文／佛光星雲（1927~）

成功的裡面，包含了多少辛酸；

名人的雙肩，承受了多少壓力；

榮耀的背後，付出了多少代價；

偉大的成就，奉獻了多少犧牲。

百年大樹，必經多少風霜摧殘；

百丈高樓，必經多少物力艱辛；

百年老店，必經多少興衰滄桑；

百歲老翁，必經多少坎坷考驗。

不肯回顧傳統的人，沒有過去；

不願瞻望前景的人，沒有未來；

不能把握當下的人，沒有現在；

不懂主宰自己的人，沒有永恆。

幽蘭藏於深谷，珍珠藏於海底，

寶玉藏於琢磨，鋼鐵藏於鎚煉，

大器藏於晚成，顯達藏於謙卑，

聖賢藏於陋巷，大智藏於大愚。

──選自《佛光菜根譚》

The Story Behind the Success

Venerable Master Hsing Yun (1927 - , Fo Guang Shan)

English translation: Ven. Man Ho

To succeed, one needs hardship.

To be celebrated, one needs pressure.

To gain honor, one needs to labor.

To achieve, one needs to sacrifice and be dedicated.

An ancient tree survives wind and frost.

A skyscraper is raised with money and sweat.

An old business has its ups and downs.

An old man is tested by misfortune.

Those who don’t look back have no past.

Those who don’t look forward have no future.

Those who don’t seize the moment have no present.

Those who don’t master themselves will not change society.

── from The Everlasting Light

English translation: Tom Manzo and Shujan Cheng

The orchid is hidden in the secluded valley;

Pearls are hidden in the ocean depths;

Precious jade is hidden in painstaking polishing;

Steel is hidden in hammering and shaping;

Great minds are hidden in slow maturity;

Success is hidden in modesty and humiliation;

The sage and the virtuous are hidden in narrow plots;

The wisest are hidden in the most foolish.

── from Humble Table, Wise Fare