- Tale I: The Beginning (開端)
- Tale II: The Orthodox (正統)
- Tale III: The Mystic (神秘)
- Tale IV: The New Age (新紀元)
- Epilogue (後記)
| The Beginning (開端) | |
| On a sunny and warm afternoon, three grandchildren of the old Papa were playing under an olive tree. The eldest one was named Adam, followed by his sister Sophia, and the youngest one, Thomas. They were discussing who planted the tree. | 一個陽光和煦的下午，老爺爺的三個小孫子正在橄欖樹下玩耍。他們分別是大哥小正、二姊小穎與小弟弟小明。他們正在討論關於橄欖樹的問題。 |
| Thomas started in awe, "To plant such a big tree, you must need the strength of an ox! Perhaps it was our Ox that ploughs our field." | 小明讚嘆道：「要種這麼大的一棵樹，恐怕要我們家的大公牛才辦得到吧？」 |
| "My little brother, an Ox would not pull up a tree without someone asking it to do so," said Adam, with a tone of authority. "Therefore, the Creator of the tree must be an adult, or a few adults, who are human like us. They ordered the mighty ox to plant the tree." | 大哥小正答道：「傻小子，公牛才不會無原無故去種樹呢！一定是有大人叫我們的公牛去豎起這棵樹的。他們才是創造這樹的人。」 |
| "How can they order the Ox?" little Thomas asked. | 小明好奇道：「大人怎樣吩咐一頭牛呢？」 |
| "Maybe they also created the Ox like they planted the tree... Yes, they must have created everything. When we grow up, we may be like them too! By then I can create a horse for you to ride!" Adam said proudly. |  小正說：「也許我們的公牛也是大人們造的。對了，大人們一定是所有東西的創造者。媽說我也快長大成人了呢！到時我便能像他們一樣厲害，我還可以變匹馬出來讓你騎騎！」 |
| Sophia, who has been sitting quietly under the shade, spoke up. "If the adults are so powerful, then why would our Ox die last time?" | 一直坐在樹蔭下默不作聲的小穎忽然說：「如果大人真的那麼厲害，那我們之前的那頭牛便不會死了。」 |
| "Hmmm… Perhaps it was naughty? They punish it for being naughty?" Adam said uncertainly. | 小正猶豫起來：「是否因為牠做錯了什麼事？也許死亡是一種懲罰？」 |
 "Isn't it true that whatever the Ox does follows whatever the adults have instructed? Adults who created our ox must be not wise enough. They haven't figured out how to create completely obedient ox or ox without death. There must be a more mighty Power that can create everything, including all the adults and children, perhaps life without death too." Sophia said thoughtfully. | 細心的小穎說：「剛才我們不是說，公牛只做大人吩咐的工作？如果公牛不聽話，也是大人的責任吧？也許大人們根本不能造出一頭不會抗命、或都不會死的公牛。一定有更強大的力量創造了大人、小朋友、公牛，甚至不會死的生命。」 |
| "Maybe it is what the adults named 'God'? I heard that if we misbehave ourselves, the adults will tell our God, and He will then punish us in the future!" Adam said sheepishly. | 小正囁嚅道：「也許那便是大人們說的『神』？好像有人說如果我們做錯事，大人們便會告訴神，神將來便會懲罰我們罷？」 |
| "I believe we don't have to go through the adults to contact that Power. As it created us, we should be able to connect to the Power by ourselves, maybe through some charms?" | 小穎答說：「如果我們真是神的創造，我們便不需要大人們的教導或傳話，也應該能與它連繫起來吧。也許我們需要學些咒語之類？」 |
| Bibliography: Campbell, J. & Moyers, B. (1991). In Flowers, B. S. (Ed.), The power of myth. Bantam Doubleday Dell. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0385418868 Pagels, E. (1989). Gnostic gospels. Knopf. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0679724532 | |
| The Orthodox (正統) | |
| Just then, their mother, Maria, passed by, returning from the river after doing the laundry. Maria overheard what they were discussing, and couldn't help smiling. She walked towards them and said tenderly, "Oh my dearest, you know, all the beautiful things in the world, including this tree, our ox, the sun up in the sky, as well as you three, my beloved children, are all the creation of the Lord our God." | 他們的母親剛好從河邊濯洗回來，隱約聽到他們的討論，忍不住微笑起來。她對他們溫柔地說：「傻孩子，這世上所有美麗的東西，無論是一花一草、陽光與公牛、以及我最愛的你們三個小精靈，都是全能的神的傑作啊！」 |
