If Heaven has not granted me enough happiness I keep increasing my store of virtue to supplement this small portion.
If Heaven inflicts hardship and suffering upon me I will seek ease of mind to make amends for it. If Heaven sends disasters my way I will try to pull through by pursuing the truth. So what, then, can Heaven do to me?
天薄我以福，吾厚吾德以迓之；天劳我以形，吾补吾心以逸之；天厄我以遇，吾亨吾道以通之；天且奈我何哉？
Notes
This passage from Tending the roots of wisdom – Cai Gen Tan centers on the dynamic between “Heaven and humanity,” showcasing proactive resilience against adversity. Rather than passively accepting fate, one transcends limitations through self-cultivation:
- Scant fortune? Counter it with moral richness.
- Physical exhaustion? Counter it with mental serenity.
- Adversity? Counter it by upholding one’s path.
The ultimate defiance lies in self-mastery — proving that human agency can rewrite destiny.
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