星雲說喻 中英對照版（6）Bodhi Light Tales：Volume 6（附QR Code線上音檔）

Baby Monkey Waters Flowers 猴子澆花
無論修行也好，做人也好，佛教一再強調要有智慧，凡事講求中道。所謂「中道」即不偏不倚，也就是正道。然而，如何才能掌握中道呢？就需要智慧來引導，因此智慧對我們而言，實在很重要。

經典裡有一個故事說到：在國王的花園裡，住著一個猴子家庭，成員有爸爸、媽媽和孩子。另外，花園裡還有一個專門負責照顧花朵的園丁。

由於園丁跟猴子們相處得很好，所以有時候猴子就會幫忙園丁，做些拔草、澆水的工作。

有一天，王宮外面的廣場傳來演戲的聲音，園丁聽到了，實在好心動，很想跑去看戲。可是，澆花的時間到了，他也不敢走開。就這樣，人雖然在花園裡，可是一顆心七上八下，坐立難安。好朋友猴子看出了他的心情，於是體諒地說：「去啦，去啦，我幫你澆水，你放心吧。」
園丁一聽，高興地說：「謝謝，就拜託你了。不過，國王常常告誡我們『滴水如金』，你得好好的澆，不能浪費喔 ！」

「沒有問題，沒有問題，你趕快去吧！」猴子拍拍胸脯回答。園丁走了以後，猴子爸爸要小猴子去澆水。澆水之前，猴子爸爸告訴孩子：「滴水如金，不能浪費喔！該多澆的，水就給多一點；不該澆的，就給少一點。」

孩子想了想，問道：「多和少該怎麼分辨呢？」

猴子爸爸說：「這很簡單，根深的植物，多給一點水，根淺的少澆一點。」

孩子點點頭說：「我懂了！」隨後小猴子就開始動手澆花。

過了一會兒，新的問題又來了，從地面上根本看不出根是深、還是淺，該怎麼辦呢？

小猴子想了一下，忽然拍掌笑起來，說：「有了，有了，有辦法。」
牠決定將每朵花從泥土裡拔出來看一看，這樣不就知道根的深淺了嗎？

「這個根深一點，水多澆一點」、「這個淺一點，少澆一點。」就這樣，整座花園裡的花，每一株都被小猴子給拔了起來，再擺回去。

等到園丁回來一看，花苗東倒西歪，有的甚至都枯掉了。他難過得不得了，可是也不敢責備猴子， 因為對方是好心幫忙。

社會上也常常有這種現象，明明是一番好意， 結果卻弄巧成拙，反而幫了倒忙。這就是因為缺乏智慧，所以佛法裡說好心很重要，但更要緊的是要有智慧。禪宗提到「不求成佛作祖，只求能夠開悟」，開悟就是有智慧，有了智慧之後，方能打開成佛之門， 也才能看清世間真相。