| "So our God created everything?" Thomas exclaimed. | 小明讚嘆說：「那我們的神真的創了所有東西了？」 |
| "Yes, my child. He is almighty and nothing is impossible for him." | 「真的，孩子。祂是全能的，在祂來說沒有東西是不可能的。」母親說。 |
| "Then why would our Ox die?" Adam asked. | 「那為什麼我們的公牛會死掉呢？」小正問。 |
| "Death is just a way to get closer to God. Our God lives high up in the sky, and our body is just too heavy to fly up there. When we die, we leave our body in earth, and our spirit will fly to the sky to meet Him." | 「死亡只是一個靠近神的途徑罷。神住在高高的天上，而我們用泥土做的身體卻太重，飛不上去，只好在死亡的時候把身體交還大地，讓自由的靈魂從此高飛，你能明白嗎？」 |
| "O, so we'll meet God one day then! Is God like us?" Thomas asked. | 「噢，那我們最終會見到祂呢！祂怎麼樣的？是不是跟我們一樣？」小明問道。 |
| "God has three faces. God can be the power of creation, God can be like us as a human-being, or God can be like wind that sustains life." Maria said softly. | 「唔，這樣說吧，祂有三個不同的面孔：祂有時是創造萬物的力量，有時像人一樣有血有肉有感情，也有時會像和風一樣，滋潤萬物。」母親輕輕地解釋著。 |
| "So there are many Gods?" Thomas asked. | 「那就是說我們有很多不同的神了？」小明又問。 |
| "No, my son. Let me ask you, how many water(s) are there in the world?" | 「孩子，不是的；不如你告訴我，世上有多少個或多少種『水』？」 |
| "Water is water, isn't it uncountable, mom?" Adam answered. | 「水？水便是水，不是不能數的嗎？」小正說。 |
 "Yes, Adam. However, water can sometimes be a power that can break through the rock on the mountain and split the earth into lands. Water can also turn itself into ice that you can feel and touch, or into snow that can touch your face. Water is sometimes like air or like wind, as cloud or as steam. It flies freely over the seas and over the hills, comes out from the trees and goes in your breath. It nourishes every life form yet its shape we don't know. So is water the stream, the ice, or the humid blow?" | 「不錯呢，小正。然而，水有時是一股能開山穿石的力量，有時又能凝固成你能觸碰的雪花，甚至能變成你看不到的水氣與雲朵，飛越大海與山嶺，穿過叢林並走進你每一口呼吸裏。它潤澤大地上的生命，卻沒有你能描述的形狀。現在你們說，水究竟是那河溪、那冰雪、還是那濕潤的春風呢？」 |
| "It sometimes gives life but sometimes takes life. It cleans the dirt but never get dirt. It exists before all existence and will stay on till the end of Earth. Isn't it like God, the Love that we are trying to learn?" Coming to his wife and children, Francis joined the little discussion in his family. | 一把洪亮的聲音響起來：「它能賦與生命也能帶走生命，洗滌污穢卻永遠清明。它在萬物化生之前便已存在，一直到世界的終結。你說那像不像神、那塵世間的大愛？」 |
| "Dad!" The children all screamed together and rushed to hug their father. | 「爸！」小孩們都興奮地跳起來，搶著要擁抱他們的父親。 |
| "Someone admire God's power and have faith in Him. Someone follow His example and have love for the fellow men. Someone chase the wind and learn the wisdom to understand." Francis said to his children. "However, anyone who cannot find joy and peace in their faith, but judgment and obstinacy instead, they are going astray. A grateful heart is always filled with joy, and a faithful heart with peace." |  父親繼續說：「有的敬畏祂的大能而信靠祂，有的追隨祂的教導而服務人，也有的尋找祂的智慧而得平安與自由。誰若不能從信仰中活出平安與喜樂，心中充滿批判與執著，誰便是在信邪教。感恩的心，常樂；信靠的心，平安。」 |
| "Who has the wisdom and can explain?" Sophia asked. | 「又有誰能給我解釋那智慧呢？」小穎問。 |
| "Ask your old Papa and old Mama, my lovely girl," answered Maria. | 「去問你的老爺爺和奶奶吧，小穎。」母親答說。 |
