觸動心靈的寓言故事 小時候，故事書經常是陪伴我們長大的忠實良伴，在成長的過程中引領著我們。好的故事會觸動心靈，並且啟發我們要讓自己和周遭的世界變得更好。故事，也會形塑我們的價值觀，而我們最終成為什麼樣的人將取決於這些價值觀。 星雲大師著《星雲說喻 中英對照版》一共六冊，讓讀者透過閱讀生動有趣的故事，探索並領悟佛陀深奧的教法和人間佛教理念。故事圍繞著佛教的「六度波羅蜜」開展，也就是菩薩道的「六度」精神：布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定和般若。每篇故事以一則智慧法語作為總結，引導讀者省思個中寓意。這些故事如同一面明鏡，帶著我們檢視生活，思維如何將那永恆不朽的佛法應用在生活。 第三冊收錄十五篇以六度波羅蜜中的「忍辱」為主題的短篇故事。這是一套適合所有年齡層讀者的故事選集，本套書亦提供中英詞彙表，雙語讀者能更好理解每則故事的精髓。 期許《星雲說喻 中英對照版》能帶領讀者探索故事中無窮的慈悲、智慧與布施精神，照亮生命的道路。 Since our earliest days, stories have been faithful companions, guiding us through life’s journey. The power of a good story lies in its ability to touch our hearts, inspiring us to grow and bring positive change to ourselves and the world around us. Stories shape our perspective, and in turn, our perspective shapes who we become. Introducing Bodhi Light Tales by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, a monumental 6-volume set available in both English and Chinese. This enchanting collection invites readers to explore the profound teachings of the Buddha and the principles of Humanistic Buddhism. Stories centered around the Six Paramitas, also known as the Six Perfections: Generosity, Precept, Patience, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom. Each tale in this collection is accompanied by words of wisdom, offering profound insights that encourage reflection upon the moral lessons conveyed. These stories provide a mirror through which we can examine our own lives and contemplate how these timeless teachings can be applied to our daily existence. In this third volume, you will immerse yourself in the realm of Patience through a treasury of 15 short stories. Designed to captivate readers of all ages, this book also includes vocabulary lists to assist bilingual readers in fully understanding the essence of each tale. May Bodhi Light Tales illuminate your path as you explore the boundless possibilities of compassion, understanding, and generosity.
Biography of Venerable Master Hsing Yun Venerable Master Hsing Yun was born in 1927 in Jiangdu, Jiangsu Province, China. At the age of 12, he was tonsured by Venerable Master Zhikai in Qixia Temple, Nanjing, with Dajue Temple in Yixing, Jiangsu, as his ancestral temple. He later became the 48th-generation lineage holder of the Linji Chan school. In 1947, he graduated from Jiaoshan Buddhist College, and also trained at various Chan, Pure Land, and Vinaya monasteries, including Jinshan, Qixia, and others. He received a comprehensive Buddhist education in the lineage, teachings, and Vinaya disciplines. Later on, the Venerable Master was invited to serve as the principal of Baita Elementary School, and also the editor-in-chief of Raging Billows Monthly. In the spring of 1949, the Venerable Master arrived in Taiwan. He served as the editor-in-chief of Human Life Magazine, Buddhism Today Magazine, and Awakening the World. In 1967, the Venerable Master founded the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order, with the Four Objectives: to propagate the Dharma through culture; to foster talents through education; to benefit society through charity, and to purify people’s minds through spiritual cultivation. Guided by the principles of Humanistic Buddhism, he went on to establish over three hundred temples worldwide. Additionally, he oversaw the creation of various art galleries, libraries, publishing companies, bookstores, the Merit Times newspaper, and the Cloud and Water Mobile Clinic. Furthermore, he established sixteen Buddhist colleges and founded three high schools and five universities, including the University of the West in the United States, Fo Guang University in Taiwan, Nanhua University in Taiwan, Nan Tien Institute in Australia, and Guang Ming College in the Philippines. Notably, he also established the Institute of Humanistic Buddhism. In 1970, the Venerable Master established Da Ci Children’s Home and the Lanyang Ren Ai Senior Citizen’s Home, providing shelter and care for vulnerable young children, and elderly individuals. He also actively engaged in emergency relief efforts, contributing to the fostering of a welfare society. Then, in 1991, he founded the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) and was elected as the President of the World Headquarters. Under his guidance, the association’s mission expanded, symbolized by the saying, “the Buddha’s Light shining over three thousand realms, and the Dharma water flowing continuously through the five continents.” In 1977, the Fo Guang Buddhist Canon, the Fo Guang Dictionary of Buddhism, and the 132-volume Selected Chinese Buddhist Texts in Modern Language were compiled. In 2017, the Complete Works of Venerable Master Hsing Yun was published, comprising 365 volumes with over 30 million words. In 2023, it was supplemented to 395 volumes, exceeding 40 million words, systematically expounding the ideologies, teachings, theories, and practical outcomes of Humanistic Buddhism. In 2023, the Venerable Master peacefully passed away, his virtuous deeds complete and fulfilled, having reached the age of ninety-seven. He was revered as the Founding Master of the Fo Guang Order, and he left behind this poignant poem:
A mind with the compassionate vow to deliver sentient beings, A body like a boat on the Dharma ocean, unbound. Should you ask what I have achieved in this lifetime? Peace and happiness shine upon the five continents.
