Self-Worth, Balance, and True Wealth

本週重點

Overview

💬 English Goal

英文目標

Use comparative adjectives (richer than, more important than) to compare and judge what truly matters, and build self-affirmations with “I am…”. Learn the vocabulary of value: self-worth, freedom, balance, humility, resilience.

使用「比較級形容詞」（richer than 比……更富有、more important than 比……更重要）來比較並判斷什麼才是真正重要的事，並用「I am…（我是……）」造出對自己的肯定句。學會跟「價值」有關的單字：self-worth（自我價值）、freedom（自由）、balance（平衡）、humility（謙卑）、resilience（韌性）。

🪷 Spiritual Goal

佛學／心靈目標

Understand Right Thought (Sammā Saṅkappa) as choosing wholesome, kind thinking — including Self-Mettā, loving-kindness toward ourselves. Apply balance (Penhun 平衡) and the Middle Path, knowing wealth is a tool for serving others, not a goal.

理解「正思惟（Sammā Saṅkappa）」就是選擇善良、良善的想法──包括 Self-Mettā，也就是對自己的慈悲。運用「平衡（Penhun 平衡）」與中道，明白財富只是服務他人的工具，而不是目的。

單字 Vocabulary

點 🔊 聽發音

聽、跟著念、大聲說三次。

self-worth(n.)	自我價值
important(adj.)	重要的
freedom(n.)	自由
balance(n.)	平衡
material wealth(n.)	物質財富
humility(n.)	謙卑
resilience(n.)	韌性

句型 Sentence Patterns

Key Patterns

Pattern 1 · Comparing two things

A is ___-er than B.

A calm heart is richer than gold. A calm heart is richer than gold.（平靜的心比黃金更富有。）

Friendship is happier than money. Friendship is happier than money.（友誼比金錢更快樂。）

Working hard is better than being lazy. Working hard is better than being lazy.（努力比偷懶更好。）

Pattern 2 · Comparing with “more … than”

A is more ___ than B.

Love is more important than money. Love is more important than money.（愛比金錢更重要。）

Kindness is more valuable than gold. Kindness is more valuable than gold.（善良比黃金更珍貴。）

Pattern 3 · Self-affirmations

I am ___.

I matter. I am important. I matter. I am important.（我很重要。我很重要。）

I am worthy of kindness. I am worthy of kindness.（我值得被善待。）

✏️ Grammar Focus · Comparative adjectives

To compare two things, we use the comparative form plus than. For short words, add -er: rich → richer · happy → happier · hard → harder. For longer words, use more before the adjective: important → more important · valuable → more valuable. A few are irregular: good → better · bad → worse. Right Thought uses comparison to see what truly matters.

要比較兩樣東西時，我們用「比較級」加上「than（比）」。短的單字，後面加「-er」：rich → richer（富有→更富有）、happy → happier（快樂→更快樂）、hard → harder（努力→更努力）。比較長的單字，就在形容詞前面加「more（更）」：important → more important（重要→更重要）、valuable → more valuable（珍貴→更珍貴）。有幾個是不規則變化：good → better（好→更好）、bad → worse（壞→更壞）。正思惟就是用比較來看清楚什麼才是真正重要的。

故事 The Story

Story

Imagine two neighbors （兩位鄰居）. One has a large house full of gold, but he worries all night and never smiles. The other has a small house and little money, yet he sleeps in peace, shares his food, and laughs with his friends. Who is truly rich?

想像有兩位鄰居。一位住在裝滿黃金的大房子裡，可是他整晚煩惱、從來不笑。另一位住在小房子，錢也不多，卻睡得很安穩，會分享他的食物，還跟朋友一起開懷大笑。到底誰才是真正富有的人呢？

The Buddha taught that material wealth is only a tool — useful for helping others, but not the goal of life. The deepest wealth is a calm and kind heart. This is the Middle Path （中道） and balance (Penhun 平衡): we are not greedy, and we are not lazy. We work hard, and we also rest.

佛陀教導我們，「物質財富」只是一個工具──拿來幫助別人很有用，但它不是人生的目的。最深的財富，是一顆平靜又善良的心。這就是「中道」與「平衡（Penhun 平衡）」：我們不貪心，也不偷懶。我們努力工作，也好好休息。

There is one more person we must remember to love — ourselves. Self-Mettā （對自己的慈悲） means turning loving-kindness inward. When a worried thought says “I am not good enough,” Right Thought answers gently: “I matter. I am more resilient than my worry. My value is greater than my mistakes.”