| Bibliography: Gellman, M., Hartman, T., & Smith, J. A. (1997). How do you spell God? HarperCollins. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0688152961 Smith, H. (1991). The world's religions: Our great wisdom traditions. HarperCollins. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0062508113 Teresa, Mother & Vardey, L. (1995). Simple path. Random House. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0345397452 | |
| The Mystic (神秘) | |
| Adam, Sophia, and Thomas went to visit the old Papa, but he was not at home. Old Mama took them in, and poured them her best tea. | 小正、小穎與小明一起跑到老爺爺處，但老爺爺卻正巧不在家。老奶奶於是讓他們在她家裏等待，並為他們泡了她很喜愛的紅茶。 |
| Thomas starts asking, "Old Mama, as you have lived for so long, have you seen the God? Is he like the stream, the steam, or the ice rock?" | 小明開始問道：「奶奶，你活了這麼久，有沒有見過神呢？祂是否像爸爸說的小溪、浮雲或冰塊呢？」 |
 Old Mama gently stroked his hair, and said with a smile, "My dear child, everyone can see God. If God is like the sea, you are the small water drop originated from Him. Go sit under the shade of a tree, and have you mind completely stops, stop even the idea of stopping your mind. You will then feel peace and eventually connected to the God." |  老奶奶一邊輕撫孫子的髮絲，一邊笑著說：「孩子，人人都可以看見神。神彷彿一個汪洋，而你則是從它那裏來的一滴小水點。去，坐在樹蔭下，把你的心完全停下，連要停下的心也停下。當你感覺到那無盡的平安襲來，你便是和我們的神連成一體了。」 |
| "What if I cannot stop my mind, old Mama?" Adam frowned. | 小正皺著眉說：「如果我不能停下我的心，那可以怎辦？」 |
| "Read the symbols on the tree bark, child. There is a loop here and a stroke there. From the bottom to the top, written the mystery of God. Smell the grass and count to nine, say 'Oum' and close your eyes. You will see God between the lines." | 「那你可以對著樹皮上的符號默想，那便是神寫下的暗語，由根部到枝條，滿載著神的秘密呢。深深地將草香吸進身體裏，由一數到九，閉上眼睛呼氣，一邊唱出『唵』這個音，神便會出現了。」 |
| Sophia suddenly understood, and she kneeled down with tears rolling down her cheek. Adam thought she was so odd, and still believed it was their fault that separated them from God. | 小穎忽然有所瞭解，突然跪在地上並流下眼淚來。小正還未能明白，只覺得這些都很古怪；他還是有點相信神是會懲罰頑皮的小朋友的。 |
| Bibliography: Osho. (2000). Autobiography of a spiritually incorrect mystic. St. Martin's Press. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0312280718, http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010210832 Rinpoche, S. (1993). In Harvey, A. (Ed.). The Tibetan book of living and dying. HarperCollins. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0062508342 | |
| The New Age (新紀元) | |
| Thomas was not satisfied. He had so many questions left unanswered. He was trailing along the river when he suddenly met the old Papa. | 小明還是覺得有點不足，彷彿心裏尚有很多問題未問似的。他沿著河邊徐徐地走著，竟給他遇上了老爺爺。 |
 Old Papa took him up to the top of a small hill, and invited the little child to join him watching the sunset. They sat there in silence and it seemed neither one would talk. | 老爺爺帶小明走上一個小山丘，讓小明與他一起看夕陽與晚霞。他們一起坐著，誰也沒有說話。 |
| Suddenly, old Papa spoke. "Son, we are all one." | 到太陽逐漸消失在地平線下時，老爺爺忽然說：「孩子，我們都是一體。」 |
| "Old Papa, you mean you and I are one?" Thomas was puzzled. | 「老爺爺，你是說我和你都是一體？」小明迷惑地說。 |
 "Yes, not only you and me, but also the sun, the hill, the cloud, the stream, the trees, the birds, and you and me. we all belong to the divine power. God was like the sea, sea of life, broken down into water-drops, water-drops that have boundaries. All water drops will one day join the sea, from where they may split and lock themselves inside the boundary again. One day they will learn what they need to learn, and return to help those waiting to be freed." | 「是的，但不止我和你，還有太陽、山丘、雲朵、小溪、樹林、飛鳥、我和你。我們都是祂的一部分。祂是海，我們是水滴。是我們的自我做成了水滴的界限。是我們的差別心、批判心、和執著的心，叫我們離開了汪洋。有一天，當我們學會了我們要學的東西，那界限便會消失，我們便又成為海的一部分。也許我們還會再回來，去教那些執著自我的人釋放自己，重回大海裏。」 |
