星雲大師點撥《迷悟之間》：心平氣和
做人處事的修養，有百千萬種，但是，心平氣和，是修養中的修養。
一個人，如果「心不平」，則別人和你一接觸，就會知道你有偏見、有成見，就會讓人感到你有親疏的觀念、公私的利害，對你的疏離之感，即刻產生；如果你「氣不和」，則會讓人感覺到你氣量不大、氣勢不夠，也會讓人不敢親近於你。
心平氣和的人，自然近悅遠來！家庭裏，父母心平氣和，不但兒女樂於親近，就是一般的青少年，也樂於求教；團體中，心平氣和的長官，不但自己的部屬樂於請教，其他團體的幹部也會樂於追隨。所以，許多的宗教都鼓勵人要養心、養氣，因為平心靜氣，是為人之道。
遺憾的是，我們的心，經常都是心煩意亂、心浮氣躁、心私不公、心暗不明，所以心的工廠生產不出好的東西；假如能夠心平，就能光大心的功能，就能生產心中的淨美。例如：心光則明、心大則廣、心明則清、心空則有、心有則喜、心德則正、心道則平、心慈則愛、心慧則智、心量則容。
心平是非常重要的！如平常說「願將佛手雙垂下，摸得人心一樣平。」心不平，人生道上，自然會有許多的橫逆接踵而來。假如能求得心平，還要氣和。當一個人和別人一見面的時候，心平不平還不容易看得出來；氣和不和，則很容易就能察覺得到。
氣，形之於色，所謂氣色，別人看到你，不但看得到你的氣色，還能知道你的氣味、氣量、氣慨、氣節、氣質。所以，一個人：怒則氣逆，喜則氣緩；悲則氣消，恐則氣轉；寒則氣閉，暑則氣泄；驚則氣亂，勞則氣減；思則氣結，怨則氣損。
吾人在順境裏容易心平氣和，但一遇到逆境，就很難平心靜氣了。心平靜氣不是用在安寧閒暇之時，而是用在緊急危難之間。大將在前方指揮，能夠心平氣和，則能理智清明，安然篤定；商人在商場上，利害交關的時刻，能心平氣和，處之泰然，則必有所得。就如現在的青年學子，每遇考試，要能心平氣和，就會有好的成績；警察處理違警事故，如果心平氣和，則能獲得民間的尊重。
一個人有多大的道德、學問、能力，很難論斷；心平氣和，則是必要的修養。
A Calm Mind and An Even Temperament
There are many ways to cultivate one's way of dealing with people and situations; but to have a calm mind and an even temperament is the highest form of these cultivations.
If we do not have a calm mind, once people come in contact with us, they can tell we are opinionated and even prejudiced. They will know that we differentiate between our loved ones and others and that we are calculating when dealing with gain and loss. Right away, they will keep a distance from us. When our temperament is not even, others will feel that we are not broadminded and tolerant, and they will not want to be around us.
Those who have a calm mind and an even temperament will attract friends from near and far. As parents, their children like to be with them, and other young people will enjoy learning from them. In the work place, everyone will want to work with them. Therefore, many religions encourage people to cultivate their minds and manage their tempers because having a calm mind and an even temperament is the way to get along with people.
Regrettably, we are often troubled and short-tempered. Our minds are filled with selfishness, insecurity, and darkness, and thus, we do not perform as well as we could. If our minds are calm, they will be clear and open, and we can think well and act to benefit others and ourselves. In addition, when we empty the mind of turbulence, we experience inner peace and joy. We can reason well, think clearly, act morally, and treat others with justice, compassion, and love. When we have wisdom in our minds, we have the intelligence to resolve problems and the capacity for tolerance.
A calm mind is very important! There is a Buddhist saying, "We wish the Buddha would lower his hands to soothe and calm the minds of all beings." Without a calm mind, naturally there will be many obstacles and setbacks on the path of life. Not only should one have a calm mind, one should also have an even temperament.
