..續本文上一頁axle to lock them in place-how could they support the cart
This shows the importance of honesty.
記得世俗通語有言﹕「害人之心不可有，防人之心不可無。」又說﹕「逢人但說叁分話，不可全掏一片心。」其實，這只是一種老于世故的說辭罷了！說謊就像吸鴉片，是會上瘾的。人起初只以不實的言語來保護自己，以爲反正不傷害他人；殊不知習慣成自然，謊言越說越順溜；到後來無法自圓其說時，爲掩飾，便開始惡意欺詐了。就像攜帶槍械刃棒，雖說原是用來防身的，但最後總歸是把自己也傷害了。君不見死于刀槍下的人，都是挾帶武器的人？「善泳者溺」，也正是這個道理。須知人心真能不設防，才是大防。
I remember a worldly proverb: "Never have a thought of harming others, but always be on guard against being harmed by others. " Another saying goes, "When you meet someone, speak just a little. Don”t pour out your heart to him." Actually, these are just words of worldly experience. Lying is like smoking opium-it”s addictive. People initially use dishonest words to protect themselves, thinking it won”t hurt anyone; they never expect that it will turn into a habit and they will become so good at telling lies, till finally, to cover up for themselves, they start deceiving people maliciously. It”s like when people carry weapons for self-defense, they end up getting hurt themselves. Haven”t you noticed that people whose death is caused by weapons are usually weapon- carriers themselves
The same principle is found in the saying, "Good swimmers often drown." We ought to realize that having a totally unsuspecting mind is the greatest defense.
《菜根譚》上有言﹕「信人，示己之誠；疑人，顯己之詐。」何況事情都有其因果本末，今生被騙，就因前生騙人；要認錯要忏悔，而不是在那兒怨天尤人，甚至圖謀報複，徒然累增加罪業。只要一心一意持誠守信，舊業既消，福德自來；你再怎樣天真直率，也不會被騙的。這說起來很妙，也很不可思議；但是你若信根具足，不但不去懷疑這道理，還能拳拳服膺，你自然會逐漸體會受用到這妙處的。所謂至德之人，自然而遵行；中根之人，如利而勉行；下愚之人，疑善而不行。我們縱非至德，也不要做個下愚之人吧？
The Vegetable Roots Discourse says, "When you trust others, it shows your own sincerity, When you doubt others, it reveals your own deceptiveness." How much more is this the case when things are viewed in terms of causes and effects. If you are cheated in this life, it”s because you cheated others in a previous life. You should bear it and be repentant, instead of complaining, blaming others, or seeking revenge, for that would only increase your offenses. As long as you single-mindedly maintain your honesty, your old karma will be eradicated and blessings will naturally come. No matter how naive and straightforward you are, no one will be able to cheat you. This sounds pretty mysterious and inconceivable, but if you have faith, not only will you not doubt it, you will fully accept it and naturally and gradually come to understand and fathom the mystery .The most virtuous people naturally follow this principle. Average people know the benefit and try to follow it. Foolish people doubt what is good and don”t practice it. While we are not the most virtuous people, we don”t want to be fools either, do we
《弟子規淺釋 Standards for Students 第五章﹕信 Chapter Five: LEARNING TO BE TRUSTWORTHY - 1》全文閱讀結束。