| "Old Papa, are you referring to the death of the Ox we have seen? Will it return as free? Is it part of the sea?" | 「老爺爺，那是不是就是死亡？好像我們家的牛一樣？那牠是否還會回來？牠是否也是神的一部分？」 |
| "You shall not enquire the reality, for the reality is your fantasy. If you believe you will see your Ox again, again you will see. If a water-drop merges with the sea, and comes out again as a water-drop, do you consider that 'reincarnation'? Words are limited. Open yourself to divine guidance, see the ocean in the water-drop, and you will meet the eternality through synchronicity." |  「不要有限的語言去瞭解無限的真相，你現在見到的都是幻象。如果你相信你會重遇你的牛，很快你們便能再相遇。試想想，一滴水匯流到海裏，然後一滴水也從海裏流了出來，你會稱這為『輪迴』嗎？試試將生命開放給神，試試在水滴裏看到汪洋，留下空間讓祂的計畫因你而成就。」 |
| "Do you mean I will meet God by chance?" | 「噢，那是否只要我不強求，便會遇上神？」 |
| "God is only in your heart. God and you are one, like water and the sea." | 「神就在你心裏。神與你是一體的，就如海和水。」 |
| "So will there be heaven and hell, and the fear I have for death?" | 「神不是住在天國嗎？壞人不是要下地獄嗎？那我應否害怕死亡呢？」 |
| "For water drops not realizing they are part of the sea, losing boundary comes so scary. Without boundary, love among us becomes so easy. Heaven is always within and hell is the boundary." | 「若果你明白海和水的關係，失去界限實在沒有什麼可怕的。自我的界限就是地獄的疆界，天國本是在人間；沒有自我的靈魂，自然有愛與仁。」 |
| Thomas was suddenly freed. From this point onwards he had no enquiry. Sitting side by side, they transcended their boundaries, and the Age of Aquarius had replaced the Age of Pisces silently. | 小明若有所悟，忽然覺得豁然開朗，甚至超越了和老爺爺之間的界限，也不知不覺間超越了這雙魚座紀元而進入了新的水瓶座紀元。 |
| Bibliography: Kübler-Ross, E. & Gold, T. (1998). Wheel of life: A memoir of living and dying. Scribner. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0684846314 Redfield, J. (1998). The tenth insight: Holding the vision - further adventures of the Celestine prophecy. Warner. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0446674575 Redfield, J. & Adrienne, C. (1995). The Celestine prophecy: An adventure. Warner. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0446671002 Walsch, N. D. (1996). Conversations with god: An uncommon dialogue. Penguin. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0399142789 Weiss, B. L. (1988). Many lives, many masters. Simon & Schuster. Retrieved from http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0671657860 | |
| Epilogue (後記) | |
| Just in time to publish this before the tab for May, 2006 disappears. This is my yet another trial to simplify my study on religion after the last article, Masters. As it turns out, my goal may be too aggressive for my writing skill to match. Anyway, I am glad that it is done. | 總算趕及在五月最後的一天登出這篇文章。這是繼《當受傅的遇上覺悟的》之後又一個眼高手低的嘗試，也是我第一次製作雙語文稿，還望大家不吝給我意見。 |
| This month has been really hectic, with some major change in my job role, a residential program in US which totally disturbed my biological clock, as well as a number of examinations which keep my adrenaline level high. Let's look forward to more time and thus more publishing next month! | 抱歉要大家等了那麼久，這個月實在是我寫網誌以來最忙的一個月。一方面我的工作的角色改變了，二方面我要到美國上課，令生理時鐘大亂，加上各式各樣的考試諸如樂理、電單車（即機車）等，終於等到今天端午佳節才有空發表此文。希望下個月能勤些寫作吧！ |
