30/12/2024
小故事大智慧
一风烛残年的老者，执杖上山，向星月禅师请教：如何才能延年益寿、返老还童、长生不老。星月禅师向他敬了一杯清茶，就带他下山了，直接来到一个大型的剧场，观看一场非常感人也非常悲壮的传统剧目。雷鸣般的掌声里，剧目终于落下了帷幕，许多人被感动得泪流满面。星月禅师问身边的老者：“该剧如何？”“太好了，太感人了，太圆满了！”老者激动得一连串地说。“但是，”星月禅师微笑着说，“这出戏如果接着演下去，无休无止地演下去，你认为如何？”“这样就很圆满了，再演下去反而拖沓了。”老者非常投入地说，”什么戏也得有个结尾，哪有无休无止地演下去的道理？”
“如此说来，人生不也是这样吗？”星月禅师依然微笑着说。
人生就是一场戏，这出戏的精彩与否，不在于剧目的长短，不在于舞台的优劣，而在于剧情的演绎和结局的圆满。
Story of great wisdom
An old man was holding his stick up the mountain to ask Master Xingyue for advice: how to prolong life, rejuvenate, and live forever. Zen Master Xingyue offered him a cup of tea, then took him down the mountain and went directly to a large theater to watch a very moving and very tragic traditional play. With thunderous applause, the repertoire finally came to an end, and many people were moved to tears. Zen Master Xingyue asked the old man next to him, "How about the play?" "It's great, so touching, so complete!" The old man said excitedly. "But," said Zen Master Xingyue with a smile, "what do you think of this play if it continues to be performed endlessly?" "It will be procrastinated if it continues." The old man was very engaged and said, "Any play has to have an end, how can there be any reason to play it endlessly?" "So, isn't life like this?" Zen Master Xingyue still smiled and said.
Life is a play. Whether the play is wonderful, it does not depends on the length of the play, the pros and cons of the stage, but the interpretation of the plot and the success of the ending.
