The "first thought" from Buddhism & the "first principles thinking" from Elon Musk 佛教的「第一念」與伊隆·馬斯克的「第一性原則思維」

In our journey through life and innovation, the concept of starting from a fundamental, unclouded perspective holds significant importance. Two fascinating examples of this are the "first thought" in Buddhism and "first principles thinking" by Elon Musk. Allow me to make a brief introduction to these two concepts and uncover their similarities.

在我們的人生和創新旅程中，從根本上、清晰的視角出發這一理念具有重要意義。兩個非常有趣的例子就是佛教中的「第一念」和伊隆馬斯克的「第一性原則思維」。就讓我簡介一下這兩個概念，並揭示它們的相似之處吧。

In Buddhism, the concept of "first thought" refers to the initial cognitive development or the very first mental activity that arises in the womb. It signifies the beginning of consciousness and existence. (This concept is also linked to the initial perception or opinion held by young monks regarding the assembly of the elders.) Essentially, it's about the purity and freshness of the first moment of perception, before it gets clouded by judgments and interpretations.

在佛教中，「第一念」的概念是指在子宮中產生的最初的認知發展或第一個心理活動。它標誌著意識和存在的開始。這個概念也與年輕僧侶對長老集會的最初看法或觀點有關。本質上，它是感知的第一刻，在因為作出判斷或解釋而被蒙蔽之前的純粹性和新鮮感。

Elon Musk's "first principles thinking" is a problem-solving approach that involves breaking down complex problems into their most fundamental truths and building up solutions from there. Instead of relying on analogies or past trends, Musk focuses on basic, undeniable facts to innovate and find solutions. For instance, he reduced the cost of rockets produce by examining the components and materials at their core level.

伊降馬斯克的「第一性原則思維」是一種解決問題的方法，包括將複雜問題分解為最基本的真相，並從那裡建立解決方案。馬斯克並不依賴類比或過去的趨勢，而是專注於基本的、無可否認的事實來進行創新或建立解決方案。例如，他通過從核心零件和材料的檢查來降低火箭的生產成本。

Both concepts emphasize starting from a fundamental, unclouded perspective. Their similarities are in the following aspects: 

這兩個概念都強調從根本的、清晰的視角出發。它們的相似之處如下： 

Purity of Perception - Both the "first thought" in Buddhism and "first principles thinking" focus on the initial, unfiltered perception or truth.

感知的純粹性－佛教中的「第一念」和馬斯克的「第一性原則思維」都注重最初的、未經過濾的感知或真理。

Breaking Down Complexity - Both approaches involve breaking down complex ideas or problems into their simplest forms to understand and address them better.

分解複雜性－兩者都涉及將複雜的想法或問題分解為最簡單的形式，以便更好地理解和解決它們。

Foundation for Further Development - In Buddhism, the first thought is the foundation for further spiritual development, while in Musk's thinking, it's the foundation for innovative solutions.

進一步發展的基礎－在佛教中，第一念是進一步精神發展的基礎；而在馬斯克的想法中，第一性原則思維是革新解決方案的基礎。

In simple terms, both concepts are the wisdom of starting from a pure, fundamental perspective that can be applied to various aspects of life and innovation. By embracing the essence of "first thought" and "first principles thinking," we can uncover new insights and create impactful solutions.

簡單來說，這兩個概念都是從純粹的、根本的角度出發的智慧，都可以運用在生活和創新的各個方面。透過擁抱「第一念」和「第一性原則思維」的精髓，我們可以發現新的見解並創造有影響力的解決方案。

Due to my limited ability to explain, I can make a brief introduction only here to these two concepts. However, relevant discussions and detailed articles can be found online. Hope that all of you may benefit from finding and reading these articles.

我的講解能力有限，這裡只能對這兩個概念做一個簡單的介紹。不過，在網路上可以找到相關的討論和詳細的文章。希望大家找到並閱讀這些文章後都能獲益。

Lantern Festival 元宵節

The Lantern Festival is coming 2 days later, it is a traditional Chinese festival that marks the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations. It falls on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar, which usually corresponds to February or early March in the Gregorian calendar.

過兩天是元宵節，是中國傳統節日，標誌著農曆新年慶祝活動的結束。農曆正月十五，通常對應公曆的二月或三月初。

On the last day of the traditional Lunar New Year, the public markets and the backyards of wealthy homes will set up colorful lanterns in the shapes of animals, flowers, or mythical creatures using paper, bamboos and paste. Some of the lanterns have riddles written on them for people to solve. Under the firecrackers that around the lion-dances, young lovers will meet up to watch the lanterns after their family dinner under the firecrackers around the lion-dances.

在傳統農曆新年的最後一天，公共市場和富裕家庭的後院會掛上用紙、竹子和漿糊製作的動物、花朵或神話人物形狀的彩色燈籠。有些燈籠上寫有謎語，供人們解答。在舞獅鞭炮聲中，年輕的情侶們會在吃完家庭晚餐後相聚在一起賞燈。

However,  considered to the state of transport, and the risks of fire in a crowded population, the setting off of firecrackers is restricted nowadays. And the traditional techniques of hand-made paper lanterns have already been replaced by factories. Lucky, one of the traditional foods that could have been tasted only in traditional festivals, Tong Yuan, can be tasted at any time nowadays. This is glutinous rice balls filled with sweet or savory fillings like sesame paste, red bean paste, or minced meat, and symbolizes family unity and togetherness.

考慮到交通狀況以及人群擁擠時發生火災的風險，燃放鞭炮如今已受到限制。並且傳統的手工製作紙燈籠的工藝也已經被工廠生產所取代。幸運的是，以前只有傳統節日才能吃到的傳統食品之一，湯丸，如今隨時都可以吃到。這是一種糯米丸子，裡面填滿了芝麻醬、紅豆醬或肉末等甜味或鹹味的餡料，象徵著家庭團結和團聚。

For me, the Lantern Festival is also the day I mourn my master. The honorable monk Hsing Yun, the Founder of Fo Guang Shan, passed away during the Lantern Festival in 2023.

對我來說，元宵節也是我悼念師父的日子。佛光山創始人星雲大師於2023年元宵節圓寂。