"To speak in a mean, the virtue of prosperity is temperance, the virtue of adversity is fortitude, which in morals is the more heroic virtue." --Francis Bacon  
 
Moral character is the most precious asset a person possesses. It determines whether he can be successful or not and is the best assistance one can have in life.
 
Good Fortune Follows Those with Great Moral Character
 
People with great virtue and moral character are always blessed. 
During World War II, during a day of heavy snow, General Eisenhower had received an important order and travelled in a hurry on the snowy road at night. On the way, he discovered an old couple sitting trembling on the roadside because of the cold. He felt sympathetic toward them so he stopped and went to speak to them to see if they were all right. It turned out that the couple were going to their son's home in Paris, but their car had broken down in the bad weather. Since they were stuck in the middle of nowhere, they could only wait until someone came to rescue them. General Eisenhower immediately asked the driver to send the old couple to Paris. Later on, he found out that the enemy had ambush arranged on his original route. By changing his plans, he escaped. The general sighed, "I thought it was me who saved the French couple. Now I realized it was them who saved me!"


The Winning Hand in Life is Moral Character
 
There is a Chinese story about how the Buddhist Abbot, Master Huei-Tung selects his successor. In order to decide who was qualified to be the next Buddhist Abbot, Master Huei-Tung called two of his disciples, Chih-Neng and Wen-Yuan, and gave each of them a bag of paddy seeds. Master Huei-Tung said to them when it reached the time to harvest, the one who has the most amount of grains will be the next Buddhist Abbot. When the harvest season arrived, Chih-Neng brought a great number of grains whereas Wen-Yuan brought nothing. Master Huei-Tung asked him the reason. Wen-Yuan was embarrassed saying that he did not grow the paddy rice well and the paddy seeds did not even germinate. Master Huei-Tung laughed and immediately assigned Wen-Yuan to be the next Buddhist Abbot. Chih-Neng was not convinced and asked for the reason. Master Huei-Tung replied, "How can you grow the cooked paddy seeds?" Chih-Neng blushed.

Actually, Master Huei-Tung did not care if his disciples could grow the paddy seeds well but if they could be honest.      
Translated by Sharon L
Edited by Helen 


人生的靠山是什么？
培根说：“对一个人的评价，不可视其财富出身，更不可视其学问的高下，而是要看他的真实的品格。”

人品，才是一个人最可贵的通行证，才是一个人成败的关键，才是一个人最强大的靠山。


人品好的人，自有福报
做人要有良好的德行和人品。有好的人品的人，命运自然也不会亏待他。

二战时期的一天，大雪纷飞，道路泥泞，盟军统帅艾森·豪威尔却因为有要事在身，不得不奉命开车夜行。就在车子前行途中，艾森·豪威尔发现一对老夫妇，正蜷缩在路边瑟瑟发抖。他顿时起了怜悯之心，就让司机停车询问情况。

原来，这对老夫妇是去巴黎投奔儿子的，因为天气原因汽车抛锚，加之地处偏僻，求助无门，无奈在此等待好心人的救援。

艾森·豪威尔听了，二话不说，就让老夫妇上了车，并让司机送他们去巴黎。

后来，他才知道，原来那天路上，敌人早就安排了埋伏，但因为他中途变换了行进路线，这才逃过一劫。

事后，艾森·豪威尔感叹地说：“原来我以为是自己救了那对法国夫妇，现在才知道是他们救了我！”


人生到最后，拼的是人品

听说过这样一个故事：

方丈慧通大师为了挑选自己的接班人，就把弟子智能和文远叫来，给两人分别发了一袋稻谷。

慧通大师说，等谷子播种丰收后，哪个弟子收的谷子多，哪个弟子就继任方丈。

到了谷子成熟的季节，智能挑来了满满一担谷子，而文远却两手空空。

慧通大师问他俩原因，文远惭愧地说：“我没有种好，谷子根本就没发芽!”

慧通大师听了，哈哈大笑，当即就指定文远担任未来的住持。

智能不服气，追问原因。慧通大师说：“煮过的谷种，又怎么会发芽呢?”智能听了，脸红不已。

原来，慧通大师真正在意的，不是弟子到底会不会种稻谷，而是弟子有没有诚信的人品。


转自《看中国》