牧羊人的北海大草原

Some of my friends who first heard of Zen have little idea about what it is about, so I thought it might be a good idea to translate some cases and stories of Zen Buddism, so people from different cultures all over the world can get a little be understanding about "Zen". Although sometimes meanings might get lost in translation, so from time to time, hence I'll choose to translate the broad idea behind them instead of word by word literal translation. Hopefully everyone becomes more familiar with Zen after reading these cases/stories.

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Zen Case #1 : The way to eat and sleep

A Vinaya[1] master asked a Zen master[2] : “Are you still practicing the way of enlightenment?”

Zen master answered : “Yes.”

Vinaya master : “How?”

Zen master : “Eat, when I am hungry. Sleep, when I am tired.”

Vinaya master : “Everyone does these same things. Is your way different than others?”

Zen master: ”Different.”

Vinaya master : “Different how?”

Zen master : “When people eat, they do not eat because they are hungry, but craving for delicacies; When people are tired, they do not just rest and sleep, but desire all sort of comfort. That’s the difference.”

Vinaya master pondered.
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[1] Buddhist Monks in Vinaya school (faction) focus their efforts on monastery discipline. They can trace their origins to the birth place of Buddhism from ancient India.

[2]Both Vinaya master and Zen master have their monk’s names in the original text. But during my translation, I think it is best not to translate them, either through pronunciations or meanings. Since the content is more important than the context.

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有些外國的朋友問我甚麼是禪, 我想從還是從最基本的禪門公案與機峰來作翻譯, 或許可以讓不同文化背景的朋友都了解禪學. 但翻譯總有失真, 希望大家都能一起來參參其中的禪機吧
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公案1 : 用功異同

        有源律師來問：「和尚修道，還用功否？」
 
        大珠慧海禪師曰：「用功！」
 
        曰：「如何用功？」
 
        師曰：「饑來喫飯，睏來即眠。」
 
        曰：「一切人總是如是，同師用功否？」
 
        師曰：「不同！」
 
        曰：「何故不同？」
 
        師曰：「他喫飯時，不肯喫飯，百般須索。睡時不肯睡，千般計較，所以不同。」
 
        律師杜口。
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[1] Vinaya 毗奈耶 是梵語戒律的意思, 古印度佛教僧侶所持的戒律. 傳至中土佛教後傳承為律宗. 律宗的大師就稱為律師, 有源是他的法諱.因為不想音譯就當作兩位大師都是無名吧. 名號也是表象不是?  -------------------------------------------------------------