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四五　逃　避

大師生前卽已成為傳奇性人物。據說連天主都向他移樽就教：「我想和人類玩個躲迷藏的遊戲。我問天使們：該藏在何處最為隱蔽？有些答說大海的深溝，有些則認為某個山頂，甚至還有建議我躲到其他星球上去的。你認為呢？」

大師說：「不必跑那麼遠了，就藏在人們的心裏好了，那是他們最後才會想到的地方。」

ESCAPE

The Master became a legend in his lifetime. It was said that God once sought his
advice: “I want to play a game of hide-and-seek with humankind. I’ve asked my angels
what the best place is to hide in. Some say the depth of the ocean. Others the top of the
highest mountain. Others still the far side of the moon or a distant star. What do you
suggest?”

Said the Master, “Hide in the human heart. That’s the last place they will think of!”

四四　倚　賴

有個弟子過於信賴書本。大師告訴他：

「有個人到市場買菜，却把菜單掉了。後來又找到了，他欣喜若狂地讀着菜單，直到買完菜前，他始終緊緊握着它－－然後就該像廢紙一般把它丟到字紙簍去。」

DEPENDENCE

To a disciple who depended overmuch on books the Master said:

“A man came to the market with a shopping-list and lost it. When to his great joy he
found it again, he read it eagerly, held on to it till he had done his shopping — then threw
it away as a useless scrap of paper.”

四三　生死關頭

有個弟子每天問同樣的問題：「我怎樣才能找到天主？」

每天他所得到的答覆都是：「通過人的願心。」

「我不是全心全意地渴望天主了嗎？為什麼我還沒有找到？」

有天，大師正好和這位弟子在河裏沐浴。他突然把弟子的頭按進水裏不放，任由這可憐的傢伙在水裏死命掙扎。

第二天，大師主動找他談話：「當我把你的頭按進水裏，你為什麼掙扎那麼厲害？」

「因為我需要空氣。」

「如果你渴求天主一如你尋找空氣那般，你就會找到祂。」

SURVIVAL

Each day the disciple would ask the same question, “How shall I find God?”

And each day he would get the same mysterious answer, “Through desire.”

“But I desire God with all my heart, don’t I? Then why have I not found him?”

One day the Master happened to be bathing in the river with the disciple. He pushed
the man’s head under water and held it there while the poor fellow struggled desperately
to break loose

Next day it was the Master who began the conversation. “Why did you struggle so
when I held your head under water?”

“Because I was gasping for air.”

“When you are given the grace to gasp for God the way you gasped for air you will
have found him.”

四一　媒介

有人問一位弟子：「你為什麼需要拜師？」

答覆是：「如果水需要加溫，在它與火之間總需要一個容器做為媒介吧！」

MEDIATION

“Why do you need a Master?” asked a visitor of one of the disciples.

“If water must be heated it needs a vessel as an intermediary between the fire and
itself,” was the answer.

四一　盲　從

「我能拜你為師嗎？」

「若你閉着眼睛，永遠只能當作別人的徒弟。直到有天你張開了眼睛，就會發覺，你不可能從我或任何人處學到任何東西。」

「那麼師父又有何用？」

「只是讓你明瞭：有個師父也無濟於事。」

BLINDNESS

“May I become your disciple?”

“You are only a disciple because your eyes are closed. The day you open them you
will see there is nothing you can learn from me or anyone.”

“What then is a Master for?’

“To make you see the uselessness of having one.”

四０　門　徒

有人前來拜師，大師說：「你不妨隨我住下，但不要變成我的門徒。」

「那麼我該跟隨誰呢？」

「誰也別跟。一旦你跟隨某人，就不再跟隨那超然的真理了。」

DISCIPLESH1P

To a visitor who asked to become his disciple the Master said, “You may live with me
but don’t become my follower.”

‘Whom then shall I follow?”

“No one. The day you follow someone you cease to follow Truth.”

三九　哲　學

一位訪客在決定追隨大師之前，想先由大師處獲得一些保證。

「你能教導我人生的目標嗎？」

「我不能。」

「至少，人生的意義！」

「我不能。」

「你能為我指出生與死的奧理？」

「我不能。」

訪客輕蔑地走了。弟子們見大師表現得如此無能而怏怏不樂。

大師平靜地說：「如果你從未親身體驗人生，從何了解人生的本質及意義？我寧願你們先把這塊布丁吃下去，然後再探討個中滋味。」

PHILOSOPHY

Before the visitor embarked upon discipleship he wanted assurance from the Master,

“Can you teach me the goal of human life?”

“I cannot.”

“Or at least its meaning?”

“I cannot.”

“Can you indicate to me the nature of death and of life beyond the grave?”

“I cannot.”

The visitor walked away in scorn. The disciples were dismayed that their Master had
been shown up in a poor light.

Said the Master soothingly, “Of what use is it to comprehend life’s nature and life’s
meaning if you have never tasted it? I’d rather you ate your pudding than speculated on
it.”

三八　應　機

有人探問大師揀選門徒之道。

他說：「我是以謙遜的方式應機而化的。凡因着我的謙卑自下而生傲心的人，我卽當下拒絕；對於那些一味推崇我的謙卑的人，我也一槪拒絕。」

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

有個弟子常喜抱怨他人。大師說：「如果你享有平安，試着改變自己，而非他人。當心自己腳下，總比填平整個地球容易得多吧！」

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

「我什麼時候才能悟道？」

「當你看到。」大師道

「看到什麼？」

「花和樹，星和月。」

「我天天都看到它們。」

「不，你所看到的，只是幻境中的花和樹，星和月，因為你未活在實境中，而只活在你的思想及槪念裏。」

最後他懇切地加上幾句：「你卽虛幻地度過此生，你也將在虛幻中消逝。」

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.”