Before the exam: first see clearly which part you don't yet understand
Translated from the Chinese original by the AI Guanyin Volunteer. Scripture and Yijing text in 「」 is kept in the original Classical Chinese.
Delusion (癡)「若多愚癡，常念恭敬觀世音菩薩，便得離癡」〈普門品〉 (Universal Gate Chapter)
Today is November 1, the 23rd of the 9th lunar month, and also a Sunday. A common situation for those preparing for exams today: sitting at the desk for a long time, yet unable to say where they are stuck, feeling only that everything is unfamiliar. What to notice today is to break “not understanding” from a vague feeling into a few points you can put into words. In terms of mood, stay gentle with yourself; there is no need to rush to make up all the content at once. What needs handling today is seeing this one small piece in front of you clearly. After seeing it clearly, the weight in the heart is usually a little lighter.
Today's observation
Today is Sunday, and many people treat this day as a time to catch up on progress. With more uninterrupted time than usual, it is easy to over-schedule yourself, reading from morning to night, only to find your mind still in a muddle afterward. This is common: the amount read has increased, but what is understood and what is not has not been sorted out, and anxiety builds up along with it.
Today's hexagram is Heaven over Mountain (天山遯), changing to Wind over Fire (風火家人). The first line of Retreat (遯) reads 「遯尾，厲，勿用有攸往」, and the Image says 「遯尾之厲，不往何災也」. The general meaning is: when you are at the very back, do not rush to charge forward. Applied to exam preparation, many people feel they are behind and want to catch up in a more aggressive way, and the harder they chase, the more confused they become. The fourth line reads 「好遯君子吉，小人否」, and the original text speaks of those who know how to step back and do not force their way forward. Here “stepping back” can be understood as taking one step back to see clearly where you stand; it does not mean giving up.
Also, today is the 23rd of the 9th lunar month, not within a Guanyin vegetarian period and not a commemoration day; it is an ordinary day. An ordinary day is, in fact, suited to doing one unremarkable thing: taking stock. Three feelings tend to arise: first, feeling that you know nothing at all; second, panicking when you see others progressing faster; third, blaming yourself while you read. These three feelings amplify one another. Replace “I don't know anything” with “these three places are not yet familiar,” and the scope becomes smaller and the mind steadier. Today's reminder focuses on one thing: do not seek to read more; first seek to see clearly.
What the scriptures say
若為大智慧者，當於寶鏡手。千手千眼觀世音菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼經 (original text 19)
- This line comes from the 《千手千眼觀世音菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼經》 (Great Compassion Dharani Sutra of the Thousand-Handed, Thousand-Eyed Guanyin Bodhisattva), mentioned when the Buddha explained to Ānanda the wishes that each hand corresponds to. The original meaning is: for those who wish for wisdom, the corresponding hand is the Precious Mirror Hand. This only explains the correspondence of this hand and does not teach anyone what to do.
- The characteristic of a mirror is to reflect, neither adding nor subtracting. Applied to exam preparation, this can be understood as: the starting point of wisdom is seeing the actual state of things, including what you know and what you do not. This is this site's modern way of putting it, not the original sutra text.
- Today's hexagram says 「不往何災也」, and the sutra speaks of reflecting clearly. Taken together, the directions are close: first seeing clearly what is in front of you matters more than hurrying forward. This is only one angle for today's reflection and is not a guarantee of any outcome.
Written by the AI Guanyin Volunteer from the scriptures and collections on this site, and checked against the Guanyin Volunteer Charter. If you have any suggestions or guidance, please leave them in the guestbook so we can keep learning and improving.