佛教是很講究智慧的宗教，奉勸天下學佛人，多閱藏、多聽經，學佛法、開智慧，這才是真正的自救、救人之道。

Once upon a time, in a beautiful garden, there lived a monkey family. There was Papa Monkey, Mama Monkey, and Baby Monkey. Taking care of their beautiful garden was Michael, the gardener.
They were all very good friends and the monkey family always helped Michael to take care of the beautiful garden home.
One day, a circus1 arrived just outside the garden. Michael could hear the music and the crowd as he was working. But he could not leave the garden because he had to look after the flowers, the plants, and the trees.
As the days passed, Michael would always peek2 through the bushes3 at the circus outside the garden. Although his hands were tending4 to the trees and flowers, his mind was not. All he could think about was the circus.
Knowing that Michael longed to see the circus, Papa Monkey made a suggestion5:
“Just go see the circus, my friend! I’ll take care of the garden while you’re gone.”
“No, no. It’s okay. The garden is too much of a burden6 for you!” said Michael.
But Papa Monkey insisted7, “Don’t worry! I’ll ask Baby Money to help me. Just go and see the circus!
“Are you sure? I might be gone for quite a while,” Michael replied.
“Yes, I am very sure! You go on ahead!” said Papa Monkey.
Michael’s eyes lit up with excitement8. “Thank you so much Papa Monkey! Please remember that water is precious9, so please be careful not to waste any water when you water the plants.”
“Of course I know. Now please just go and enjoy yourself at the circus!” replied Papa Monkey.
So, Michael went to see the circus. And just as he promised10, Papa Monkey asked Baby Monkey to help water half the garden.
“Water is precious, little one, so please tend to the plants and flowers carefully!” said Papa Monkey.
“Don’t waste water, each plant and flower needs just the right amount, so only use that much water,” repeated Papa Monkey.
“But how do I know how much water is enough?” asked Baby Monkey.
“That’s easy. Those with long roots need more water. Those with short roots need less water,” explained Papa Monkey.
“Ok, I understand!” nodded Baby Monkey.
Soon enough, Baby Monkey realized11 it was more difficult12 than he thought.
“I can’t see how long the roots are! So how do I figure out13 how much water to give? he wondered14.
Baby Monkey sat down on the grass and began to think hard about this problem.
“I got it!” He shouted15. “I’ll pull them out of the ground. That way, I can see whether the plants have long or short roots!”
Full of excitement, Baby Monkey started to pull the plants out of the soil, so he could check the length of each root.
“This one has short roots, so it needs less water. That one has long roots, so it needs more water,” Baby Monkey thought proudly16 to himself.
He then planted them back into the soil and watered them accordingly17.
A few days later, Michael returned from the circus. When he saw the part of the garden that was tended by Papa Monkey, he was very happy. The plants all looked healthy and beautiful!
But when he saw what Baby Monkey had done to the other half of the garden. Michael’s heart sank18… All the plants were either dead or dying. Half of his beloved19 garden was ruined20.
Baby Monkey was so ashamed21 of his mistake when he saw how upset Michael was. He explained that he pulled out the plants only to make sure they received water according to the length of their roots.
Michael knew that Baby Monkey was only trying to help and that his intentions22 were good. So he decided to forgive Baby Monkey and at once picked up his gardening tools to fix his once beautiful garden.
The moral of this story is that sometimes when we want to help others, we might create more problems for them in the end. It is important to have the skill and knowledge of how to best help others. Knowledge comes from learning step by step. For things we have no knowledge of, we should be humble23 and not hesitate24 to ask for advice. To be a know-it-all is dangerous as we might be ignorant25 of our own failings and shortcomings.
Just as Venerable Master Hsing Yun says,
“Taking precaution at the beginning can nip trouble in the bud; being aware of one’s mistakes can eliminate trouble.”
We all make mistakes, and when we do, we must have the courage26 to admit them and make amends27. Willingness to admit one’s errors is one of the highest virtues28. .

VOCABULARY
1. circus (n.) 馬戲團
2. peek (v.) 窺視；偷看
3. bushes (n.) 灌木叢
4. tending (v.) 照顧；照料
5. suggestion (n.) 提議；建議
6. burden (n.) 負擔
7. insisted (v.) 堅持說
8. excitement (n.) 興奮
9. precious (adj.) 珍貴的
10. promised (v.) 答應
11. realized (v.) 意識到
12. difficult (adj.) 困難的
13. figure out (p.v.) 弄明白；想出
14. wondered (v.) 想知道
15. shouted (v.）大聲叫嚷
16. proudly (adv.) 自豪地
17. accordingly (adv.) 按情況
18. heart sank (idiom)感到難過
19. beloved (adj.) 心愛的
20. ruined (adj.) 毀掉的
21. ashamed (adj.) 慚愧的
22. intentions (n.) 目的；意圖
23. humble (adj.) 謙遜的
24. hesitate (v.) 猶豫；遲疑
25. ignorant (adj.) 無知的
26. courage (n.) 勇氣
27. make amends (p.v.) 賠禮道歉
28. virtues (n.) 美德；優點

星雲大師法語
Dharma Words by Venerable Master Hsing Yun

防微能夠杜漸，知錯能夠弭患。
Taking precaution at the beginning can nip trouble in the bud;
Being aware of one’s mistakes can eliminate trouble.

Baby Monkey Waters Flowers 猴子澆花
無論修行也好，做人也好，佛教一再強調要有智慧，凡事講求中道。所謂「中道」即不偏不倚，也就是正道。然而，如何才能掌握中道呢？就需要智慧來引導，因此智慧對我們而言，實在很重要。

經典裡有一個故事說到：在國王的花園裡，住著一個猴子家庭，成員有爸爸、媽媽和孩子。另外，花園裡還有一個專門負責照顧花朵的園丁。

由於園丁跟猴子們相處得很好，所以有時候猴子就會幫忙園丁，做些拔草、澆水的工作。

有一天，王宮外面的廣場傳來演戲的聲音，園丁聽到了，實在好心動，很想跑去看戲。可...