Bodhi Light Tales is a captivating 6-volume collection of stories focused on the Six Paramitas, narrated by the revered Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Originally published in Chinese as Xingyun shuoyu (星雲說喻), these Buddhist Tales by Venerable Master Hsing Yun emerged from his enlightening talks and lectures on Humanistic Buddhism. In 2019, we took the initiative to adapt these stories into English as an ongoing audiobook series for the Bodhi Light Tales Anchor Podcast channel. However, our ultimate vision has always been to present them in a book format. As the original stories were concise and lacked additional details, the English adaptations were intentionally modified from the Chinese. In essence, the English tales are not direct translations of their original Chinese counterparts. To ensure that readers of all ages, faiths, beliefs, and cultures can connect with these stories, we employed several key approaches during the transition from Chinese to English, which we will elaborate on below. To make the main characters more relatable, we added background information such as their names, occupations, and personalities. Thorough research was conducted to maintain historical and factual accuracy. We hope this additional information will help readers delve deeper into their favorite characters and even encourage further exploration. Additionally, we made certain adaptations to accommodate language differences. For instance, in one of the stories, one single plane mentioned at first transformed into eleven planes, and in the end, ninety-one planes. In the English version, we changed it to nine planes as mentioned initially, later becoming nineteen planes, and finally, ninety planes. These modifications were implemented to preserve the example of homophones originally featured, ensuring comprehension for English readers. Each tale concludes with a summary of its morals, providing readers with a clear understanding of the story’s meaning and key lessons. These summaries highlight challenges people face in today’s world and offer practical applications for daily life. Additionally, we included Dharma Words from Venerable Master Hsing Yun at the end of each story, offering readers a final nugget of wisdom to take away. These quotes were carefully selected based on their relevance to the moral of each story. Venerable Master Hsing Yun originally shared these words of encouragement and advice based on his life experiences, aiming to inspire mindfulness and guide individuals in times of uncertainty. Remember, Buddha-nature resides within all of us, regardless of whether we practice Buddhism or not. Both children and adults have the power to better themselves and positively impact the world around them. Our sincere hope is that these stories will inspire people of all ages, instilling in them a sense of inspiration, courage, and compassion. May this collection serve as a source of inspiration as you navigate through life’s journey toward self-awakening!
