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?
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翻譯:
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。