文／司馬中原（1933～）

民諺言：「一瓶不響，半瓶晃盪。」

幼讀老子的《道德經》，經常見到「谷」字，並奉「谷」若乎神明，當時對谷為何物尚朦朧費解，及後不斷研修，方始有了皮毛之領略，所謂「虛懷若谷」，正是教導後世要把心靈放入「虛」、「空」，自居卑下的地位。江河能從涓涓發源，引得萬川齊匯，浩蕩奔流，正因河床位置最低，所謂「水向低處流」，一個懂得謙卑的人，深具禮賢下士的風度，正像彌勒佛那樣笑口常開，大肚能容，則萬流歸入瀚海矣。

──選自《人間福報．副刊》

A Mind as Open as the Valley

Sima Zhongyuan (1933 - )

English translation: Ven. Miao Guang

As the saying goes, “quiet is a filled bottle, and sloshes a half-filled one.”

During childhood, when I read Laozi’s Tao Te Ching, I came across the word “gu” (valley) very often, which was also rendered a sacred term. Back then I was confused about the meaning of “gu,” but after continued study, I was able to gain a slight understanding of it. The phrase, “to have a mind as open as the valley” is intended to inspire people to bear a “void” and “empty” mind. That is, to put themselves in humble and low positions. It is just as when single rivers converge into a mighty torrent due to the reason that a low lying riverbed allows water to flow downhill. One who is humble and respectful towards the eminent is exactly like Maitreya Buddha, who has a huge smile, and a belly that takes everything in. In the same way, all rivers will flow into the vast ocean.

── from The Merit Times, Supplement