還有一個人我們一定要記得去愛──那就是「我們自己」。Self-Mettā（對自己的慈悲）的意思，就是把慈愛轉向自己的內心。當一個煩惱的念頭說「我不夠好」時，「正思惟」會溫柔地回答：「我很重要。我比我的煩惱更有韌性。我的價值，比我犯的錯更大。」

🤔 Check your understanding

Which neighbor is truly rich, and why? 哪位鄰居真正富有？為什麼？
What does “balance (Penhun)” mean in daily life? 「平衡」在日常生活中是什麼意思？
What is one kind thing you can say to yourself? 你可以對自己說一句什麼善意的話？

佛法小品 The Principle

Principle

🌟 Right Thought, the Middle Way 中道的正思惟

Right Thought (Sammā Saṅkappa) means choosing thoughts of kindness, generosity, and non-harming — and that kindness includes ourselves. When negative self-talk appears, we do not fight it with more cruelty; we replace it with a true, gentle thought. To know our own worth is not arrogance (傲慢), and it is not low self-esteem either. It is the balance of the Middle Path: humble, kind, and quietly sure that we matter.

正思惟（Sammā Saṅkappa）的意思，是選擇善良、慷慨、不傷害的想法──而這份善良也包括我們自己。當負面的自我對話出現時，我們不會用更多的殘忍去攻擊它；我們會用一個真實、溫柔的念頭去取代它。認識自己的價值不是傲慢，也不是自卑。它是中道的「平衡」：謙卑、善良，並安靜而堅定地相信──我們很重要。

練習 Practice

Homework

Write in your journal every day this week. Each day, compare two values with a comparative adjective, and write a kind affirmation to yourself. Choose the tier that fits you. 每天比較兩種價值觀，並寫下一句對自己的肯定語。

Beginner 入門

1 comparison + 1 affirmation

Ages 5–8 · new learners

Write 1 comparison using a simple comparative (better, happier) and 1 affirmation using “I am…”.

寫「1 個比較句」，用簡單的比較級（better 更好、happier 更快樂），再用「I am…（我是……）」寫「1 句肯定句」。

ExampleA calm heart is better than a busy mind. I am important.

Intermediate 中級

2 comparisons + 2 affirmations

Ages 9–12 · developing fluency

Write 2 comparisons with two different forms (more important, harder), comparing spiritual and material value, and 2 affirmations that say why you matter.

用兩種不同形式寫「2 個比較句」（more important 更重要、harder 更努力），比較心靈價值與物質價值，再寫「2 句肯定句」說明你為什麼很重要。

ExampleKindness is more important than money. Working hard is better than being lazy. I am a good person because I am honest. I am important to my family.

Advanced 進階

3–4 comparisons + 3 affirmations

Ages 13–16 · fluent speakers

Write 3–4 comparisons using complex structures to analyze the Middle Path or balance (Penhun), and 3 affirmations on how you use Right Thought to overcome anxiety or negative self-talk.

用較複雜的句型寫「3–4 個比較句」，分析中道或平衡（Penhun），再寫「3 句肯定句」，說明你如何運用正思惟克服焦慮或負面的自我對話。

ExampleLiving in humility is wiser than showing arrogance. Finding balance is harder than going to the extremes, but it provides more peace. When I feel anxiety, I remind myself, “I am more resilient than my worry.”

小考 Mini Quiz

Check Yourself

選出最適合的答案，點選後會看到解析。

Question 1 of 10

Which word means “自我價值 / how much we value ourselves”?

Correct: C. Self-worth (自我價值) is knowing that we matter. Humility = 謙卑; freedom = 自由.

Question 2 of 10

Choose the correct comparative form of rich .

Correct: A. Short adjectives add -er: rich → richer. We never say “more rich” or “more richer.”

Question 3 of 10

Complete the comparison: “Love is ___ money.”

Correct: D. Long adjectives use more … than: “Love is more important than money.”

Question 4 of 10

Which sentence is a kind affirmation about yourself?

Correct: B. An affirmation is a true, kind “I am…” sentence. “I am worthy of kindness” practices Self-Mettā.

Question 5 of 10

In this lesson, who is truly rich ?

Correct: C. True wealth is a calm, kind heart — not gold. Material wealth is only a tool for helping others.

Question 6 of 10

“Balance (Penhun 平衡)” on the Middle Path means…

Correct: A. Balance avoids the extremes — we work hard and we rest, neither greedy nor lazy.

Question 7 of 10

Which word means “謙卑 / not arrogant or proud”?

Correct: D. Humility = 謙卑. Resilience = 韌性; freedom = 自由.

Question 8 of 10

Self-Mettā (對自己的慈悲) means…

Correct: B. Self-Mettā extends loving-kindness inward — being gentle and kind to yourself, not just others.

Question 9 of 10

Which is the correct comparative of good ?

Correct: C. Good is irregular: good → better. “Working hard is better than being lazy.”

Question 10 of 10

When a worried thought says “I am not good enough,” Right Thought answers…

Correct: A. Right Thought replaces cruel self-talk with a true, gentle thought: my value is greater than my mistakes.

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