公案 (Zen Story) 英譯初試

                   Zen Stories
Story 1

A devout Buddhist spent 30 minutes describing to his first grade students how horrible hell was.  When he was finished, he asked if any of them wanted to go there. Nobody raised his or her hands.  Then he spent another 30 minutes describing how beautiful heaven was.  Again, he asked if any of the students wanted to go to heaven.  This time, all of the students except for one raised their hands.  When the teacher asked him why he did not want to go to heaven, the student replied, “My mother told me to go straight home after school.”

Story 2

Two young monks had been arguing fiercely for hours and still could not settle their dispute over a certain issue.  One monk finally went inside to present his case to the Master.  After listening to his argument, the Master told him, "You are right, my boy." The young monk left cheerfully. Later, the other monk also went to see the master to have his story heard.  Again, after patiently listening to his argument, the Master said, "You are right, my boy."  The second monk also left cheerfully. A third monk was with the Master and had heard what the Master had told each of them.  Puzzled, he said, "Master, if Brother A was right, then Brother B must be wrong.  If Brother B was right, then Brother A must be wrong.  But you told them that they were both right.  How could this be?"  "My boy, you are right too." replied the Master.

Story 3

One night, Der Shan was waiting upon Master Long Tan.  The Master said, "It is getting late.  Why don't you return to your quarters?" Der Shan bade good night to the Master and left the house. However, he returned, explaining "It is too dark outside." The Master lit a candle for him. But as Der Shan was about to take the candle, Long Tan suddenly blew it out. Der Shan was immediately enlightened.

Story 4

Aladdin's lamp

A traveler was lost in the desert and had used up all his provisions. As he crawled desperately in the sand, he came across a small metal object and immediately recognized it as Aladdin's magic lamp. He happily began to rub the lamp and soon a genie appeared and offered to grant him wishes.

 "Give me some water!", asked the traveler.

 "I am sorry, Master, I can't give you water."

 "Then give me some food!"

 "Sorry, Master, I can't give you food either."

The frustrated traveler continued to ask for some other necessities, but the genie could not give him any of them.

The traveler was so disappointed that he finally asked in a very weak voice, "What do you have for me anyway?"

 "Oh Master, I can give you the most precious thing in the world," replied the genie, "and that is the teachings of Buddha."

Upon hearing this, the traveler collapsed and died in the desert.