One Hundred Tasks for Life--人生百事 Master Hsing Yun

1. Discover your greatest shortcoming, and be willing to correct it.
2. Set your mind on one to three lifetime role models and resolve to follow their example.
3. Find the wisdom and strength to resist worldly temptations.
4. Cultivate the strength of tolerance in order to understand, accept, take responsibility of, resolve and ameliorate external circumstances. Then progress to cultivate tolerance for life, tolerance for all dharmas, and tolerance for non-arising dharmas so as to turn the cultivation of tolerance into strength and wisdom.
5. Learn to get used to external pressure, and progress to become unaffected by its existence.
6. Be active and fearless. Think before you act.
7. Feel shame for what you do not know, what you are incapable of, what makes you impure, and what makes you unkind.
8. Frequently do something which touches people’s hearts.
9. Feel at ease under all circumstances, live by following the right conditions, feel carefree at all times, and do everything with a joyful heart.
10. The greatest courage and virtue is the ability to admit your faults.
11. Learn to accept disadvantages, false accusations, setbacks, and humiliation.
12. Do not be jealous of those who have done good deeds or spoken kind works. Always keep kindness and beauty in mind.
13. Do not push others over the edge, but give them space to retreat, as one day they may be of help to you.
14. Cater to those who wish to do good, recognize a common goal. Oblige others and respect their wishes.
15. Be gentle and humble when dealing with others. Express kindness on your face and in your words.
16. The ability to give brings true wealth.
17. Be concerned only with right or wrong, not gain or loss.
18. Forget selfish thoughts and dedicate yourself to justice, truth, and the common good.
19. Travel the world beneath the clouds and moon, experience the spirit of alms-procession at least once in your life.
20. Give away all your possessions at least once or twice in your life.
21. Once every three to five years, embark on a journey on your own.
22. Do not be blinded by love; do not betray yourself for money.
23. Never hit the nail directly on the head; learn of the art of subtlety.
24. You cannot do without persistence, diligence, and determination.
25. Establish your self-confidence, self-expectation, and personal goals.
26. Listen to the words of kindness and never forget their meaning.
27. Plan and use your time wisely, never squander your time and let it go to waste.
28. Always be reasonable, for reason is fair and equal for all.
29. Remember what wrong you have done, constantly remind yourself of it, and never make the same mistake again.
30. Whatever role you play, play it well; never look otherwise.
31. Do everything with kind intentions, truthfulness, sincerity, and beauty.
32. Never cling to the past, look far into your future instead.
33. Strive toward your goals and soar far and high.
34. Plan your career, use your money wisely, purify your feelings, and remain unattached to fame and fortune.
35. Develop right understanding and right views. Do not be led blindly by others.
36. Relinquish unreasonable attachments, and accept the truth with a humble mind.
37. Do not spread gossip or fuss over gossip. Nor should you be influenced by gossip.
38. Learn to improve your mind, reform your character, turn around, and make necessary U-turns in life.
39. Cultivate merits by giving according to what your ability, role, willingness, and conditions allow.
40. Have deep faith in the Dharma and contemplate all virtues. Refrain from doing anything unwholesome, and practice all good.
41. Never blame heaven or others for your unhappiness, for every matter has its cause and effect.
42. Think of what is good and beautiful instead of what is sad and sorrowful.
43. Obtain at least three kinds of licenses through your life. For example, automobile, cooking, typing, medical practice, nursing, teaching, law practice, and architecture licenses and so on.
44. Learn to be articulate in speaking and writing; learn to listen, appreciate, think, sing, paint or be skillful at certain things. The more you learn, the better; otherwise, learn at least half of the above.
45. Read at least one newspaper per day to keep up with the world.
46. Read at least two books a day.47. Stick to a regular daily routine.
48. Maintain regular sleeping and eating patterns.
49. Develop the habit to exercise.
50. Stay away from tobacco, alcohol, pornography, and drugs. Govern and regulate your own life.
51. Meditate for at least ten minutes every day.
52. Spend at least half a day in solitude once a week for self-reflection.
53. Be a vegetarian at least one day every month to nurture your heart of compassion.
54. Help others or do good without asking for anything in return.
55. Frequently share your joy and compassion with others.
56. Retain the ability for self-reflection under all circumstances.
57. Always pray for those affected by misfortune no matter where you are.
58. Be sharp in your observations; consider all angles, and be tolerant and encompassing of others.
59. Cherish life, care for life, and never hurt life.
60. Use your money and possessions wisely, do not over spend or use them excessively.
61. Refrain from verbosity in times of joy, and do not take your anger out on others.
62. Do not speak of your own merits nor others’ faults.
63. Do not be suspicious or jealous of others. Merit comes from fulfilling and helping others.
64. Do not be greedy for others’ possessions, nor be stingy with your own wealth.
65. Be consistent in your behavior and understanding. Do not be enlightened in theory but ignorant in practice.
66. Do not always ask for help from others. Find help from within.
67. Set good examples with your own conduct, and expect goodness not from others but from yourself.
68. Good habits are the best way to maintain a wholesome and healthy life.
69. One would rather be un-intelligent than be non-compassionate.
70. An optimistic mind will be greeted by a bright future.
71. Shape your own destiny instead of waiting for opportunities to fall upon you.
72. Control your emotion and temper, and never be ruled by them.
73. Fame and defamation are a natural part of life. Remain unattached to them and always have inner peace.
74. Organ donation helps prolong life and also offers a new life to resources.
75. Listen well, and take note of the essence of what others have to say.
76. Self-reflect before you blame others, for only a fair assessment of your merits and faults can give you the right to judge others.
77. Always keep your promises.
78. Do not violate others’ rights for your own benefits. Even giving others an advantage may sometimes be necessary.
79. Do not find satisfaction by ridiculing others; learn to make them happy instead.
80. Do not attack others out of jealousy of their goodness. Respect and follow their good examples.
81. Never betray others for your own gains.
82. Think of others first when it comes to benefits.
83. Learn to accept disadvantages and even teach yourself that they are actually advantages.
84. Do not think about gains and losses. Do not compare with others what you have or have not.
85. Be sincere, passionate, and polite.
86. Harmony, calmness and peace are the keys to dealing with people.
87. Respect, praise, and tolerance are a triad for keeping good relations with the world.
88. Anger cannot help you solve problems; only a peaceful and calm mind can help you deal with life.
89. Be friends with virtuous ones and good teachers.
90. Never infect others with your own sadness, and never bring your worries to bed.
91. Find joy and happiness in doing what you do, and progress to spread that joy and happiness to others.
92. Be grateful to the good, be thankful to the helpful, and be touched by acts of virtue.
93. Add a taste of Chan to everything you do in life.
94. There is no absolute difficulty or ease. Diligence turns the difficult into the easy, while sloth makes the easy difficult.
95. Care for your neighbors and community, and participate in local events. By doing so, you become a volunteer of the human world.
96. Only humility brings good. Arrogance causes nothing but disadvantages.
97. Stay close to and attend to virtuous teachers, be loyal and never disobey them.
98. Helping others is helping yourself. Being considerate to others means caring and loving yourself.
99. Give younger ones opportunities, and offer guidance whenever needed.
100. Attend to your parents and be filial to them.

