二０三 膽 識
有位訪客十分失意地說：「為什麼我留在此地，却收成不到任何果實呢？」
「可能是你缺乏搖撼樹幹的勇氣吧！」大師溫和地囘答。
DARING
Said a disappointed visitor, “Why has my stay here yielded no fruit?”
“Could it be because you lacked the courage to shake the tree?” said the Master
benignly.
膽 識
Author: voice
極 限
二０二 極 限
大師一再強調：尋求天主的道上，最後一道障礙卽是「天主」這個字及其槪念。
當地的祭司聽了，十分惱怒，怒氣沖沖地跑來與大師理論。
「『天主』這個字當然能引導人到天主前。」祭司說。
「它確實能夠。」大師平靜地應和着。
「旣然能夠，怎麼又會是障礙呢？」
大師說：「驢子只能將你載到門口，却不能帶你進入內室啊！」
INCOMPETENCE
The Master would insist that the final barrier to our attaining God was the word and
concept ‘God ‘.
This so infuriated the local priest that he came in a huff to argue the matter out with
the Master.
“But surely the word ‘God’ can lead us to God?” said the priest.
“It can.” said the Master calmly.
“How can something help and be a barrier?”
Said the Master, “The donkey that brings you to the door is not the means by which
you enter the house.”
優 越
二０一 優 越
一位來自東方的弟子，自恃懂得東方靈修，而趾高氣昂地問大師說：「為什麼西方擁有物質的進步，而東方擁有靈修？」
一位來自東方的弟子，自恃懂得東方靈修，而趾高氣昂地問大師說：「為什麼西方擁有物質的進步，而東方擁有靈修？」
大師簡明地說：「因為太初之時，上天分配恩賜，西方人搶先一步作了選擇。」
SUPERIORITY
An Eastern disciple who was proud of what he considered to be the spirituality of the
East came to the Master and said. “Why is it that the West has material progress and the
East has spirituality?”
“Because,” said the Master laconically, “when provisions for this world were being
handed out in the beginning, the West had the first choice.”
天 恩
二００ 天 恩
一位青年來到大師前說：「我想成為智者。我如何才能達成此願望？」
大師嘆息說：「曾經有個年輕人和你一樣，也想成為智者，而且極度地渴望。有一天他發現他正坐在我現在的座位上，而且他前面－就在你的位置上，坐着一位青年，這位青年說：『我想成為智者。』」
GRACE
A young man came to the Master and said. “I wish to be Wise. How can I achieve my
wish?”
The Master sighed and said. “There was once a young man just like you. He wished to
be Wise and his wish had great power to it. One day he found himself sitting exactly
where I am. In front of him sat a young man on the exact spot where you are now. And
the young man was saying, ‘I wish to be Wise!”’
垂拱而治
一九九 垂拱而治
大師的言論實在曖昧難解。他常說，真正的改革者能在每一件事情上看出它當下的圓滿意義，而且能夠隨順因緣。
「那麼他為什麼仍希望有所改善呢？」他的弟子如此反駁。
「改革者有很多種類。有一種人自己一無所為，却能引導出一種趨勢，這些人只在疏導河的流向而已。另一種人企圖大展鴻圖，他們竭盡所能想濕潤河流。」
CONTENTMENT
Paradoxical as it seemed the Master always insisted that the true reformer was one
who was able to see that everything is perfect as it is — and able to leave it alone.
“Then why would he wish to reform anything?” protested his disciples.
“Well, there are refonners and reformers: One type lets action flow through them
while they themselves do nothing; these are like people who change the shape and flow
of a river. The others generate their own activity; they are like people who exert
themselves to make the river wetter.”
炫 耀
一九八 炫 耀
有個弟子自稱他有意去教導別人真理。大師要考核他：「你準備一篇演講，我將親臨會場審核你是否已經準備妥當。」
這篇演講頗具啟發性。最後，一位乞丐走向這位演說者，他立卽起立，並將自己的外衣送給這個乞丐，做為羣衆的表率。
事後，大師說：「你的言詞充滿宗教熱忱，然而，孩子，你尚未準備好。」
「為什麼？」弟子顯得十分失望。
「有兩個原因：你根本沒有給那乞丐開口的機會，表明他真正的需要；而且你也不必過於向他人炫耀你的德行。」
EXHIBITION
When one of the disciples announced his intention of teaching others Truth, the
Master proposed a test: “Give a discourse that I myself shall be present at to judge if you
are ready.”
The discourse was an inspiring one. At the end of it a beggar came up to the speaker
who stood up and gave the man his cloak — to the edification of the assembly.
Later the Master said. “Your words were full of unction, son but you are not yet
ready.”
“Why not?” said the dispirited disciple.
“For two reasons: You did not give the man a chance to voice his need. And you are
not above impressing others with your virtue.”
執 着
一九七 執 着
「我不知到明天會發生什麼事，所以我希望早作準備。」
「你只害怕明天－－却不知道昨天一樣充滿危機呢！」
ATTACHMENT
“I have no idea of what tomorrow will bring, so I wish to prepare for it.”
“You fear tomorrow — not realizing that yesterday is just as dangerous.”
操 縱
一九六 操 縱
大師坐在那兒聽一位婦女抱怨她的丈夫。
最後，大師說：「孩子，如果你能做一個好妻子的話，你的婚姻就可以算是相當幸福了。」
「那，我該如何做呢？」
「別在拚命想把你先生改造為一個好丈夫。」
MANIPULATION
The Master sat through the complaints a woman had against her husband.
Finally he said, “Your marriage would be a happier one my dear, if you were a better
wife.”
“And how could I be that?”
“By giving up your efforts to make him a better husband.”
豪氣干雲
一九五 豪氣干雲
有天，弟子們想知道，那一類的人才適合投入大師門下。
大師說：「有一種人，他只有兩件襯衫，却賣了一件，用這錢買了一朶花。」
EXTRAVAGANCE
One day the disciples wanted to know what sort of person was best suited to
discipleship.
Said the Master, “The kind of person who, having only two shirts, sells one and with
the money buys a flower-”
祈 禱
一九四 祈 禱
大師總喜歡反駁一般人所接受的天主的槪念。
「當天主把你從困境中解救出來，你才會想到尋求真實的天主。」
弟子要求大師解釋此言之意。大師說了一個故事：
有個人上街購物，把一輛全新的腳踏車停放在市場邊。直到第二天，他才想起他的腳踏車。衝到市場時，以為那腳踏車一定被人偷走了。然而那腳踏車却安然無恙地停在原處。
他高興地跑到附近聖堂內感謝天主保全了他的腳踏車。當他走出聖堂，却發現腳踏車不見了。
PRAYER
The Master never ceased to attack the notions about God that people entertain.
“if your God comes to your rescue and gets you out of trouble,” he would say. “It is
time you started searching for the true God.
When asked to elaborate, this is the story he told: -
A man left a brand new bicycle unattended at the marketplace while he went about his
shopping.
He only remembered the bicycle the following day — and rushed to the marketplace
expecting it would have been stolen. The bicycle was exactly where he had left it.
Overwhelmed with joy he rushed to a nearby temple to thank God for having kept his
bicycle safe — only to find, when he got out of the temple, that the bicycle was gone!