When we meet another person, he or she may not know whether or not our minds are calm, but it will be easy for him or her to sense if we have an even temperament. People can tell what our temperament is like from observing our poise and expressions. They will also know our capacity, spirit, morals, and bearing. When we are angry, our spirit is conflicted; with joy it is refreshed, with sorrow it deflates, with fear it is overturned, with coldness it shuts down, with heat it leaks, with shock it becomes disorganized, with labor it weakens, with thinking it constricts, and when bearing grudges it hurts.
It is easy for us to stay calm and even-tempered in good times, but it is difficult when we are faced with setbacks. We should realize that a calm mind and an even temperament are not for peaceful and leisure times only. They also need to be present in times of urgency and crisis. The general who leads an army on the frontlines of battle should be calm and even-tempered so that he or she is sensible and clear in his or her strategy. Businesspeople need to be calm and composed in the market-place in order to make a profit during critical economic times. Students should remain calm when taking exams so that they can achieve high grades. Police officers will win the respect of the citizens when they handle incidents wisely and peacefully.
It is not easy to assess how much morality, knowledge, and abilities a person may have, but it is easy to observe whether a person has a calm mind or an even temperament. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to cultivate a calm mind and an even temperament.
There are many ways to cultivate one's way of dealing with people and situations; but to have a calm mind and an even temperament is the highest form of these cultivations.
If we do not have a calm mind, once people come in contact with us, they can tell we are opinionated and even prejudiced. They will know that we differentiate between our loved ones and others and that we are calculating when dealing with gain and loss. Right away, they will keep a distance from us. When our temperament is not even, others will feel that we are not broadminded and tolerant, and they will not want to be around us.
Those who have a calm mind and an even temperament will attract friends from near and far. As parents, their children like to be with them, and other young people will enjoy learning from them. In the work place, everyone will want to work with them. Therefore, many religions encourage people to cultivate their minds and manage their tempers because having a calm mind and an even temperament is the way to get along with people.
Regrettably, we are often troubled and short-tempered. Our minds are filled with selfishness, insecurity, and darkness, and thus, we do not perform as well as we could. If our minds are calm, they will be clear and open, and we can think well and act to benefit others and ourselves. In addition, when we empty the mind of turbulence, we experience inner peace and joy. We can reason well, think clearly, act morally, and treat others with justice, compassion, and love. When we have wisdom in our minds, we have the intelligence to resolve problems and the capacity for tolerance.
A calm mind is very important! There is a Buddhist saying, "We wish the Buddha would lower his hands to soothe and calm the minds of all beings." Without a calm mind, naturally there will be many obstacles and setbacks on the path of life. Not only should one have a calm mind, one should also have an even temperament.
When we meet another person, he or she may not know whether or not our minds are calm, but it will be easy for him or her to sense if we have an even temperament. People can tell what our temperament is like from observing our poise and expressions. They will also know our capacity, spirit, morals, and bearing. When we are angry, our spirit is conflicted; with joy it is refreshed, with sorrow it deflates, with fear it is overturned, with coldness it shuts down, with heat it leaks, with shock it becomes disorganized, with labor it weakens, with thinking it constricts, and when bearing grudges it hurts.
It is easy for us to stay calm and even-tempered in good times, but it is difficult when we are faced with setbacks. We should realize that a calm mind and an even temperament are not for peaceful and leisure times only. They also need to be present in times of urgency and crisis. The general who leads an army on the frontlines of battle should be calm and even-tempered so that he or she is sensible and clear in his or her strategy. Businesspeople need to be calm and composed in the market-place in order to make a profit during critical economic times. Students should remain calm when taking exams so that they can achieve high grades. Police officers will win the respect of the citizens when they handle incidents wisely and peacefully.
It is not easy to assess how much morality, knowledge, and abilities a person may have, but it is easy to observe whether a person has a calm mind or an even temperament. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to cultivate a calm mind and an even temperament.
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