Don’t be afraid, don’t regret it

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　A young man is preparing to travel far away. Before setting off, he visited the clan leader to seek guidance. The elder chief was practicing calligraphy and wrote three characters: “Don’t be afraid.” "He also said, “Child, there are six words that hold the secret to life. I’ll tell you three of them today, so that you can use them for half of your life.” " 30 years later, those who were away back then had achieved some things, but also experienced many sad moments. Returning to his hometown, he went to visit that clan leader again, only to find that the old man had passed away years earlier. The leader’s family member took out a sealed envelope and said, “This was left for you by him before he died; he said you would come back one day.” "The returning traveler opened the envelope and saw three words: \"Do not regret.\" " 　　Buddhism teaches that suffering is an inherent reality of life. People suffer because there are too many things to fear: fear of being stolen from, robbed, or harmed, and even fear of having no money, no job, no children or spouse... Due to these numerous fears, most people live in a state of constant anxiety and fear. That is why Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is able to grant \"fearlessness\" to all beings, which is why he is particularly revered by the public. 　　In fact, there are many times in life when one needn’t be afraid: First, one needn’t fear being cursed by others if one is deaf. It is certainly good for those with sharp hearing to be able to hear the sounds of the world ； If you become deaf, there’s no need to be depressed; without hearing, there’s no worry. Even if others criticize or insult you, you can remain at peace since you can’t hear them. 　　II. Upon death, one need not fear being despised by others. While alive, one fears the scornful looks of others and their critical words ； Once a person dies, no matter how much you dislike them, they won’t pay any attention. Therefore, when a person dies, they truly let go of everything; even if their most beloved things are taken away, they pay no attention to them at all. Death is something that people fear, but natural death is actually a good opportunity to let go in life. 　　III. With a just cause, one need not fear public opinion. One should reason logically, but sometimes \"when a scholar meets a soldier, even good reasoning can’t be expressed clearly.\" When you encounter some biased and unreasonable people, no amount of reasoning will help. So, as long as one has a clear conscience and acts in an honest and fair manner, even if some extreme-minded people misinterpret us, we need only think, \"It’s impossible to satisfy everyone; all that matters is to have a clean conscience,\" and there’s no need to worry too much about it. 　　IV. A kind heart fears not the perils of the world. The most terrifying thing in the world is not venomous snakes or fierce beasts, nor floods or earthquakes, but rather human nature and society. As the saying goes, human nature is treacherous; sometimes, even among friends, or even between parents and siblings, when interests come into conflict, they will stop at nothing to kill one another. Even a wise ruler like Emperor Taizong of Tang witnessed fratricide at Xuanwu Gate. Nevertheless, we must maintain compassion. As the saying goes, \"One does not strike those with a smiling face.\" A kind-hearted person has no enemies, and thus need not fear the hardships and perils of the world. 　　V. Those who are bold need not fear the troubles caused by demons. Some people are naturally bold as eagles, while others are born timid as mice. To live in this world, one doesn’t necessarily need to be brave. Courage must be backed by morality, conscience, and wisdom; in this way, even in the face of the hardships of nature, the complexities of human relationships in society, and various challenges in politics, since we have the courage to confront reality and stand firm on principle, what is there to fear? 　　VI. Diligent study knows no lack of talent. Some people often lament that they lack wisdom and are naturally dull; due to their lack of talent, they cannot be valued by others. In fact, the world is impermanent; nothing is fixed. If one feels that their wisdom is not sufficient, as long as they have a spirit of diligence and eagerness to learn, putting in ten times the effort, what cannot be achieved? Throughout history, many people managed to pass the imperial examinations at the age of forty or fifty; even in today’s universities, there are students in their fifties and sixties. Therefore, as long as one studies hard, talent alone cannot determine one’s fate in life. 　　VII. The wise are not afraid of difficulties. In the course of our lives, there are things that can be solved easily, while others present difficulties and obstacles that make it hard to overcome. A person’s future is like climbing a mountain; as long as one persists and uses wisdom, there is no peak that cannot be reached. 　　VIII. Those with firm resolve fear not the trials of adversity. There are many trials in life: poverty is a trial, setbacks in one’s career are a trial, heartbreak in love is a trial, and being hurt and losing one’s dignity is even a greater trial. And as long as a person makes a firm resolve, there is no adversity they cannot overcome. 　　Rather than shrinking back and avoiding taking responsibility, why not stand tall, face the future, and fight bravely? 　　The Wisdom of the Buddha and the Roots of Life: “When one has worries in mind, the world seems small; when there are no worries, even a bed seems spacious.” " 　　By always maintaining a mind free from worries, one can enjoy a peaceful state free from nightmares. 　　A guiding light in interpersonal relationships: compassion, careful speech and actions, kindness toward others, and willingness.