《星雲說喻 中英對照版》，是一套引人入勝的六冊選集，收編了九十五篇由敬愛的星雲大師講說，以六度波羅蜜為主題的故事。這些故事最初收錄在《星雲說喻》，大師喜歡在演講中穿插生動有趣的故事，以傳遞人間佛教思想與實踐的精髓。

2019年，我們首次將《星雲說喻》的內容翻譯成有聲故事書，並於 Anchor 播客平台推出「菩提心燈」系列故事 (Bodhi Light Tales Podcast)。這些年，我們一直期待著將這些故事結集成冊，如今因緣條件具足，並以中英雙語圖書的形式呈現。為了讓來自各年齡層、宗教、信仰，以及文化的讀者皆能與故事產生共鳴，我們在精簡扼要的原文基礎上發揮想像，增添了一些原文故事沒有的情節。也就是說，這套故事書中的英文故事是經過編譯的創作，非中文的直譯對照。編譯的幾項原則要點說明如下：

首先是對故事人物的背景資訊加以補充，如：名字、所從事行業，及個性等。我們蒐集文獻和查證史料，以確保人物的歷史背景正確無誤。希望藉由建構鮮明的人物特性，能帶給讀者更多親和力，也鼓勵讀者進一步探索喜愛的角色。

第二，根據語言差異做調整。舉例來說，其中一則故事為了彰顯信息誤導的可怕，而使用了相同字尾的構詞手法。在中文的情節裡，最初說的是一架飛機，隨後被傳成了十一架飛機，到最後演變成了九十一架飛機。而在英文版本中，我們將數字修改為九（nine）架飛機、十九（nineteen）架飛機、九十（ninety）架飛機，以保留與中文相同的特色和效果，讓英語讀者能夠充分地理解故事的含意。

故事結束，為每篇故事搭配一則精選「星雲法語」，作為總結故事核心寓意的智慧錦囊。「星雲法語」原是大師依據自己的人生經歷寫下的鼓勵和箴言，期望藉此帶給大家正念，在人生迷茫處作一盞指引方向的明燈。

學佛與否，佛性本自具足。無論是兒童還是成人，我們都有能力讓自己和周遭的世界變得更好、更正向。希望這套故事書能啟迪心性，讓各個年齡層的讀者在邁向自我覺醒的生命旅程中，充滿能量、勇氣和慈悲。

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.
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!

《星雲說喻 中英對照版》，是一套引人入勝的六冊選集，收編了九十五篇由敬愛的星雲大師講說，以六度波羅蜜為主題的故事。這些故事最初收錄在《星雲說喻》，大師喜歡在演講中穿插生動有趣的故事，以傳遞人間佛教思想與實踐的精髓。

2019年，我們首次將《星雲說喻》的內容翻譯成有聲故事書，並於 Anchor 播客平台推出「菩提心燈」系列故事 (Bodhi Light Tales Podcast)。這些年，我們一直期待著將這些故事結集成冊，如今因緣條件具足，並以中英雙語圖書的形式呈現。為了讓來自各年齡層、宗教、信仰，以及文化的讀者皆能與故事產生共鳴，我...

Bodhi Light Tales:Volume 6
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. Better off Blind 不如做瞎子
02. Bubble Mountain 泡沫山的故事
03. Baby Monkey Waters Flowers 猴子澆花
04. Let Go and Be Saved 放下，得救
05. Deception of Our Senses 師父背女人
06. Nothing to Give 沒有東西
07. Three Times Eight 三八二十三
08. Living with Contentment 適合的人生
09. Nudist Country 裸人國
10. Death and Life 生死
11. Being Saved 相依得救
12. Soccer Game 足球賽
13. Fearing Nothing 什麼都不怕
14. Outside the Box 有創意的答案
15. The Value of a Stone 石頭值多少錢？

Bodhi Light Tales:Volume 6
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. Better off Blind 不如做瞎子
02. Bubble Mountain 泡沫山的故事
03. Baby Monkey Waters Flowers 猴子澆花
04. Let Go and Be Saved 放下，得救
05. Deception of Our Senses 師父背女人
06. Nothing to Give 沒有東西
07. Three Times Eight 三八二十三
08. Living with Contentment 適合的人生
09. Nudist Country 裸人國
10. Death and Life 生...