A Presentation of four short Zen stories that impart good Dhamma lessons. The texts are in English and Chinese. (Download the PowerPoint ppt for some animation effects.) For the Video presentation with audio narration and explanation in Hokkien, please check out the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veJX4Q6pVUo

1. 1
四个带有智慧课程的禅宗故事

2. 2
1 The Stonecutter 石 匠
“What?” A Stonecutter once cried. “A mere rock is more powerful
than I? Well, then I wish to be a rock.” Whoosh! In a matter of
seconds, he was standing tall upon a mountainside. He barely had
time to rejoice in his fine figure, however, when he heard strange
clipping sounds proceeding from his feet.
“什么？” 一个石匠曾经哭过。 “一块石头就比我强大？好吧，那
我想成为一块石头。” 嗖！ 几秒钟的时间，他就站在了山腰上。
然而，他还没来得及为自己的好身材而高兴，
就听到脚下传来奇怪的咔嚓声。

3. 3
1 The Stonecutter 石 匠
He looked down and, to his dismay, he saw something disturbing.
He found a tiny human being sitting there engaged in cutting chunks of
stone from his feet.
"What?" he shouted. "A puny creature like that more powerful than an
imposing rock like me? I want to be a man!“
他低头一看，令他沮丧的是，他看到了一些令人不安的东西。 他发现
一个小人坐在那里，正在从他的脚上切下大块的石头。“什么？” 他
喊道。 “像我这种比巨石还要强大的小生物？我要做男人！”

4. 4
1 The Stonecutter 石 匠
So he found he was once again a stonecutter going up into the
mountain to cut stone, earning his living in sweat and toil but
with a song in his heart because he was content to be what he
was and to live by what he had.
于是，他发现自己又是一个石匠，上山砍石，靠汗水和辛劳谋生，心
里却唱着歌，因为他满足于做自己，活出自己所拥有的。
Reflection 反射
* Beware of the danger of Greed, Ego and wrong
thinking.
* Fools think ‘The Grass is Greener on the other side.’
* Wise ones practicing contentment are happy and
peaceful.
* 谨防贪婪、自我和错误思维的危险。
* 傻瓜认为‘另一边的草更绿。
* 修行知足的智者快乐安宁。
Happy Stonecutter

5. 5
2 The Zen Master’s Cup 禅 师 杯
“Oh! Oh! It’s Terrible!” cried the monk-on-probation who
had just cracked the Zen Master's favorite
(and valuable) drinking cup.
The frightened youngster went to the Zen Master and
asked, “Why must there be death?”
“哦！ 哦！ 它是可怕的！” 刚刚打碎了禅师最喜欢的
（也是有价值的）水杯的见习僧哭了起来。
吓坏了的少年走到禅师面前问道：“为什么一定要死？”

6. 6
2 The Zen Master’s Cup 禅 师 杯
The Master answered, "Death is natural. It comes to all persons and things. We
should not greet it with fear or meet death with anger. Why do you ask?"
"Because, Master, death has come upon your cup.“
The Master remained calm, equanimous,
seeing the impermanence of all conditioned things.
师曰：“死是自然的，人事万物皆有，遇死不惧怕，死不嗔，问何故？”“因
为，师父，你的杯中已临死。” 师父保持冷静，平静，看到所有有为的事物的
无常。
Reflection 反射
* All conditioned things arise and fall. They are
impermanent and subject to decay and death.
* Do not crave, attach and cling to worldly transient things
(and people). They will sooner or later separate from us.
* Ignorance, greed, craving and attachment are the root
cause of Dukkha.
* 所有有为的事物都会生起灭去。 它们是无常的，会腐
烂和死亡。 * 不要贪爱、执着和执着世俗短暂的事物
（和人）。 他们迟早会与我们分离。 * 无明、贪婪、
贪爱和执着是苦的根本原因。

7. 7
3 The Wise Shepherd 聪明的牧羊人
Traveler: "What kind of weather are we going to have
today?"
Shepherd: "The kind of weather I like."
Traveler: "How do you know it will be the kind of weather
you like?"
旅行者：“我们今天会有什么样的天气？”
牧羊人：“我喜欢的那种天气。”
旅行者：“你怎么知道会是你喜欢的那种天气？”

