《Caigentan (菜根譚) – Complete Works | Former Collection》 #5 [005]

📖 Chaegen-dam (菜根譚) – Front Collection (前集) 005

📜 Original Text (漢文)

耳中常聞逆耳之言, 心中常有拂心之事, 纔是進德修行的砥石。
若言言悅耳, 事事快心, 便把此生埋在鳩毒中矣。



📚 Translation

If your ears are constantly met with unpleasant words,
and your heart repeatedly faces frustrating matters—
then that is precisely the whetstone upon which virtue is honed and the self is cultivated.
On the other hand,
if every word you hear is pleasing, and everything you experience is gratifying,
it is as if you have buried your life in the dove’s venom.



🪶 Chinese Character Notes

* 耳 (Er): Ear (귀 이). Ear.
* 中 (Zhong): Middle (가운데 중). In, within.
* 常 (Chang): Always, constantly (항상 상). Indicates something that happens continuously, habitually, and is ingrained in life.
* 聞 (Wen): To hear (들을 문). To hear.
* 常聞 (Chang-mun): Constantly hear (늘 듣는다). Means it's not just occasional, but heard like a daily routine.
* 常有 (Chang-yu): Constantly have (늘 있다). Means it's a recurring part of life.
* 逆 (Ni): To go against (거스를 역). To go against, to be unpleasant, contrary to order.
* 逆耳之言 (Yeok-i-ji-eon): Words that grate on the ear, unpleasant words (귀에 거슬리는 말). (之 serves a possessive or descriptive role here.)
* 心 (Xin): Heart, mind (마음 심). Heart.
* 有 (You): To have, there is (있을 유). To have, to exist.
* 拂 (Fu): To brush away, to go against, contrary, frustrating (떨칠 불). To go against, to be contrary, to frustrate.
* 拂心之事 (Bul-sim-ji-sa): Matters that go against the heart, unpleasant or uncooperative affairs (마음에 거슬리는 일). (之 serves a possessive or descriptive role here.)
* 纔 (Cai): Only then, just then (겨우 재, 비로소 재). Used when a certain condition must be met before a result follows. Often also written as '才' (modern Chinese simplified character for '才' is derived from this character).
* 是 (Shi): To be, is (옳을 시). To be, is.
* 進 (Jin): To advance, to improve (나아갈 진). To advance, to progress.
* 德 (De): Virtue, morality (덕 덕). Virtue, morality.
* 修行 (Xiu-haeng): To cultivate oneself, self-discipline, practice (수행). To cultivate oneself, to practice the Way, to refine oneself.
* 砥石 (Ji-seok): Whetstone, grindstone (숫돌 지, 돌 석). Whetstone (a stone used for sharpening knives or tools). (Here, it metaphorically refers to a tool that refines one's character.)
* 若 (Ruo): If, supposing (같을 약, 만약 약). If, supposing that.
* 言言 (Eon-eon): Every word (말 언). Every word. (Used repeatedly for emphasis.)
* 悅 (Yeol): To please, to delight (기쁠 열). To please, to delight.
* 事事 (Sa-sa): Every matter (일 사). Every matter. (Used repeatedly for emphasis.)
* 快 (Kwae): Pleasant, satisfying (쾌할 쾌). Refreshing, satisfying, pleasant.
* 便 (Pyun): Then, thereupon (문득 변). Soon, immediately, therefore.
* 把 (Pa): To take (잡을 파). (A particle that moves the object of the verb forward to emphasize it. This usage is the same as in modern Chinese.)
* 此 (Cha): This (이 차). This, this one.
* 生 (Saeng): Life (날 생). Life, existence.
* 埋 (Mae): To bury (묻을 매). To bury.
* 在 (Jae): In, at (있을 재). In, at.
* 鳩 (Gu): Dove (비둘기 구). Dove. (Historically known as a poisonous bird, or metaphorically used for something outwardly beautiful but inwardly harmful.)
* 毒 (Dok): Poison (독 독). Poison.
* 矣 (Eui): Final particle (어조사 의). (A final particle indicating completion or exclamation.)






🔍 Interpretation

This passage delivers a profound teaching that illuminates the true value of discomfort and adversity we encounter in life. Perhaps, when we find ourselves amidst friction and hardship, these words might even offer a sense of comfort.

"Constantly hearing unpleasant words and always facing frustrating matters" is no easy task. Yet, the character 常 (chang) – meaning 'always' – emphasizes that such experiences are not occasional or fleeting incidents, but rather a common and recurring truth deeply ingrained in our lives. This means that when criticism from others or unexpected difficulties continually come our way, those very moments become precious 'whetstones' that sharpen our virtue and refine our character. Just as a knife must be ground on a whetstone to gain its edge, our inner selves can become more robust and mature through life's discomforts and frictions.

Conversely, if every word we hear is sweet, every task we undertake is gratifying, and we live our entire lives smoothly and comfortably, this can actually be a fatal warning. Such a life, while appearing peaceful and comfortable on the surface, is in reality like burying oneself in 'the dove's venom.'

'The dove's venom' is a metaphor used since ancient times for something that is outwardly beautiful but inwardly harmful. It cautions that succumbing to comfort, halting our growth, and allowing our inner selves to become weak can deny us the opportunity to cultivate true wisdom and resilience.

If we embrace this truth, perhaps we can pause when faced with criticism or adversity and choose to view it in a more positive light—with the calm strength of someone who comprehends the bigger picture.
Ultimately, this passage asserts that true self-cultivation and the completion of one's character do not lie in avoiding pain and adversity.

Instead, it's by willingly accepting these discomforts and diligently refining ourselves within them that we can truly transform into stronger and wiser beings.


(Life, it's certainly not easy... haha!)

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