What is Success?

What is Success?
By Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and love much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the approval of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To give of one's self;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived...
This is to have succeeded.

Taken from http://www.colindunbar.com/

A Mother's Love

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: $5.00
For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00
For going to the store for you: $.50
Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25
Taking out the garbage: $1.00
For getting a good report card: $5.00
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00
Total owed: $14.75

Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he'd written on, and this is what she wrote:
For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge
For all the nights that I've sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you: No Charge
For all the trying times, and all the tears that you've caused through the years: No Charge
For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge
For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose: No Charge
Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is: No Charge.

When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said, "Mom, I sure do love you." And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: "PAID IN FULL".

If your mom is alive and close to you, give her a big kiss and ask her for forgiveness. If she is far away, call her. if she passed away, pray for her

A New Day.

This is the beginning of a new day ...
I have been given me this day To use as I will.
I can waste it ... or use it for good,
But what I do today is important,
Because I am exchanging A day of my life for it!
When tomorrow comes,This day will be gone forever,
Leaving in its place Something that I have traded for it.
I want it to be gain ... and not loss;
Good ... and not evil;
Success ... and not failure;
In order that I shall not regret The price that I have paid for it.
I will try just for today,
For you never fail ...Until you stop trying.

Why Worry?

There are only two things to worry about:
Either you are well or you are sick.
If you are well, there's nothing to worry about.

But if you are sick,There are only two things to worry about:
Either you get well, or you die.
If you get well, there's nothing to worry about.

But if you die, there are only two things to worry about:
Either you will go to Heaven or Hell.
If you go to Heaven, there's nothing to worry about.

But if you go to Hell,
You'll be so busy shaking hands with friends.
You won't have time to worry.