The Crow’s Caw 烏鴉的聲音 有一隻烏鴉，牠經常都叫：「嗄！嗄！嗄！」牠飛到哪裡人家都討厭牠的不好聽的聲音。這隻烏鴉有一天在空中飛、飛、飛，後來停在一顆樹上，遇到了個喜鵲，喜鵲就問牠：「烏鴉你今天要飛到哪去？」烏鴉回答說：「唉！那個地方的人好討厭，一直都嫌棄我，我現在不要住在那個地方，我要飛到另外的地方去。」
Once upon a time, there lived a crow in a quiet village. Every day, as he flew around the village, he would greet the people with a series of “Caw! Caw! Caw!” But his caws were harsh1 and many were scared2 of him. No matter how much he tried, no one appreciated3 him. One day, the crow flew high up into the sky. He circled in the air for a while before he got tired and decided to take a rest. He sat on a tree next to a magpie. The magpie asked, “How are you today?” “I’m all right...” the crow answered. “Where are you going today?” the magpie asked again. The crow sighed and said, “It doesn’t matter where I am going. Nobody likes me.” “What do you mean?” the magpie asked. “The people in my village dislike me, they always complain about how terrible4 I sound.” “Oh, is that right?” the magpie sympathized5. “Yeah...... that’s why I’m thinking of moving somewhere else since I’m not welcome.” The magpie then said, “You are a crow, you should be proud of yourself.” “No, it is because I am a crow, that is the problem! They hate the way I sound,” the crow replied. “But even if you move to the farthest6 place, there are bound7 to be people who don’t like you,” the magpie responded. “Oh really… then what can I do?” the crow asked. “The thing is if you don’t deal with the core8 of the problem, no matter where you go, the problem is still there,” the magpie explained. “What do you suggest then?” the crow asked. “Change the way you sound!” the magpie exclaimed9. “It is in my making! How can I change?” the crow protested10. “Of course you can change! Running away from your problem does not solve it, you should face it. Find ways to change yourself because change starts from within,” the magpie said passionately. In the story, whether or not the crow can ever become like the magpie, what is most important is that one is willing to change. By changing oneself and transforming the way we speak, others will change their perspective11 on us. There is an expression in Taiwanese dialect12 when we refer to somebody’s mouth as a crow’s beak, it is to accuse someone of being a jinx13, or a bringer14 of bad luck. In Chinese culture, when your bad luck makes you think there’s a jinx on you, you are believed to be cursed15. How would anyone like that? In Buddhism, there are the five precepts, which are: 1) Refrain from killing; 2) Refrain from stealing; 3) Refrain from sexual misconduct; 4) Refrain from lying; 5) Refrain from intake of intoxicants. The fourth precept—refrain from lying, reminds us to guard our speech. We need to learn from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, learn from their gentle and loving speech which brings hope and faith to all beings. In the Buddhist sutra, it states that the Buddha has thirty-two marks of excellence16, one of them is having a long and broad tongue, which symbolizes that his words can spread far and wide. The reason why the Buddha has a long and broad tongue is because he speaks with loving-kindness and faith for countless eons17 to inspire many people to have the right views. An outstanding artist can produce phenomenal18 drawings of landscapes19, people, flowers, and all the beautiful things in the world. These drawings are all created from the imagination20 of our complex minds. Therefore, our mind is also like a skilled craftsman, having the ability to transform our anger and ignorance into the knives and swords in hell. In contrast, our minds of goodwill can also manifest as the golden decorations in Amitabha Buddha’s Western Pure Land. As long as we are willing to follow the Buddha’s teachings and use compassionate thoughts and minds to paint our inner world, a crow can definitely become a paradise bird, singing blissful21 music, and resonating22 with the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
星雲大師法語 Dharma Words by Venerable Master Hsing Yun 學習布施，是改造自己慳貪的性格。 嚴持戒法，是改造自己惡性的行為。 修養忍耐，是改造自己瞋恚的惡習。 發心精進，是改造自己懈怠的因循。 修學禪定，是改造自己散亂的思想。 開發智慧，是改造自己愚癡的認知。
To transform greed, learn to be generous. To transform unwholesome actions, observe precepts strictly. To transform hatred, practice tolerance. To transform laziness, vow to be diligent. To transform discursive thinking, learn to meditate. To transform ignorance, cultivate wisdom.
