英语故事：磨砖成镜
In the Tang Dynasty, there was a Guanyin (Avalokitesvara) Temple on the Southern Mountain of Hengshan. The temple was stately and solemn, with incense1 smoke curling all around.
One day, the eminent2 Monk3 Huai Rang of the Chan sect4 strolled into the temple hall and saw Monk Ma Zu sitting calm and upright on a rush cushion, with his palms put together and his eyes closed in deep meditation5.
Knowing that Ma Zu aspired6 to become a Buddha7, Huai Rang smiled to himself. He picked up a brick at random8, squatted9 on his heels and began to grind it noisily.
Ma Zu was vexed10 by the noise. He opened his eyes to find that it was his own master grinding a brick. He asked: "Master, what are you doing?"
Huai Rang replied: "I am grinding the brick to make a mirror."
Ma Zu laughed and said: "Can a brick be ground into a mirror?"
"If a brick cannot be ground into a mirror," replied Huai Rang, "then can you become a Buddha by sitting in deep meditation?"
Ma Zu was rather displeased11, and said: "What do you mean?"
Huai Rang explained: "For example, an ox pulls a cart, but the cart doesn't move. Now, you say, should you whip the ox or push the cart?"
Ma Zu hummed and hawed but couldn't answer.
At this moment, Huai Rang said to him seriously: "You learn to sit in meditation in order to become a Buddha. In fact, it relies on wisdom and comprehension of the mind to become one, not at all on sitting.
"As for a Buddha, he has no fixed12 appearance, so the mind cannot fix on any single object. If you try to learn Buddhism13 by sitting in meditation, that would amount to throttling14 a Buddha. If you obstinately15 dwell on external appearance, you will never comprehend the real Buddhist16 doctrine17."
唐朝时，南岳衡山上有一座观音庙，庙宇庄严，香火缭绕。
有一天，禅宗高僧怀让踱进佛殿，一眼看到马祖和尚正端坐在蒲团上，静心合掌，闭目禅定。
怀让知道马祖一心想成佛，暗自好笑。他随手拣来一块青砖，蹲在地上哗啦哗啦地磨了起来。
马祖听得心烦，睁眼一看，原来是自己的师傅在磨砖。马祖问：“师傅，你在做什么?”
怀让回答：“磨砖做镜。”
马祖笑着说：“难道砖头也能磨成镜子吗?”
怀让答道：“砖头不能磨成镜子，难道你坐禅就能成佛吗?”
马祖很不高兴，说：“你这是什么意思?”
怀让解释说：“打个比方说，牛拉车，车不动。你说，应该打牛还是推车?”
马祖支支吾吾答不上来。
这时候，怀让认真地对他说：“你学坐禅是为了成佛，其实，成佛靠的是心灵的颖悟，根本不是坐着能解决的。”
“而佛呢，没有固定的相貌，所以心不能停留在任何一种事物上。你想坐禅学佛，也就是杀佛。你固执着外相，就永远不能领悟到真正的佛理。”
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收听单词发音
1 incense
v.激怒;n.香，焚香时的烟，香气
参考例句：
This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.这项提议会激怒环保人士。
In summer,they usually burn some coil incense to keep away the mosquitoes.夏天他们通常点香驱蚊。
2 eminent
adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的
参考例句：
We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。
3 monk
n.和尚，僧侣，修道士
参考例句：
The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。
4 sect
n.派别，宗教，学派，派系
参考例句：
When he was sixteen he joined a religious sect.他16岁的时候加入了一个宗教教派。
Each religious sect in the town had its own church.该城每一个宗教教派都有自己的教堂。
5 meditation
n.熟虑，(尤指宗教的)默想，沉思，(pl.)冥想录
参考例句：
This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。
6 aspired
v.渴望，追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She aspired to a scientific career. 她有志于科学事业。
Britain,France,the United States and Japan all aspired to hegemony after the end of World War I. 第一次世界大战后，英、法、美、日都想争夺霸权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 Buddha
n.佛;佛像;佛陀
参考例句：
Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。
8 random
adj.随机的;任意的;n.偶然的(或随便的)行动
参考例句：
The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
9 squatted
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 );非法擅自占用(土地或房屋);为获得其所有权;而占用某片公共用地。
参考例句：
He squatted down beside the footprints and examined them closely. 他蹲在脚印旁仔细地观察。 来自《简明英汉词典》
He squatted in the grass discussing with someone. 他蹲在草地上与一个人谈话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 vexed
adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论
参考例句：
The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。
He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
11 displeased
a.不快的
参考例句：
The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。
12 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。
13 Buddhism
n.佛教(教义)
参考例句：
Buddhism was introduced into China about 67 AD.佛教是在公元67年左右传入中国的。
Many people willingly converted to Buddhism.很多人情愿皈依佛教。
14 throttling
v.扼杀( throttle的现在分词 );勒死;使窒息;压制
参考例句：
This fight scarf is throttling me. 这条束得紧紧的围巾快要把我窒息死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
The latter may be used with bypass or throttling valves in the tower water pipework circuit. 近来，可采用在冷却塔的水管系统中设置旁通阀或节流阀。 来自辞典例句
15 obstinately
ad.固执地，顽固地
参考例句：
He obstinately asserted that he had done the right thing. 他硬说他做得对。
Unemployment figures are remaining obstinately high. 失业数字仍然顽固地居高不下。
16 Buddhist
adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒
参考例句：
The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。
17 doctrine
n.教义;主义;学说
参考例句：
He was impelled to proclaim his doctrine.他不得不宣扬他的教义。
The council met to consider changes to doctrine.宗教议会开会考虑更改教义。
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