Ming - Destiny
Confusius Teachings
What Confucius says*:
"Life and death are decreed by fate, riches and honors are allotted by Heaven."
"死生有命，富贵在天。"
命 Ming (pronounced in the forth tone) means life, fate or destiny in Chinese.
In life, everybody has something to complain about.
The disciple of confusius were of no exception. One of them, known as Sima Niu, lamented that he had no brothers. "Everybody has brother, I alone have none," said he.
Fellow disciple Zixia said, "I have heard this: life and death are decreed by fate, riches and honors are allotted by Heaven. If you are a gentleman with reverence and diligence who treats others with respect and courtesy, those within the Four Seas are all your brothers. Why do you have to worry that you have no brothers?"
There is a great lesson in the story.
- Undertand that 'life and death are decreed by fate, riches and honors are allotted by Heaven' -- there are things in life that beyond your control
- Learn to accept what is, do not complain, do not worry even if you cannot control
- Do what you can to make life better -- based on what it is. You can always find a way to make life more rewarding if you stop complaining
Once you have learnt to accept what you have been given, you will become a stronger person in the face of destiny, and a happy one who is likely to overcome adversity that appears in whatever form.
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