20. Fighting for What Is Everlasting but Not for What Is Temporary

二十、不要爭一時要爭千秋

1 I hope strivers will take the long view of not fighting for temporary fame today but fighting for an everlasting fame. Your mission is to save all the living beings of this world. If you sacrifice and dedicate yourself to this mission, you can accomplish it. You will then be well known in the world and be forever remembered.

1 希望諸位同奮把眼光放遠,不要爭今天一時之名位,要爭千秋萬世之名位。同奮之使命為救天下蒼生。肯犧牲奉獻,即能達成使命,便可名揚四海,永垂後世。

2 An ancient saint once said: “[When one] does not claim credit for the merit, then the merit becomes. [When one] holds a prestigious name and does not abuse it, the name is well maintained. Otherwise, when one claims the credit when it is not deserved, it is considered arrogant. An arrogant person is considered notorious. When one is not recognized but fights for recognition, he is self-conceited.”

2 古聖有言:在功而不居功,則功成;在名而不居名,則名就。反之,自己無功而邀功,則為自大,自大則臭;自己無名而爭名,則為自欺。

3 Confucius taught people how to conduct themselves and handle matters. Even though it was not of a religious sect, it had the religious spirit in it.

3 孔子一生教人做人處事,雖無宗教型態,而確有宗教實質精神。

4 Today we are celebrating Teachers’ Day. We are celebrating Confucius’ birthday to emulate Confucius’ spirit, and to shoulder the temporal missions of the time by embracing “saving all living beings of the world” as our own responsibility.

4 今天逢教師節,紀念孔子誕辰,就是要效法孔子精神,並肩負起時代使命,以拯救天下蒼生為己任。

5 As long as we are willing to make big vows, have a strong will and work hard toward the goals we have set, future generations will reach their own conclusion based on our work.

5 只要大家肯發大願,立大志,朝著目標努力去做,後世自有定論。

Teachers’ Day Tea Party, September 28, 1984

教師節茶會-民國七十三年九月二十八日