驯心若驯象
【中英文连载】
Are You Ready for Happiness? (96)
如何面对痛苦和幸福
How to Face Suffering and Happiness?
There is a story in the sutras:
佛经中讲过一个故事：
During the Buddha’s time, many monarchs of the small kingdoms in India were devout followers of the Buddha; however，one king did not understand Buddhism and was not a follower.
释迦牟尼佛住世的时候，印度很多小国家的国王都是非常虔诚的佛弟子，但有个国王因为不了解佛教，所以没有信仰。
On one occasion, the king acquired a very precious elephant. To train the elephant, he found a trainer who was well known for his skills. Using many different techniques, the trainer eventually succeeded in taming the elephant. He then invited the monarch to confirm his effort.
一次，国王获得了一头非常珍贵的大象，他找到一位驯象技术远近驰名的驯象师，让他驯服这头大象。驯象师施展了各种技巧，最终把这头大象驯服得非常驯顺、调柔。大功告成之后，他便请国王来当场鉴定。
The king and the trainer rode together on the back of the elephant and set out to see the sights. Suddenly, the elephant started to go wild; charging forward, it crossed one mountain after another, completely ignoring the trainer’s instructions. When the elephant came to a forest, the trainer — who was helpless at this point — quickly called on the king to grab onto a tree branch, thus bringing him to safety. Meanwhile, the elephant continued to charge ahead with complete abandon.
他和国王一起骑在大象背上，四处巡视溜达。突然，大象开始疯狂地往前冲，翻了一山又一山，根本不听驯象师的口令。当大象跑到一座森林里面的时候，无计可施的驯象师连忙叫国王抓住一根树干，这样才脱离了象背，大象仍然不顾一切地拼命往前狂奔。
Once out of danger, the king went into a rage. He pointed to the trainer and shouted, “How dare you lie to me! You put me on the elephant’s back without having trained it, what is your motive? I will have you beheaded in public!”
脱离险境的国王气急败坏、怒火冲天。他指着驯象师说道：你胆大包天，居然敢欺骗我！你根本没有驯服大象，却让我坐在大象背上，居心何在？我要把你的头砍下来示众。
Feeling wronged, the trainer answered, “I have indeed tamed the elephant. If you do not believe me, please wait another three days. The elephant will return by itself, and you can see for yourself.”
驯象师委屈地回答说：我确实是把它驯服得服服贴贴了，如果您不信，就等两三天，大象自己肯定会回来，到时候就可以一见分晓了。
After three days, the elephant returned just as the trainer had predicted. To demonstrate he had tamed the elephant, the trainer placed a red-hot steel ball in front of the elephant and instructed it to grab the ball with its trunk. Without hesitation, the elephant got ready to carry out his instruction. At this instant, the trainer turned to the king and said, “Because the elephant has been trained, it will grab the steel ball; however, it will die immediately upon grabbing the ball. If this elephant is important to you, you must stop it from touching the steel ball before it is too late.”
过了两三天，正如驯象师所言，大象的确自己回来了。驯象师为了证明大象已经被自己驯服，便将一个烧红的铁球放在面前，并给大象下了一个口令，大象当即毫不犹豫地准备用鼻子去抓那个烧红的铁球。驯象师立刻对国王说：因为它已经被我驯服，所以一定会去抓这个铁球，但抓了以后，它一定会马上死掉。国王您看着办，如果您需要这头大象，就一定要制止它去触摸铁球，否则就来不及了。
未完待续
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