[美文欣賞]

The only problem unconsciously assumed by all Chinese philosophers to be of any importance is: How shall we enjoy life, and who can best enjoy life? No perfectionism, no straining after the unattainable, no postulating of he unknowable; but taking poor, modal human nature as it is, how shall we organize our life so that we can woke peacefully, endure nobly and live happily?

Who are we? That is first question. It is a question almost impossible to answer. But we all agree with the busy self occupied in our daily activities is not quite the real self. We are quite sure we have lost something in the mere pursuit of living. When we watch a person running about looking for something in a field, the wise man can set a puzzle for all the spectator to solve: what has that person lost? Some one thinks is a watch; another thinks it is a diamond brooch; and others will essay other guesses. After all the guesses have failed, the wise man who really doesn't know what the person is seeking after, tells the company:" I'll tell you. He has lost some breath." And no one can deny that he is right. So we often forget our true self in the pursuit of living, like a bird forgetting its own danger in pursuit of a mantis which again forgets its own danger in pursuit of another.

[參考譯文]

一切中國的哲學家在不知不覺中認為唯一重要的問題是：我們要怎樣享受人生？誰最會享受人生？我們不追求十全十美的理想，我們不尋找那些得不到的東西，我們不要求知道那些不得而知的東西；我們只認識不完美的、會死的人類的本性，那么我們要怎樣調整我們的人生，使我們可以和平地工作著，曠達地忍耐著，幸福地生活著呢?

我們是誰呢？這是第一個問題。這個問題幾乎是無法答復的。可是我們都承認在我們曰常活動中那么忙碌的自我，并不完全是真正的自我；我們相信我們在生活的追求中已經失掉了一些東西。當我們看見一個人在一片田野里跑來跑去在尋找東西時，智者可以弄出一個難題給一切旁觀者去解答：那個人失掉了什么東西呢？有的猜一只表；有的猜一支鉆石胸針；其他的人則作其他的猜測。智者委實也不知道那個人在尋找什么東西；可是當大家都猜不中的時候，他會對大家說：“我告訴你們吧。他失掉了一些氣息了。” 沒有人會否認他的話是對的。所以我們在生活的追求中常常忘掉了真正的自我，像莊子在一個美妙的譬喻里所講的那只鳥那樣，為了要捕捉一只螳螂而忘掉自身的危險，而那只螳螂又為了要捕捉一只蟬而忘掉自身的危險。