6) 孔子聖賢之道- 善之大小

Translated

孔子聖賢之道- 善之大小:
善又分為大善和小善,起心動念為自己一身或一家打算的,善多也是小善。 凡是存心為國家和百姓著想的,善小也是大功德,大善。 善之大小不在事項上,而在用心,心量大則福大。所以我們每一個人都應該學習怎樣用心才是呀!

Confucianism – Big and Small Deeds ( Shan Zhi Da Xiao ):
Good deeds are divided into large and small groups, caring for yourself and family is a small deed. When one does things for the sake of the country and the people, it is a big deed. Deeds do not matter in size, and even if it is a tiny small deed, as long as one wholeheartedly helps others, it is a great deed! So each of us should learn wholeheartedly help others!

One day as the teacher was teaching class, he asked,
” Who knows what big kindness and small kindess is?”
” I know!” Zi Lu said.
” Very well, tell us, Zi Lu. ”
” Big kindness is when you do big kind things, and small kindness is when you do small kind things.”
” Ah. Example of big kindness?” the teacher asked.
” Huh?” Zi Lu scratched his head. ” Big kindness is big kindness.”
Everyone laughed.
That night, Zi Lu sat on a chair outside, and thought,
” What is big kindness?”
He soon fell asleep. Then, two spirits came and took his spirit.
He soon woke up and looked around.
” What are you doing?! Let me go!”
” Just come with us,” the spirits said.
No matter how he pulled, he couldn’t get away. Soon they came to a dark place.
” Where is this?!” he said.
” Zi Lu!! You are in hell!!”
” What?! No! I’m a good person!”
” Okay, I’ll let you see your own evil doings!!”
A bunch of scrolls piled up on the ground.
” What?!” Zi Lu exclaimed.
The spirit showed him a mirror.
Inside, Zi Lu and his friends were walking, and a lady passed by. Zi Lu said,
” Too beautiful.”
And then the scene ended.
” WHAT?! That doesn’t count as a bad deed!I must have some good deeds too!”
The spirit pulled out a single thin scroll.
Zi Lu looked at it in horror, and compared it to the giant pile of bad deeds.
” Weigh it on the scale!!”
The single scroll was heavier than all his bad deeds.
” What?! Check the deed immediately!” the spirit said.
The scene showed Zi Lu giving the king a letter to care for the citizens, but the king tossed it away.
The spirits groaned.
Zi Lu said, ” I asked the king to do something, but he didn’t even care. Does this really count as a big kindness?”
” Even if they didn’t accept it, your heart still cared for the citizens, and if the king did accept it, then your kindness would be even bigger. You are free to go.” the spirit said.
The next morning, Zi Lu found himself in that same chair he was sitting in last night.
That day in class, Zi Lu told the teacher,
” teacher! I know what big kindness is now!”
” Very well, tell us.”
” If you help little people, no matter how big it is, it’s still small kindness, and when you help the whole country and care for people you don’t even know, is big kindness.”
” Right. So it’s like this, ” his classmates said.
” Zi Lu is right. It depends on how much you help. We should all care about others more, and help.”
” Yes, teacher.” everyone said in unison.

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