108自在語之幸福意涵
Well-Being in the 108 Adages of Wisdom
108 Adages of Wisdom originates from Chinese Zen Buddhism. The main content of the text is the thoughts, records, or sayings of Master Sheng Yen, which contains the teachings of Spiritual Environmental Protection. The series was first published in 2005 and consists of four volumes, totaling 432 sayings. This study explores the meaning of happiness as expressed in the 108 Adages of Wisdom, and hopes to establish whether the 108 Adages of Wisdom based on Chinese Zen Buddhism and Spiritual Environmental Protection echo the modern Western concept of well-being. The research adopts the PERMA model of positive psychological well-being theory as its analytical framework, and employs content analysis to explore the text in relation to positive emotions (P), engagement (E), positive relationships (R), meaning (M), and accomplishment (A). The results of the research show that there are many common positive emotional words in 108 Adages of Wisdom, such as gratitude, joy, stability, calm, happiness, relief, self-confidence, satisfaction, tolerance, compassion, love, etc., and overall the sayings also contain the power of positive emotions, conveying ideas or methods that promote positive emotions. The 108 Adages of Wisdom embody the spirit of Buddhist Zen teachings and express wholehearted engagement with life, the present moment, grounded experience, adapting to circumstances, and making constant effort. They also discuss how to practice wholehearted engagement. The 108 Adages of Wisdom convey the concept of building a pure land on Earth within the context of Spiritual Environmental Protection, including ideas about cultivating positive relationships with family, friends, school, and the workplace, and emphasizing harmonious coexistence between individuals and others, society as a whole, and the natural environment. The 108 Adages of Wisdom include many statements about improving personal qualities and valuing the meaning of life. Through cultivating virtues, spiritual transcendence, the creation of self-worth, altruism, and dedication, they emphasize the importance of personal meaning in life and affirm the pursuit and practice of personal meaningfulness. Chinese Zen Buddhism emphasizes action and practice, and the 108 Adages of Wisdom affirm the spirit of practice, the course of career and achievement in this world, struggle and continuous improvement, and encourage autonomy and growth in the process of successful practice. The results of the analysis show that the 108 Adages of Wisdom effectively convey the implications of well-being and the practical methods of Chinese Zen Buddhism and Spiritual Environmental Protection in a clear and understandable manner, making them a practical guide for individual well-being and fulfillment in life.
Keywords
108 Adages of Wisdom, PERMA model, content analysis, spiritual environmental protection, well-being