Zhongshu (famous writer and writer, graduated from Tsinghua University)

May I ask: What is the occupation of the most ridiculous person in the world?
One day, my wife suddenly used the above test questions to test me.I thought it was a brain teaser, so I said: comedian.The result is being smart.My wife said: You so-called writers, including you who dare not be called writers, are the most ridiculous people in the world!why?You wrote an article yesterday telling people to be kind, but today you tell them to be smart. Don’t you think you are contradicting yourself?You people are so unreliable.

To be honest, I have thought about this myself.Yes, don't talk about yesterday and today, sometimes in an article, we can't help but say some contradictory things.As a result, many of my own statements are very lacking in practicality.Until one day, I finally figured it out: It's not that we are unreliable, but that life is unreliable.Unreliable life not only needs to be grasped from many aspects, but also the scale must be grasped.It is normal for many things to be difficult to grasp.Otherwise, how can it reflect whether a person is wise or stupid?
May as well speak bravely about our book.Smart readers will definitely think in their hearts: "Didn't you say in the last section that you should not worship blindly? Then why did you title your book "What I Heard at Tsinghua..."? Who doesn't know that Tsinghua University is one of the best in China. You are not only a self-contradictory person, but you are also a profit-seeking person, a person who sells dog meat..." In short, I am not a good person.

In fact, I have my own difficulties.The social status quo is an era of crazily worshiping elites and pursuing success. No one does not yearn for Tsinghua University. Many people regret not being able to enter Tsinghua University. A powerful book title, if it cannot be sold by then, not to mention wasting paper for the country, who will bear the loss?On the other hand, we have also said before: sometimes you need to know what is right and keep what is black - there is no need to pay too much attention to a book title.If this book is the kind of book you expect and can really help readers, then it is undoubtedly a good thing for the author and readers to choose a title that meets the psychological requirements of the public and attract as many readers as possible.

We should do the same when dealing with people and me.As mentioned earlier, each of us should be "self-respecting", but if a person does not care about anything but self-respecting, then it is undoubtedly a bad thing for himself and the people around him.

It is said in the Buddhist scriptures: One thought becomes a Buddha, and one thought becomes a demon.If a person is not confident, he cannot become a Buddha.If the Buddha is too self-confident, he is arrogant, self-deceiving, self-conscious, and also a demon.

We still take the story of Su Dongpo as an example.

Once, after Su Dongpo sat in meditation, if he realized something, he wrote a poem and gatha, and then sent a bookboy to send it to the Buddha seal on the other side of the river.

After receiving the poem, Foyin looked at it, and saw that it said: "Ji Shou Tian is in the middle of the sky, and the light shines brightly. The eight winds can't move, and I sit on a purple golden lotus." Immediately smiled, took out a brush and wrote two big characters , Ask the book boy to bring it back.Su Dongpo thought that Foyin would affirm his thoughts, but when he opened the poem, he saw the words "fart" written on it.

Before arriving at Foyin's temple, Foyin had already greeted him.Su Dongpo didn't even exchange pleasantries, and asked loudly when they met: "Great monk! We are best friends, my poems, my practice, you are not sure, how can you slander? How can you swear?"

But Foyin pretended nothing happened, and asked back with a smile: "Why did I slander you? What did I scold you for?"

Su Dongpo showed the word "fart" in the poem to Foyin.

Foyin looked at it pretendingly, then laughed, and said: "Oh! So that's the case! I thought you were really 'eight winds can't move'? I didn't expect to beat you across the river with just a fart. coming!"

"This..." Su Dongpo stammered and couldn't say a word, but he couldn't help giving Foyin a thumbs up in his heart.

Another time, Su Dongpo visited Foyin Temple.Sitting on the futon, the two were meditating on Zen and discussing Taoism, talking about the past and the present, and they were very happy.Suddenly, Su Dongpo felt something in his heart, and asked Foyin: "What do you think I look like sitting?"

Foyin looked at Su Dongpo and said, "Well, it's very solemn, like a Buddha!

Su Dongpo was very happy to hear that.

Foyin also asked Su Dongpo: "Scholar, what do you think of my sitting posture?"

Su Dongpo never let go of an opportunity to mock Foyin, so he laughed and said, "I think you look like a pile of cow dung!"

Foyin was also very happy when he heard this, and thanked him endlessly.

Su Dongpo couldn't help laughing out loud.When I got home, I was still smiling and humming.

Seeing this, Su Xiaomei asked, "Brother, why are you so happy?"

"Huh, the seal of Buddha has finally been planted in my hands this time!" Su Dongpo said triumphantly, "I asked him what I looked like when I meditated, and he said that my treasure was solemn, like a Buddha. He then asked me what he looked like when I meditated." What, I said he was like a pile of cow dung..."

