I dreamed of seeing an elderly man copying scriptures and practicing calligraphy. From a distance, I watched him, thinking that he seemed very focused on his writing. When I got closer, I noticed that while he was tracing the scripture, his ink wasn't sufficient, so the strokes appeared thin and incomplete. As a result, some of the characters were not fully formed, which felt like a pity.
I asked a teacher to give the elderly man some advice on how to make his writing more complete.
Later, when I went to check on the elderly man again, he suddenly told me that he had figured out how to write properly. He said he had asked the teacher, and the teacher told him that instead of writing so many characters, he only needed to practice one character—the character "永" (eternal).
I saw that originally, he had been copying an entire scripture in regular script, with various characters. But after dipping his brush in sufficient ink, he began practicing just the character "永." He kept writing and writing, filling the entire page with the same character.
In my mind, I thought, "Although he hasn't fulfilled the purpose of copying the scripture, from the perspective of practicing calligraphy as a means of cultivating oneself, he has certainly achieved that goal!"
我夢見看到一個老人家在抄經、練書法。我從遠距離看著他，覺得他寫得很認真的模樣。走近看，發現他在描經時，墨水其實是沒有沾夠，寫的筆劃看來就有點稀稀疏疏。所以整篇看下來，有些字並不完整，有些可惜。
我請老師跟老先生講一下，他要怎麼寫才完整。
後來我再去看那位老先生的時候，他突然跟我說，他知道要怎麼寫了。他說他問老師，老師說與其他寫那麼多字，其實他只需要練一個字就夠了，就是「永遠」的「永」字。
然後我看到他原本是楷書臨描整篇經文，經文內容是不同的字。後來他沾足了墨汁，就只練一個「永」字。一直寫、一直寫，全部都是「永」字。
我就心裡想：「抄經的意義是沒有到，可是如果是以練書法的角度，來達到修身養性，那這目的的確也達到了嘛！」
這個夢似乎反映了焦點、目的和個人成長的主題，強調外在任務和內在修養之間的差異。
老人抄經練字：老人可以象徵智慧、傳統或導師形象。抄寫經文通常與靈修實踐相關，而練習書法則意味著紀律和掌握。然而，他的墨水不足、文字不完整，可能意味著他對目前的進步或做法有一種潛在的不完美或不滿。
不完整和老師的建議：寫作的不完整，可能象徵著在追求表面上有意義的任務時，缺乏成就感或有效性。老師建議老人只需要專注於一個「永」字（意思是「永恆」），將重點從數量轉向質量，強調深度和掌握，而不是表面努力。這可能暗示著專注於生活中的本質或核心價值的重要性，而不是迷失在細節或儀式中。
單字「永」字的練習：反覆書寫「永」字的行為，可能象徵著堅持、紀律以及對永恆或持久事物的追求。它可能代表做夢者需要簡化他們的生活或目標，專注於對他們真正重要的事情，而不是把精力分散在多項任務上。
反思目的：做夢者反思“抄經的目的沒有達到，但達到了書法修身的目的”，暗示著更深層次的認識。外在的任務（抄經）沒有完成，內在的成長（修身）就完成了。這可能象徵著觀念的轉變——重視個人成長和內在轉變，而不是僅僅完成外在任務或義務。
整體解讀：
這個夢可能會鼓勵人們重新評估優先事項。它表明，做夢者不應該努力完成許多事情或滿足期望，而應該專注於單一的、更深層的目標，從而帶來持久的意義。透過簡化和專注於本質，他們可以獲得更大的個人發展和內心的平靜。
Ending 1: The Revelation of Simplicity
As the elderly man continues practicing the character "永," he suddenly stops, lifts his brush, and smiles. He turns to you and says, "It’s not about how many words you write, but about the clarity of each stroke. In this one character, I’ve found all that I was seeking in the scriptures." The man puts down his brush and walks away, leaving the pages filled with perfectly balanced "永" characters. You realize that simplicity and focus are key to both wisdom and peace.
Ending 2: Returning to the Scriptures
After practicing the character "永" many times, the elderly man looks at his work and then turns back to the scripture he was originally copying. He begins again, but now each character flows smoothly, with perfect ink balance. This time, every stroke is filled with intention, and the entire scripture appears complete and harmonious. As you watch, you understand that the practice of one simple character prepared him for mastering the entire scripture.
Ending 3: The Unending "永"
As the elderly man continues writing the character "永," it seems to expand and repeat itself infinitely, filling not just the page but the entire room, then the space around you. The character becomes a pattern that stretches across the sky. You feel a sense of eternity in this repetition, as if the universe itself is made up of these strokes. The man says, "Everything is eternal, and within every stroke, the whole of existence is contained." You wake up with a feeling of awe, contemplating the interconnectedness of all things.
Ending 4: The Empty Scroll
After many repetitions of the character "永," the elderly man suddenly stops, dips his brush in ink, and begins painting an entirely blank scroll. You ask him why, and he smiles, saying, "Sometimes, the lesson is not in what we write, but in what we leave unsaid." The blank scroll represents the space for new beginnings, potential, and openness. You feel a deep sense of calm and possibility as you realize that not everything needs to be filled.
Ending 5: The Disappearance of the Elderly Man
As the elderly man keeps practicing the character "永," he gradually becomes more and more translucent, until eventually, he disappears completely. The characters he wrote remain on the page, glowing faintly. You’re left standing alone, looking at the page full of "永" characters, realizing that the man has become one with the concept of eternity. You wake up with the understanding that true mastery involves letting go, and that sometimes the teacher’s presence isn’t necessary once the lesson has been absorbed.
Each ending offers a unique insight into the themes of simplicity, focus, eternity, and personal growth.
This dream seems to reflect themes of focus, purpose, and personal growth, with an emphasis on the distinction between external tasks and inner cultivation.
Elderly Man Copying Scriptures and Practicing Calligraphy: The elderly man could symbolize wisdom, tradition, or a mentor figure. Copying scriptures is typically associated with spiritual practice, while practicing calligraphy suggests discipline and mastery. However, the fact that his ink is insufficient and his writing is incomplete may signify an underlying sense of imperfection or dissatisfaction with his current progress or approach.
Incompleteness and the Teacher's Advice: The incompleteness of the writing might symbolize a lack of fulfillment or effectiveness in pursuing a task that feels meaningful on the surface. The teacher's advice that the man only needs to focus on one character, "永" (which means "eternal"), shifts the focus from quantity to quality, emphasizing depth and mastery over superficial effort. This could suggest a message about the importance of focusing on the essentials or core values in life, rather than getting lost in details or rituals.
Practice of the Single Character "永": The act of repeatedly writing the character "永" may symbolize persistence, discipline, and a search for something timeless or lasting. It could represent the dreamer's need to simplify their life or goals, honing in on what truly matters to them, rather than scattering their energy on multiple tasks.
Reflection on the Purpose: The dreamer’s reflection that "the purpose of copying the scripture wasn’t fulfilled, but the purpose of self-cultivation through calligraphy was achieved" suggests a deeper realization. While the external task (copying scriptures) wasn’t completed, the internal growth (self-cultivation) was achieved. This could symbolize a shift in perspective—valuing personal growth and inner transformation over merely completing external tasks or obligations.
Overall Interpretation:
The dream may be encouraging a reevaluation of priorities. It suggests that instead of striving to accomplish many things or fulfill expectations, the dreamer should focus on a singular, deeper purpose that brings long-lasting meaning. By simplifying and concentrating on the essence, they can achieve greater personal development and inner peace.