Like Plum, Like Lotus: Blossom Through Adversity
Only after the chilling cold
Will the winter plum blossom, profuse in fragrance,
Only through the fiery heat of summer
Will the lotus flower release its sweet smell
“Only after the chilling cold will the winter plum blossom, profuse in fragrance.” If we do not try hard, how can we achieve any success? As the saying goes, “no pain, no gain”; we need to endure the tests of life before we can achieve success. The plum blossom is a winter plant and it is only after a bitter cold that it gives its sweet fragrance. Man should be like the plum blossom and learn to use difficult circumstances to enhance his own success.
“Only through the fiery heat of summer will the lotus flower release its sweet smell.” We have to be able to live through the cold ice and snow of winter, and bear with the fiery heat of summer before we come through the trials and tribulations of life. In practicing Buddhism, we have to be ready to go through many hardships. We should not expect smoothness in our endeavors. The mountains are full of peaks and the waves can be rough. In this world there are always things which go against ourselves. Therefore, we have to plan our activities and be cautious in our thinking. We should be able to progress from setbacks and be like the lotus which flourishes in the mud; the hotter it gets, the more fragrant it becomes.
We all have our strengths and we have to remember that all things happen for a reason and that our present is the cumulative effect of past causes. Just as the saying goes, “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going,” if we can persevere through the tough times, good times will be around the corner. All you need is to be patient, tolerant and not blaming others. In this way, you can discover the new world that is open to you.
In this complex society of ours, we will inevitably have to deal with numerous difficulties. We should be able to deal with losses and insults in order for us to turn the difficulties around to our benefit. We can turn failure into success. In times of darkness, as long as we have the light of the Dharma, then there is always happiness in our lives.
