View All Sentient Beings with Compassion
How do you view others? With suspicion, jealousy, disdain, or prejudice? Some may say, "The sage has eyes for heroes." True heroes are rare in this world and not many people possess the eyes of a sage, so it is more important if we are able to view sentient beings with eyes of compassion.
Parents use compassionate eyes in bringing up their children. Teachers use compassionate eyes in monitoring their students' progress. Seniors use their compassionate eyes in watching the younger generation prosper, succeed, and make a good name for the family. A country uses compassionate eyes in viewing the overall well-being of its citizens. Good neighbors use compassionate eyes in helping each other. In benevolent organizations, workers use compassionate eyes to support one another.
Human eyes are only physical, but if we pay others a little more attention and respect, they become eyes of compassion. There are many kinds of human beings: some are stingy and tightfisted, others are close-minded and vulgar; some are cunning and disdainful, and others are hypocritical and two-faced. Regardless of the inherent characteristics of these sentient beings, we should all view them with compassion so that we can enhance harmony between one another and improve relationships. If everyone could view and treat all beings with compassion, then racial harmony and world peace would be more promising.
Unfortunately, most do not view others with compassion, but instead, look at the wealth of others with a covetous eye, or even take pleasure in others' misfortunes. Some may only have eyes for others' shortcomings instead of their strengths. Or, they may choose to look at falsehoods instead of the truth. It is such a shame when one's beautiful eyes are turned into sharp knives and fierce swords with which to stab and pierce others.
According to the Universal Gateway Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva manifests in all lands and in all directions and views all beings with compassion." Consequently, statues or images of the compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva are honored in almost everyone's living room and highly respected by all. "Compassionate eyes" are indeed most sought after by everyone!
星雲大師點播
《迷悟之間．坐說立行》
Practice What We Preach
「說道一丈，不如行道一尺！」
有的人平時高談闊論，滿腹經綸，說得頭頭是道；但是沒有躬自實踐，再多的言論、計畫，又有何用呢？
話說有二個人，想到普陀山朝山。甲因為貧窮，說過以後，只有步行去朝山；富有的乙心想，反正有的是時間金錢，等到有空再乘飛機前往。半年後，步行者朝山已歸，富有者尚未成行。
因此，一個人想要達到目的，只說不做，永遠不能成辦；必須透過實際的行動，才能達成目標，所以「坐而說，不如起而行」。
在中國曾經流行幾句話說：中國人「只說不做」，德國人「邊說邊做」，美國人「做了不說」，落後的國家「不說不做」。難怪世界上各個國家有強有弱，從他們的民族性，從他們對言行的關係，就可看出端倪了。因為「言行一致」的人，有言論也有力量實踐，則凡事何愁不辦呢！
古代的聖賢，早就注意到人間社會的強弱，是進步、是退步，早就有所指示了。佛陀鼓勵人要「行解並重」，王陽明鼓勵人要「知行合一」，孫中山說「知難行易」，但是大家都不懂得此中的奧妙，大家學會的只是「說而不做」，難怪中國積弱不振，可說其來有自。
有一個年輕人，每天都想著如何「一舉成名」，但是從來也不去好好的做事。有一天，遇到大發明家愛迪生，青年趕忙趨前請問愛迪生，如何才能揚名天下？愛迪生知道青年的毛病，不慌不忙的告訴他：「等你死後，你很快就會出名了。」
青年不解，問道：「為什麼一定要等到死後才會出名呢？」
愛迪生誠懇的對他說：「因為你一直想要擁有一座高樓，可是從未動手去建，高樓當然不會憑空出現在你眼前。而你如果一輩子都活在空想之中，等你死後，人們就會經常提到你的名字，用以告誡那些只會作白日夢，卻不肯動手去做事的人。如此一來，你不就能夠達成名揚天下的心願了嗎？」
「說食不能當飽，畫餅不能充飢！」吾人要想由貧而富，由弱而強，應該要「做說一致」。讓我們與其「坐說」，不如進而「立行」吧！
Practice What We Preach
"To speak of the Way for a mile is not as effective as practicing it for a foot." Some of us can speak eloquently and are even quite learned. However, simply being articulate in what we know without practicing it renders all the words empty and useless.
Once, there were two devotees who wanted to pay a pilgrimage to Mount Putuo. Chen was a poor man, so he walked all the way there after he made the decision. Wang, on the other hand, was wealthy. He thought he had all the time and money he needed, so he could fly there when he had the time to do so. Half a year later, though he walked all the way, Chen had returned from his pilgrimage, but Wang had not even started on his trip. If we want to reach a goal, just talking about it without any action never accomplishes anything. We must act appropriately in order to realize our purpose. So instead of sitting there talking, we should get up and do it.
There were a few popular slogans in China at one time. "Chinese only talk and do not do," "Germans do as they talk," "Americans do and do not talk," while "Developing countries do not talk nor do." It's a small wonder that there are both strong and weak countries in the world. The reason for that can be accounted for by the characteristics of their citizens, as well as their attitudes toward speech and action. For those who practice what they say, anything can be accomplished.
The ancients were quick in observing the strengths and weaknesses of the human world. Be it progress or digress, they provided us with guidelines all along. The Buddha told us to "understand as well as practice." Chinese scholar Wang Yangming encouraged us to "combine knowledge and practice." Dr. Sun Yat-sen observed that "It is easier to practice than to be knowledgeable." However, we do not appreciate the subtleties therein. We all learn to "talk but not do." So, we are all responsible for the state of our nation.
Once there was a young man who wanted to become world-famous overnight, but never really worked toward his goal. One day, he met the great inventor Thomas Edison. He hastily went up to ask Edison how to become famous. Perfectly aware of the young man's problem, Edison replied, "Wait till you are dead, then you will be famous." Puzzled, the young man asked, "Why wait till after death to be famous?" Edison explained, "Because you want to own a mansion now but you never take any action to build it. The mansion will not appear out of thin air. So if you live your entire life dreaming, after your death, people will mention your name as a lesson to those who dream all the time and do not do any work. You will therefore fulfill your wish to become world-famous."
Just talking about food brings no satisfaction, just as a picture of a cake eases no hunger. If we want to get rich or be strong, then we should practice what we say because practicing is superior to just talking.
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