The Human Heart Is Won Not by Force but by Love and Magnanimity (2)

All of the companies founded by Hong Kong business magnate Li Ka-shing bear the name "Changjiang" (Yangtze). When he first entered the plastics industry, he named his factory "Changjiang Plastics"; later, moving into real estate, he called his firm "Changjiang Real Estate Ltd." As his business grew, he renamed it "Changjiang Holdings." Why does Li Ka-shing favor the name "Changjiang" so much? He explains, "The Yangtze River accepts all streams, never rejecting even the smallest rivulet."

Indeed, in the business world, there are countless people and events that could threaten us. If we were to pursue every slight, we would have no energy left to manage our own affairs. Only by treating others with a broad and loving heart, engaging in fair competition, can we continue to grow and ultimately achieve success.

Furthermore, tolerance not only softens our temperament, but also influences those around us—sometimes even bringing us unexpected benefits.

In ancient times, there was a Zen monastery where an old master resided. One evening, the master was walking alone in the courtyard and noticed a chair placed in the corner by the wall.

"Surely some unruly young monk from the monastery has used this chair to climb over the wall for a stroll," thought the old master. He moved the chair aside and then crouched down in its place.

Soon enough, a young monk climbed over the wall. Not noticing that the chair was gone—and replaced by his own master—he stepped onto the master's back and jumped into the courtyard. Only after landing did he realize he had just stepped on his teacher, and was startled.

The old master stood up, brushed the dust from his clothes, and said calmly, "It's cold and late—be careful not to catch a chill." With that, he walked away.

The master's tolerance left the young monk deeply ashamed. From then on, he never broke the rules again.

The master's magnanimity and tolerance gave his disciple the chance to be educated and to grow.

Monks understand the way of tolerance, so their disciples receive subtle, transformative lessons. In daily life, if we can treat everyone around us with similar generosity, harmony will flourish everywhere, and our world will become a pure land on earth.

The robber asked, puzzled, "What do you want?"

"When you take something from others, you should say thank you," Master Qili said earnestly.

The robber hesitated for a moment, then said to the master, "Thank you." After that, he ran off.

The net of justice is vast and unyielding; eventually, the robber was caught. The constables brought him before Master Qili and asked, "Did this man ever rob you?"

The robber looked at Master Qili in terror. He knew that if the master said "yes," he would spend the rest of his life in prison. He thought, "I'm finished. Master Qili has no reason not to report me."

But to everyone's astonishment, Master Qili told the officials, "He didn't rob me—I gave him the money willingly, and he thanked me for it."

Thus, the robber escaped severe punishment. However, since he had committed other crimes elsewhere, he was sentenced to one year in prison.

In prison, the robber kept wondering, "Why didn't Master Qili expose me? Was it simply because I thanked him, and he forgave my wrongdoing?" This question troubled him deeply, but it also made him respect Master Qili. Before, whenever he did bad things, he felt he had fallen so far that no matter how he changed, others would never forgive him. But now, he realized that someone could forgive his foolishness and evil—that person was Master Qili.

After serving his sentence, the robber immediately went to see Master Qili, sincerely begging him to accept him as a disciple.

Master Qili smiled and said, "I can forgive your sins, but that's not enough—you must also forgive yourself. Forget the past. From now on, forgive yourself and forgive others, and let your life begin anew."

The robber was suddenly enlightened. From then on, he practiced Zen with Master Qili and eventually became a renowned monk.

Master Qili's spirit of tolerance guided the robber onto the right path. Such tolerance is a powerful force of character. Forgive others for their momentary mistakes—there is no need to fuss over every detail or hold grudges. If you can do this, you will earn greater respect.

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The Lotus Sutra says, "I deeply revere you all and dare not slight you, for you all walk the bodhisattva path and shall become Buddhas." The ancients also said, "Those who respect others are always respected," and "If I respect others by one foot, others respect me by one yard." Tolerance is indeed a broad-minded sentiment that can embrace all the sorrows of the world. It is also a lofty state, enabling you to gain the respect of others and elevate your life to a new level.

There are many kinds of blessings in life, but the most reliable is tolerance and love. For this kind of fortune comes not from outside, but entirely from within. With tolerance, you possess what Buddhism calls 'merit' (fubao), and your life will be uplifted by it.

2. To send out roses is to keep their fragrance on your hand—today you are another’s happiness, tomorrow others become yours.

George Eliot said, "If we want more roses, we must plant more rose bushes." Perhaps life itself has no extraordinary meaning, but depends on how you view and treat it. Rational and optimistic people do not expect too much from others, because they understand: how you treat others is how others will treat you. To enter another’s heart, you must first open your own.

Two expert anglers went fishing together at a pond.

Each relied on their own skills, and before long, both had caught some fish.

Suddenly, more than ten tourists arrived at the pond. Seeing how easily the two masters caught fish, they were envious and bought fishing rods to try their luck.

But the tourists, unfamiliar with fishing, could not catch anything no matter how hard they tried.

The two anglers had very different personalities. One was solitary and preferred to fish alone, while the other was warm-hearted, outgoing, and loved making friends.

Seeing the tourists’ frustration, the friendly angler said, "Let me teach you how to fish. If you master my techniques and catch a pile of fish, just give me one out of every ten; if you catch fewer than ten, you don’t need to share."

Both sides readily agreed.

After teaching this group, he moved on to another, again sharing his fishing skills and asking for the same arrangement—one fish for every ten caught.

By day’s end, the helpful angler had spent all his time instructing others. Though he didn’t fish himself, he ended up with a basket full of fish, made many new friends, and was respectfully called “teacher” by everyone.

Meanwhile, the other angler did not enjoy the pleasure of helping others. As everyone gathered around his companion to learn, he grew lonelier. After a day of solitary fishing, he checked his basket—his catch was far less than his friend’s.

In life, we all hope for support and understanding from others, and for care and concern. As the old saying goes: "If you wish to benefit yourself, first benefit others; if you wish to succeed, first help others succeed." We live in a collective, and no one can exist in isolation. Sometimes, those who step forward to help us are the very people we once helped.

So don’t be stingy or petty—help others more often. A greeting, an encouraging glance, or a word of praise can bring happiness to others and yield unexpected rewards for yourself.

In daily life, it’s inevitable that even close friends may, intentionally or unintentionally, hurt you. Will you forgive them, break off the friendship, or wait for revenge? The saying goes, "An eye for an eye," and breaking up or retaliating may seem instinctive. But such actions only deepen resentment and accumulate hatred, leading to endless cycles of revenge. If, after being deeply hurt, you respond with unimaginable tolerance and generosity, your stature will instantly grow in others’ eyes. Your magnanimity and integrity will elevate your spirit to a new realm, casting a noble light on your character. Tolerance, as a virtue, is admired by all; as a psychological factor in relationships, it is increasingly valued and sought after.

During World War II, a unit encountered the enemy in a forest. After a fierce battle, two soldiers lost contact with their group. Both came from the same small town.

The two struggled through the forest, encouraging and comforting each other. More than ten days passed, but they still hadn’t found their unit. One day, they killed a deer, and its meat helped them survive a few more days. Perhaps because the war had driven animals away or killed them off, they saw no more wildlife afterward. The little venison left was carried by the younger soldier. That day, they again encountered the enemy in the forest. After another fierce fight, they cleverly evaded capture.