Wishing to Accumulate Concealed Virtues

Yutang Lin

Impermanence in the world has already caused so much suffering!
How could we bear to add injury by engaging in entanglement?
Let whatever comes be to reduce worries and annoyance;
Accumulate undisclosed merits so as to promote harmony.

Comments:

Chinese ethics encourages people to do good without claiming to or disclosing the deeds. In this way the motivation to do good would remain pure. Merits accumulated in this way are called Yin De, meaning concealed virtues.

Written in Chinese: April 17, 1998
Translated and Comment added: August 10, 1999
El Cerrito, California

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