Heart teaching

I was wondering if my dad has found happiness through his work. Here is a story of Wang Yangming and his follower, Ishida Baigan, and how their ideas continue to inspire people.

Part 1: Wang Yangming’s Wisdom Spreads
Long, long ago, in a land called China, there lived a wise philosopher named Wang Yangming. He believed that true happiness came from understanding ourselves and our hearts. His teachings, called “心学” (xin xue) or “Study of the Mind,” became very popular. But guess what? These teachings traveled far and wide, all the way to Japan!

Part 2: Meet Ishida Baigan
In Japan, during a time called the “德川幕府时期” (Tokugawa Shogunate), there was a kind-hearted farmer named Ishida Baigan. Even though he didn’t go to school like you, he was really smart. He heard about Wang Yangming’s ideas and loved them so much that he decided to write them down and share them with others. He even started his own version called “石门心学” (Shimon Shinshu), which means “Ishida’s Heart Learning.”

Part 3: Learning from Work
Both Wang Yangming and Ishida Baigan believed something special. They thought that when we do our work with care and really try our best, we can learn important things about ourselves and the world. Imagine if you’re drawing a picture. If you put your heart into it, you’ll learn about your creativity and make something beautiful!

Part 4: Finding the “大道” (Da Dao) – Happiness
Now, let’s talk about something magical called “大道” (Da Dao), which means “The Great Way” or simply, happiness. Wang Yangming and Ishida Baigan said that when we really focus on our work, we can understand the secrets of happiness. Just like how putting together a puzzle piece by piece can reveal a beautiful picture, doing our best in whatever we do can help us find happiness.

So remember the wonderful story of Wang Yangming and Ishida Baigan. They showed us that when we put our heart and soul into our work, we’re actually learning about ourselves and discovering happiness along the way. Whether you’re drawing, reading, playing, or helping at home, always remember that your efforts are like stepping stones on the path to finding your own “大道” – your own happiness. 🌟

Qoute from book “王阳明的心学盛行多年以后，一个叫石田梅岩的日本人照抄阳明心学，号称创建了石门心学。石田是日本德川幕府时期的一个贫苦农民，他没有接受过任何正规教育，但他的思想却影响了包括日本商业大亨稻盛和夫在内的大批日本精英。他和王阳明一样，都主张人应该在工作中修行，在不断的修行中提升精神境界。无论做什么工作，只要用心去做，总能“悟透大道”。其实，“大道”无非就是幸福。”