Inspriration from all walks of life
三八 应 机
有人探问大师拣选门徒之道。
他说：「我是以谦逊的方式应机而化的。凡因着我的谦卑自下而生傲心的人，我即当下拒绝；对于那些一味推崇我的谦卑的人，我也一槪拒绝。」
REACTION
The Master was asked by what criterion he selected his disciples.
He said. “I act in a submissive and humble manner. Those who become haughty in
response to my humility I immediately reject. Those who revere me because of my
humble demeanour I reject with equal speed.”
三七 更 新
有个弟子常喜抱怨他人。大师说：「如果你享有平安，试着改变自己，而非他人。当心自己脚下，总比填平整个地球容易得多吧！」
TRANSFORMATION
To a disciple who was forever complaining about others, the Master said, “If it is
peace you want, seek to change yourself, not other people. It is easier to protect your feet
with slippers than to carpet the whole of the earth.”
幻 境
三六 幻 境
「我什么时候才能悟道？」
「当你看到。」大师道
「看到什么？」
「花和树，星和月。」
「我天天都看到它们。」
「不，你所看到的，只是幻境中的花和树，星和月，因为你未活在实境中，而只活在你的思想及槪念里。」
最后他恳切地加上几句：「你即虚幻地度过此生，你也将在虚幻中消逝。」
DREAMS
“When will I be enlightened?” “When you see.” the Master said. “See what?”
“Trees and flowers and moon and stars.” “But I see these everyday.”
“No. What you see is paper trees, paper flowers, paper moons and paper stars. For you
live, not in reality, but in your words and thoughts.”
And, for good measure, he added gently, “You live a paper life alas, and will die a
paper death.”
三五 重 生
「与你的过去一刀两断，你就会大澈大悟。」大师说。
「我正在一步一步地努力。」
「成长是慢慢累积起来的，澈悟却是在刹那间成就的。」
他接着又说：「跃过去！三步两蹦，是跨不过悬崖断壁的。」
REBIRTH
“Make a clean break with your past and you will be enlightened.” .said the ‘Master.
“I am doing that by degrees.”
“Growth is achieved by degrees. Enlightenment is instantaneous.”
Later he said, “Take the leap! You cannot cross a chasm in little jumps.”
「与你的过去一刀两断，你就会大澈大悟。」大师说。
「我正在一步一步地努力。」
「成长是慢慢累积起来的，澈悟却是在刹那间成就的。」
他接着又说：「跃过去！三步两蹦，是跨不过悬崖断壁的。」
REBIRTH
“Make a clean break with your past and you will be enlightened.” .said the ‘Master.
“I am doing that by degrees.”
“Growth is achieved by degrees. Enlightenment is instantaneous.”
Later he said, “Take the leap! You cannot cross a chasm in little jumps.”
有个妇人常哀叹自己的命运，大师对她说：「你是自己命运的主人。」
「然而，生为女性，却不是我自己能够作主的。」
「生为女性，并非命，而是个人的运，人的命运如何，得看你如何接受自己的运道，而结出丰盛的果实。」
DESTINY
To a woman who complained about her destiny the Master said, “It is you who make
your destiny.”
“But surely I am not responsible for being born a woman?”
“Being born a woman isn’t destiny. That is fate. Destiny is how you accept your
womanhood and-what you make of it.”
一位游客望着庙里历代大师的法相，问：「目前是否还有大师存留在这世上？」
「有一位。」导游答道。游客再三恳求拜谒这位大师。游客一见大师便启齿问道：「目前何处可以找到最伟大的师父？」
「旅者！」大师叫道。
「先生！」旅者恭敬地应声。
「你在何处？」
AVOIDANCE
A tourist, looking at the portraits of former Masters in the temple said. “Are there any
Masters left on earth?”
“There is one.” said the guide. The tourist solicited an audience with the Master and
started with the question, “Where are the great Masters to be found today?”
“Traveller.” cried the Master.
“Sir!” the tourist answered reverently.
“Where are YOU?”
大师向一位过于谦恭慇懃的弟子说：「光明映照在墙上，为什么只知赞美那座墙？而不专注于光明本身。」
WORSHIP
To the disciple who was overly respectful the Master said, “Light is reflected on a
wall. Why venerate the wall? Be attentive to the light.”
有囘，大师问他的弟子：智慧与行动，哪一个比较重要？
弟子们异口同声答道：「当然是行动，如果智慧不透过行动，又有何用？」
大师却说：「如果行动不是出自一颗悟心，又有何用？」
MECHANICALNESS
The Master once asked his disciples which was more important, wisdom or action.
The disciples were unanimous: “Action, of course. Of what use is wisdom that does
not show itself in action?”
Said the Master, “And of what use is action that proceeds from an unenlightened
heart?”
一位遭人遗弃的恋者说：「我已有一次燃指之痛，我绝不再恋爱了。」
大师说：「你像坐在炉灶上的一只猫，被烫过一次后，再也不敢坐上去了。」
DISCRIMINATION
Said the jilted lover, “I have burnt my lingers once. I shall never fall in love again.”
Said the Master, “You are like the cat who. having burnt itself from sitting on a stove,
refused to sit again.”