八七 分 別
大師與他的一羣弟子在河邊散步。
他說：「看，這些魚兒隨心所欲地游來游去，這才是真正的快樂。」
一旁的路人聽到這話便反唇相激：「你又不是魚，你怎知魚快樂與否？」
弟子們驚異地瞪着這魯莽的傢伙。大師却含笑注視這一無所懼地追根究柢的人。
他親切答覆：「我的朋友，你又不是我，你怎麼知道我不是魚？」
弟子們不禁笑了，認為他罪有應得，這位路人却怔在那兒沉思話中深意。
他整天反覆咀嚼此言。然後登門造訪：「也許你並非如我所想的，與魚截然不同，而我與你，也非相異過甚。」
DISTINCTION
The Master was strolling with some of his disciples along the bank of a river.
He said. “See how the fish keep darting about when they please. That’s what they
really enjoy.”
A stranger overhearing that remark said. “How do you know what fish enjoy — you‘re
not a fish?”
The disciples gasped at what they took for impudence. The Master smiled at what he
recognized as a fearless spirit of enquiry.
He replied affably. “And you my friend, how do you know I am not a fish — you are
not I?”
The disciples laughed, taking this to be a well-deserved rebuff. Only the stranger was
struck by its depth.
All day he pondered it then came to the monastery to say. “Maybe you are not as
different from the fish as I thought. Or I from you.”