..续本文上一页ll right away, just as you only noticed this black dot. Therefore, we”d better not do things wrong."
老师停了一停，继续问﹕「万一犯了过错，怎么办呢？」有几个学生回答﹕「改过！」「好！你们再看这个！」老师拿起笔，很快地在那黑点上加了几笔，画成一只蜜蜂，再问﹕「这是什么？」有的学生就说是一只蜜蜂，有的迟疑着说﹕「是一幅画吧？」老师就问﹕「这比原来的一张白纸好看吗？」学生都毫不迟疑地又齐声回答﹕「好看！」老师拿了另一张点了个黑点的白纸，用白粉涂掉，然后再剪一小块白纸贴上，又问﹕「好看吗？」学生都笑起来﹕「好丑怪喔！」老师便说﹕「当我们犯了错，企图粉饰，别人还是看得出白纸上的痕迹，只觉得更丑更作怪；可是如果从错误中学到教训，而切实改过了，便是把有黑点的白纸，提升成为一张漂亮的画了！」
The teacher paused, and then continued, "If you do make a mistake, what should you do
" Several students answered, "Correct it!" "OK! Watch this!" The teacher picked up a pen and quickly added a few more strokes to the black dot, turning it into a bee. Then she asked, "What”s this
" A few students said it was a bee. Others asked, "Is that a picture
” The teacher asked, "Is this prettier than the blank white pa- per
" The students replied together, "Yes!" The teacher then took another sheet of white paper that had a black dot on it, covered it with white powder, then cut out a small piece of white paper and pasted it over the area. Then she asked, "Does this look nice
" The students all laughed and said, "That”s ugly!" The teacher said, "When we do something wrong and try to cover it up, other people can still see the marks on the white paper and think it”s very ugly and strange. However, if you can learn from your mistakes and sincerely reform, it is like transforming the black dot on the paper into a beautiful picture." .
《孟子》上也有一段类似的描述和比方﹕「古之君子，其过也，如日月之食，民皆见之；及其更也，民皆仰之。」这里的「食」就是现在的「蚀」字。日蚀和月蚀，本是一种自然的天象，古时候的人却以为是不祥的征兆，都争先恐后地出来看，又求神问卜的；等到日月恢复光明了，大家才松下一口气，歌舞庆祝。这是用光明的日月，来比方有道德的君子，他的一言一行，都是人们所仰望的；日蚀和月蚀，比喻君子的德行有了污点。但君子并不企图掩饰污点，只是努力改过，使自己重现光明。
Mencius used a similar analogy when he said, "The errors of the ancient worthies were like eclipses of the sun or moon； all the people could see them. When they corrected their faults, the entire populace looked up to them." Solar and lunar eclipses are natural phenomena. However, people in ancient times considered them bad omens and would rush to inquire about their meaning from oracles and deities. When the sun and moon regained their full radiance, everyone would sigh in relief and sing and dance in celebration. The shining sun and moon are analogies for a virtuous person whose every word and deed is admired by the people. A solar or lunar eclipse represents the staining of a worthy man”s virtue. However, a worthy person would not try to cover up those stains; he would simply diligently reform so that he could be radiant again.
人们对于日月重光，只有更欣喜，更感激；对君子的改过，也是只有更仰慕，更佩服。本来嘛，「人非圣贤，孰能无过？」但我们却不可以因循苟且，拿这两句话当借口；要紧的是「过则勿惮改」，不要怕改过。人为什么怕改过？因为犯了过错，不但英名扫地，引来别人的讪笑辱骂，就改过的过程中，也有许多身心的磨难。若能不怕这一切，努力克服自己内心的障碍，这才是大勇。所以说﹕「过而能改，善莫大焉。」若是「过而不改」呢？那可是「不祥莫大焉」了！
When the radiance of the sun or moon reappears, people feel only joy and gratitude. When a worthy person reforms, people only admire and look up to him more. Basically, "People are not sages; who can be without faults
" However, that doesn”t mean we can use this statement as an excuse to be careless. The important thing to remember is, "If you have faults, don”t be afraid to change." Why are people afraid to change their faults
Because once your mistakes are known, your reputation is ruined and people may make fun of you or scold you. The process of reforming can be full of ordeals. To not fear anything and diligently overcome the obstructions in your mind is to be truly courageous. And so it”s said, "There is no greater good than being able to change your faults." What if you have faults but do not change
There is "no greater misfortune" than that!.
佛云「万法唯心造」，若把心譬之于水，水能载舟，亦能覆舟；心能造罪，亦能灭罪。佛门的「忏悔偈」说得很切当：
罪从心起将心忏，
心若灭时罪亦亡。
心亡罪灭两俱空，
是则名为真忏悔。
The Buddha said, "The ten thousand dharmas are made from the mind alone." We can compare the mind to water. Boats can travel in water…
《弟子规浅释 Standards for Students 第五章﹕信 Chapter Five: LEARNING TO BE TRUSTWORTHY - 8》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…