Before Su Dongpo finished speaking, Su Xiaomei shouted: "Oh, brother, you lost even worse this time!"

"Why?" Su Dongpo asked hastily.

Su Xiaomei said: "Because what is inside, you can see what is outside. Zen master has a Buddha in his heart, so he sees you like a Buddha. But your heart is unclean, so he sees Zen master like cow dung!"

Su Dongpo was very upset when he heard the words, and he realized that not only was his Zen skill far behind that of Foyin's, but even his younger sister's understanding was higher than his own.

Even in our book, the talented Su Xueshi can be said to have fought and failed repeatedly.Fortunately, he managed to become more and more courageous after setbacks, repeated defeats and repeated battles, leaving us with so many untimely allusions to public cases, and also provided us with such rare teaching materials for cultivating the mind.Of course, this does not mean that Su Dongpo is a demon. In fact, his realm alone is also a realm that 99% of people in the world cannot reach.We just say: there are people beyond people, and there is a sky beyond the sky.Only those who don't know the heights of heaven and earth will always regard themselves as the boss or even "Lao Tzu". Who knows that people who are truly capable, capable, and wise, such as the real Lao Tzu, are the ones who value peace, humility, and subordinates the most.On the one hand, this is a question of self-cultivation, and on the other hand, it is necessary for us to walk in society and conduct interpersonal communication.

The last thing to remind is that lowering yourself without any bottom line is also a demonic obstacle.Being inferior is not incompatible with self-esteem.It is true that there are people beyond people, and there is a sky beyond the sky, but from a certain point of view, everyone is a person beyond people, a sky beyond the sky.It is necessary to lower your body and practice self-cultivation, but it is also necessary to maintain self-confidence and straighten your back.This is exactly what philosophers often teach us - people must not be arrogant, but must have arrogance.

3.flow first, communicate later
Just as the "distinction between Yi and Xia" in history is mainly in terms of culture rather than geography, "Confucianism" does not have to be the monopoly of Chinese and East Asians.Otherwise, there will be no such thing as "seek out others for lack of etiquette".But China is the motherland of Confucianism after all. If the Chinese themselves cannot truly rebuild the value system of Confucianism after the catastrophe, and let Confucianism become a victim of "commercialization" and "politicization" under the appearance of "revival", it is not only "Confucianism" Characters still have to "float in the sea" and even "those who live in the world, there is a hair on Mount Tai". die" fate.This is indeed the biggest challenge that mainland China is facing now after 30 years of reform and opening up.

——Peng Guoxiang (Professor, Department of Philosophy, Tsinghua University)

Two years ago, I worked for the China New Energy Industry Association for a period of time.During an annual meeting, a Chinese new energy expert who has worked in Africa for many years told such a story:
A special patient was admitted to a mental hospital. He didn't cry, sing or dance, but squatted in a corner with an umbrella every day, neither eating nor drinking, because he always thought he was a cat. mushroom.The doctor was afraid that he would starve to death, so he did everything possible to let him eat, but he refused to eat anything.No way, everyone had to report to the dean.The dean thought of a way. He also held up an umbrella and squatted next to the patient.After a while, the patient asked strangely: "Who are you?" The dean said: "I am a mushroom." The patient nodded and continued to be his mushroom.After a while, the dean stood up and walked around the room. The patient asked him, "Aren't you a mushroom? Our mushrooms can't walk around!" The dean said, "Who says mushrooms can't walk? We are a new breed!" After speaking, he continued to walk around.The patient looked at the dean and then at himself. He felt that what the dean said made sense, so he stood up hesitantly and tried to walk around.Seeing that he was hooked, the dean took out a bowl of rice and ate it, and the patient asked strangely: "Hey, how can mushrooms be eaten?" The dean replied confidently: "We are a new variety, so of course we can eat. !" The patient thought it was right, so he began to eat... It didn't take long for the patient to live like a normal person, although he still felt that he was a mushroom in his heart.

After the expert finished telling the story, he said meaningfully: "In recent years, we (China's new energy industry) have developed very well in Africa, even better than European and American countries, but our investment is not as large as theirs. Why? It is the charm of our Chinese personality."

Humans are social animals.A person, as long as he is not so unfortunate that he regards himself as a mushroom, he will naturally desire to communicate with others, so as to obtain spiritual satisfaction.

Humans, however, are the only animals that need identification with their own kind.Why does the United States always have trouble with Iran?Why have Israel and Palestine been in conflict for decades?Why does the colleague's mother object to her continuing to associate with her boyfriend from the countryside?Why do you frown when you hear Jay Chou's "Nunchaku"?There are big and small things, shallow and deep levels, but there is only one reason: disagreement.All contradictions in human society are rooted in disapproval.People need to be recognized by others, and at the same time they also need to be recognized by others. If this problem is not handled well, no one can live a relaxed and happy life.

(End of this chapter)