Once upon a time, there was a cheese factory manager named William. He had managed the factory for over ten years and was a proven leader. He was a capable manager, and under his supervision, all were willing and able to perform their tasks. However, William’s only blemish1 was his quick temper2 that often offended3 and upset people. Every year, William would receive the same feedback regarding his temper from his boss and colleagues during his performance reviews. As it was brought up time and again, he finally realized that his temperament was something he needed to remedy4, and decided to take action. He tried very hard to stay calm and not fall prey to5 anger for three days. However, as the saying goes, “a leopard cannot change its spots.” He was unsuccessful in controlling his temper. Disappointed in himself, he thought hard for a whole week. William made up his mind and was determined to transform himself. He brought in a signage board and wrote on it in large, capital letters, “Quit Anger!” Then, he punched6 two holes in the board, tied it with a rope, and wore it like a necklace. Arriving at work each day, William would display the board on his chest. From then on, he hoped this would serve as a constant reminder to himself and others that he shouldn’t get angry. One day, while on his routine check of the factory, William passed one of the meeting rooms, and saw two staff members talking.At first, he didn’t think much of it, but then suddenly overheard his name being mentioned. One person said, “Indeed, William is talented, capable7, and kind, but if only he didn’t have such a bad temper.” Hearing this, William couldn’t stand it. He barged8 into the room, pointed his finger at his perceived accuser9, and yelled, “How dare you say that about me!? Look at this sign hanging from my neck! Can’t you see that I’ve quit getting angry? I’ve self-cultivated10 and have quit my anger. So why do you all still accuse me behind my back!? Stop judging me!” After William’s outburst11 and feeling abused, the staff member courageously12 replied, “Clearly, if you had successfully quit your anger, then you wouldn’t yell at us like you just did!” William was taken aback by the response. He realized he had yet again lost his temper. This story highlights that making a conscious13 decision to change requires patience. It is so often much easier said than done. Although William proudly said he would quit getting angry, upon hearing others criticize14 him, he could not control himself and let his temper get the better of him. In daily life, how often do we get angry when things do not go our way or to our liking? How often have we fallen out with someone due to our anger? Even close and old friends can become our enemies, and a loving husband and wife can become foes15. We tend to get angry easily because we do not have self-cultivation. Self-cultivation is the development of one’s mind or capacities through one’s own efforts. It is the cultivation, integration16, and coordination17 of mind and body. It means to attempt to go beyond normal states of being, to enhance and continuously polish one’s capacities as well as potentials18. If we learn to have tolerance19, to understand that in this world, everything including you and I are equal, that all occurs from many causes and conditions, then anger will not easily arise. Look at it from another angle, can any problem truly be solved by getting angry? Can we make peace with anger? Anger always makes matters worse, so we must think carefully before we act or respond. If we can change our perspective20 on any situation, then we will not get angry easily. The Buddha once wisely said, “If we stop an argument by arguing with others, it will never end; only with patience can the argument be stopped.”
為人所不能為，是丈夫事業； 忍人所不能忍，是聖賢修養。 Doing the impossible is the task of great beings. Tolerating the intolerable is the cultivation of sages.
The Crow’s Caw 烏鴉的聲音 有一隻烏鴉，牠經常都叫：「嗄！嗄！嗄！」牠飛到哪裡人家都討厭牠的不好聽的聲音。這隻烏鴉有一天在空中飛、飛、飛，後來停在一顆樹上，遇到了個喜鵲，喜鵲就問牠：「烏鴉你今天要飛到哪去？」烏鴉回答說：「唉！那個地方的人好討厭，一直都嫌棄我，我現在不要住在那個地方，我要飛到另外的地方去。」
Bodhi Light Tales:Volume 3 Biography of Venerable Master Hsing Yun 星雲大師簡介 Editor’s Introduction 編者序 How to Use This Book 如何使用本書
Stories 01. Cookie Fight 夫妻爭餅 02. The Turtle and the Cranes 龜與雁 03. The Two-Headed Bird 優波迦嘍嗏的瞋恨 04. The Crow’s Caw 烏鴉的聲音 05. Quit Anger 容易發怒 06. Tailor-Made 胖子學裁縫 07. The Unacceptable Gift 不收禮物 08. The Buddha and the Gong 大佛與大磬 09. Hasty Conclusion 不要衝動 10. Seeking Nothing 一無所求 11. “Water Drop” Monk 滴水和尚 12. Up in Flames 火燒城 13. The Speeding Consequence 野狼150 CC 14. The Little Novice and the Ants 長壽的沙彌 15. Embracing Patience 忍辱的美德
Bodhi Light Tales:Volume 3 Biography of Venerable Master Hsing Yun 星雲大師簡介 Editor’s Introduction 編者序 How to Use This Book 如何使用本書
Stories 01. Cookie Fight 夫妻爭餅 02. The Turtle and the Cranes 龜與雁 03. The Two-Headed Bird 優波迦嘍嗏的瞋恨 04. The Crow’s Caw 烏鴉的聲音 05. Quit Anger 容易發怒 06. Tailor-Made 胖子學裁縫 07. The Unacceptable Gift 不收禮物 08. The Buddha and the Gong 大佛與大磬 09. Hasty Conclusion 不要衝動 10. Seeking Nothing 一無所求 ...
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