James Poy Wong 黃培正
"What people fear most is loneliness; Lonely happiness is not possible in the human world. Yet people insist on wasting their entire lives on trivial accumulation of material wealth that they cannot even personally enjoy, and overlook the more meaningful values of sympathy, mutual support and love."
"Beyond Material Wealth" - 1947
物質以外的财产
你可曾羡慕过别人的新车吗？ 你曾因为看见别人手上的钻石戒指而眼红过吗？ 你一定有过这样的经验，而发着富翁的幻梦。 在这个社会明暗的两面尖刻对照下，由于羡慕别人底物质的享受，你会失意，徬徨，和不乐。 你对自己生活的不满是对的，但是如果你以为一定在物质享受丰满中才得快乐，那么你是绝对的错误了。 因为汽车，大厦，皮裘未必能够保证你的快乐。
我并非要发挥什么穷艺术家主张爱情是无条件的论调。 我从不以自己吃不到葡萄就说它酸，也不以能够欺负比自己弱的人来作精神的胜利。 我觉得快乐不单是物质欲望的满足那么浅薄，却以为真正的快乐，是发自心灵，而要得到他人的共鸣的。人最可怖的莫过于孤独，孤独的快乐在人的世间上是不可能的。 人们偏偏把全部的生命，去化在区区的财产积贮上，自己却又无法享受，而忘记了更有意义的同情，互助，和爱。
“精神上的财产” 是不容易看见，但是可以深深地感到，如果你曾经救援过别人于危难，你是因别人的感谢和自己的安舒而觉得愉快。
无论何时何地你对别人同情，向别人伸出帮助的手，或者牺牲自己一点而完成别人的爱，你的施给就有了最大的酬报。 这酬报是没有恐惧的袭击，没有良心的责备，和有着心灵上的绝对解放，使你可以看到世上最美丽的东西，听到一个和谐的声音，享受丰富的生命。
你不要以为心灵的解放是抽象的东西，或者是容易获得的东西。 我告诉你，自己的行动给自己的精神所惩处是最严厉和最痛苦的。 一个被自己的感情缠绕的人，实在比烙刑还难过。 我们有几个每天没有受到这样的裁判呢！
受自己的精神裁判及惩罚的人，它的精神财产便日渐枯竭，这等于一个富人犯罪, 而财产被没收一样。 物质财富枯竭时，他只是贫穷，但精神财产枯竭时，他便要入神经病院，或要自杀了。
Beyond Material Wealth
Have you ever envied others’ new cars? Did your eyes turn red due to jealousy when you saw the diamond ring on others’ fingers? You must have such experience and have dreamt of being a millionaire. In this society where clean and corrupt politics are in acute contrast, it will make you feel dejected, vulnerable, and unhappy due to your envy of others’ material enjoyment. It is legitimate for you to feel dissatisfied with your life, but if you think you can only be happy in abundance of material indulgence, then you are absolutely wrong because automobiles, big mansions and fur coats cannot guarantee your happiness.
I am not expounding on the poor artists’ advocacy of unconditional love. I never say the grapes are sour because I can’t have them, nor could I consider it a moral victory for being able to bully a weaker person. I think happiness is not as shallow as the sole satisfaction of material desire. I regard true happiness as coming from the spirit that has resonance with others. What people fear most is loneliness; Lonely happiness is not possible in the human world. Yet people insist on wasting their entire lives on trivial accumulation of material wealth that they cannot even personally enjoy, and overlook the more meaningful values of sympathy, mutual support and love.
“The wealth of the spirit” is not easily seen, but one can feel it intensely. If you have ever helped someone out of his calamity, you would feel delighted about his appreciation and your own sense of relief and comfort.
No matter when and where you have sympathized with others and extended your helping hands, or sacrificed yourself a little to help fulfill others’ love, your offering will have a great reward. This reward is having no fear of attack, no condemnation of conscience, as well as having the ultimate liberation of your mind that allows you to see the most beautiful things in the world, hear the sound of harmony, and enjoy a valuable life.
You should not assume the liberation of the spirit is an abstract thing or something easily attainable. Let me tell you: the punishment by one’s own action is the most severe and painful. A person besieged by his own emotions is truly more miserable than being tortured. How many of us have not been subjected to such judgment daily!
The spiritual wealth of those who suffer from their own mental judgment and punishment will be exhausted by each passing day. This is equivalent to an affluent person having committed a crime and his wealth is confiscated. When his material wealth is confiscated, he would just become poor, but when his spiritual wealth is drained, he may have to attend a mental ward or commit suicide.