8. 8
3 The Wise Shepherd 聪明的牧羊人
Shepherd: "Having found out, sir, that I cannot always get
what I like, I have learned to always like what I get. So I am
quite sure we will have the kind of weather I like."
牧羊人：“我发现，先生，我不能总是得到我喜欢的东西，我学会了总是
喜欢我得到的东西。所以我很确定我们会有我喜欢的那种天气。”
Reflection 反射
* Wise ones know this: “If things can be changed for the
better, then we should try our best to do it. If things are
inevitable, then learn to accept them peacefully.”
* Nothing is certain of a future happening. Wise ones,
SEEING this, live peacefully with the ups and downs of life.
* 聪明的人知道：“如果事情可以变得更好，那么我们
应该尽力去做。 如果事情是不可避免的，那就学会平静
地接受它们。” * 没有什么可以确定未来会发生。 智者，
见此，安然度过人生起起落落。

9. 9
4 A Young Warrior’s Challenge 年轻战士的挑战
There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he
still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation
extended far and wide throughout the land and many
students gathered to study under him.
曾经有一位伟大的战士。 虽然年纪大了，但他依然能够击败
任何挑战者。 他的名声传遍了全国，许多学生聚集在他的手
下学习。

10. 10
One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the village. He was determined to
be the first man to defeat the great master. Along with his strength, he had an
uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait
for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then
would strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted
with him in a match beyond the first move.
有一天，一个臭名昭著的年轻战士来到了村子。 他立志成为第一个打
败大师的人。 除了他的力量，他还有一种不可思议的能力，可以发现
并利用对手的任何弱点。 他会等对方先出手，露出弱点，然后以无情
的力量和闪电般的速度出击。 除了第一步之外，没有人能在一场比赛
中和他在一起。
4 A Young Warrior’s Challenge 年轻战士的挑战

11. 11
Much against the advice of his concerned
students, the old master gladly accepted the
young warrior's challenge. As the two
squared off for battle, the young warrior
began to hurl insults at the old master. He
threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he
verbally assaulted him with every curse and
insult known to mankind. But the old warrior
merely stood there motionless and calm.
Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself.
Knowing he was defeated, he left feeling
shamed.
老师傅不顾学生的建议，欣然接受了年轻武
士的挑战。 两人开战时，年轻的武者开始
辱骂老主人。 他往脸上扔泥土和唾沫。 几
个小时以来，他用人类所知的每一种诅咒和
侮辱口头攻击他。 可老武者只是站在那里
一动不动，很平静。 终于，年轻的武者筋
疲力尽了。 知道自己被打败了，他羞愧地
离开了。
4 A Young Warrior’s Challenge 年轻战士的挑战
??? !!!
*** ###
)))(((
Young proud
warrior verbally
abusing old
Master.
年轻骄傲的战
士 辱骂老师傅。

12. 12
Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the insolent youth, the
students gathered around the old master and questioned him. "How could
you endure such an indignity? How did you drive him away?"
"If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it," the master
replied, "to whom does the gift belong?“
有点失望他没有和那个张狂的青年交手，学生们围在老爷子身边，质问他。 “你
怎么能忍受这样的屈辱？你是怎么把他赶走的？”“如果有人来给你礼物，你没
有收到，”师父回答，“礼物是属于谁的？”
Reflection 反射
* A wise person has calm, patience and endurance. He does
not react to insults and other verbal abuses hurled at him.
* It’s the one who uses wrong speech who suffers in his mind.
Wrong speech has bad karmic consequences.
* "To win without violence is the greatest victory!"
* 聪明的人有冷静、耐心和耐力。 他不会对向他投
掷的侮辱和其他辱骂做出反应。 * 说错话的人心里
受苦。 错误的言语会带来恶果。 * “不以暴力取胜，
就是最大的胜利！”
4 A Young Warrior’s Challenge 年轻战士的挑战
A mind of
equanimity,
not reacting to
verbal abuses
from others.
一颗平和的心，
对言语虐待没
有反应从别人
那里。

13. 13
我们都可以从禅宗中学到很多佛法。
我们都可以发展智慧，是的，我们可以！
The
End
结束
With Metta,
Bro. Oh Teik Bin