Individual and Shared Joy 獨樂與共樂 from Collection of Rain Blossoms 雨花集

From Individual Joy to Shared Joy. Image: Shutterstock.

I think it’s easy to feel happy when you’re by yourself, but finding joy with others can be much harder. And the happiness you keep only to yourself isn’t real happiness at all. When you hold it alone, sadness can sneak in and take it away — this happens again and again in life. That’s why I say that joy only becomes true joy when it's shared. That kind of joy never runs dry and only grows deeper as time goes on.

This is also why, in Buddhism, we value dedication. We always place all beings at the heart of our prayers. Even when we pray for ourselves, we first think of others. The goal is to open our hearts wide enough so the blessings we receive can help everyone in the world.

After all, what kind of joy is it if you're the only one feeling it? If you drink alone, can you really enjoy the taste? That’s why Confucius and Mencius taught, “Be the first to worry about the world’s troubles and the last to share in the world’s joy.” Their teaching comes very close to what the Buddha taught. The only difference is that the Buddha goes one step further: true joy is rejoicing with all beings.

獨樂與共樂

雨花集

濟公活佛

吾以為獨樂易, 共樂難, 獨樂乃假樂, 不轉瞬間悲從中來, 比比皆然, 惟有共樂方算真真正正快樂, 其味無窮也。 同時佛教首重回向, 一切以眾生為中心點, 私人祈求, 亦先以眾生為首, 務必普及於大眾。

獨樂何樂? 一人自酌試問味從何來? 是以孔孟之論, 先天下之憂而憂, 後天下之樂而樂, 對於佛說甚為接近; 所不同者, 佛說更深一步, 要以眾生共樂而樂耳。

A Personal Reflection

I love this chapter because it helps me see joy on the path more clearly. Many of us feel a deep joy as we gain insights and start to see the teachings come alive in our everyday lives. That kind of joy strengthens our resolve in practice and keeps us moving forward. In Buddhism, it’s often called 法喜 (fǎ xǐ) — a quiet and deep gladness that comes from practice itself and from seeing the truth for ourselves.

But it’s also easy to get carried away with that joy and forget that the world is still full of suffering. That’s why we’re reminded to follow the bodhisattva vows — so we don’t stay closed off inside our own joy, but work to bring freedom to others too.

For me, one way I try to do this is by sharing any merit from these translations with the world, especially with those stuck in endless craving and in the suffering of the hungry ghost realm. I see myself as very fortunate. I don’t have wealth or fame, but I’ve been blessed enough to follow my calling, and that’s already more than enough. Anything extra that comes my way I would rather give to those who need it more so they too can walk the path of liberation. This, more than anything, keeps me going in the work of translation.

This translated text is a chapter from Collection of Rain Blossoms, a scripture written by JiGong Living Buddha in the 1900s through spirit writing. Here the link to the original Chinese source.

If you are interested in other chapters of this book, here is the link to the table of contents.