(Photo source: Pexels)
Someone asked Master Cheng Yen, "How should we face and deal with adversities and troubles?"
The Master answered:
Be it acquiring knowledge or skills, we must possess a firm determination. When we encounter adversity, we should treat it as an opportunity to train and toughen up ourselves. People are fond of precious jade, but jade will only be valuable after it has been carved and polished.
A few years ago, a senior monk from Thailand came to visit Tzu Chi in Hualien, Taiwan. He liked the jade in Hualien and so I asked someone to bring us a large piece of jade. I gave half of it to the monk to be carved into a Buddha statue and had the other half placed in front of the Jing Si Abode (where people would just walk over it without paying any attention to it). Nearly two decades have passed since then. The jade that has been carved and polished looks so different from the original stone. Adversity is like a grindstone that polishes the jade; a piece of jade will not shine without being polished!
At times of adversity, we should be grateful for the lesson it brings and cherish the opportunity for us to grow. We must willingly accept adversities with a gentle and open mind. In life, one must be firm when dealing with layers of adversities and work to transform the adverse situation with a calm and composed mind. Buddhism teaches everyone without discrimination. When you feel disturbed or troubled, you can try listening to the Dharma more often.
Translated by the Tzu Chi Singapore translation team
Share 
