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四五　逃　避

大师生前即已成为传奇性人物。据说连天主都向他移樽就教：「我想和人类玩个躲迷藏的游戏。我问天使们：该藏在何处最为隐蔽？有些答说大海的深沟，有些则认为某个山顶，甚至还有建议我躲到其他星球上去的。你认为呢？」

大师说：「不必跑那么远了，就藏在人们的心里好了，那是他们最后才会想到的地方。」

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　赖

有个弟子过于信赖书本。大师告诉他：

「有个人到市场买菜，却把菜单掉了。后来又找到了，他欣喜若狂地读着菜单，直到买完菜前，他始终紧紧握着它－－然后就该像废纸一般把它丢到字纸篓去。」

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　生死关头

有个弟子每天问同样的问题：「我怎样才能找到天主？」

每天他所得到的答复都是：「通过人的愿心。」

「我不是全心全意地渴望天主了吗？为什么我还没有找到？」

有天，大师正好和这位弟子在河里沐浴。他突然把弟子的头按进水里不放，任由这可怜的家伙在水里死命挣扎。

第二天，大师主动找他谈话：「当我把你的头按进水里，你为什么挣扎那么厉害？」

「因为我需要空气。」

「如果你渴求天主一如你寻找空气那般，你就会找到祂。」

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

有人问一位弟子：「你为什么需要拜师？」

答复是：「如果水需要加温，在它与火之间总需要一个容器做为媒介吧！」

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　从

「我能拜你为师吗？」

「若你闭着眼睛，永远只能当作别人的徒弟。直到有天你张开了眼睛，就会发觉，你不可能从我或任何人处学到任何东西。」

「那么师父又有何用？」

「只是让你明了：有个师父也无济于事。」

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　门　徒

有人前来拜师，大师说：「你不妨随我住下，但不要变成我的门徒。」

「那么我该跟随谁呢？」

「谁也别跟。一旦你跟随某人，就不再跟随那超然的真理了。」

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　学

一位访客在决定追随大师之前，想先由大师处获得一些保证。

「你能教导我人生的目标吗？」

「我不能。」

「至少，人生的意义！」

「我不能。」

「你能为我指出生与死的奥理？」

「我不能。」

访客轻蔑地走了。弟子们见大师表现得如此无能而怏怏不乐。

大师平静地说：「如果你从未亲身体验人生，从何了解人生的本质及意义？我宁愿你们先把这块布丁吃下去，然后再探讨个中滋味。」

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　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.”