禪林寶訓 4.55

4.55

Jiantang said: 'In ancient times, when cultivating the person and ordering the mind, they shared the Way with others; when undertaking affairs and establishing endeavors, they shared the merit with others; when the Way was accomplished and the merit became illustrious, they shared the fame with others. Therefore, there was no Way that was not illuminated, no merit that was not accomplished, and no fame that was not glorified. People nowadays are not so: they monopolize their own Way, only fearing that others might surpass them, yet they cannot follow the good and pursue righteousness in order to broaden themselves. They monopolize their own merit, not wishing others to have it, yet they cannot employ the worthy and delegate to the capable in order to aggrandize themselves. For this reason, their Way cannot avoid being obscured, their merit cannot avoid being diminished, and their fame cannot avoid being disgraced. These three are the great distinctions between the scholars of ancient and modern times.'