第42章 探索一千年

以前，兩個哲學家在黎巴嫩的一個山坡上相遇，這～個問那一個道："你上哪兒去？"那一個答道："我正在尋找青春的源泉，我知道這泉水是從這些山嶺間噴湧出來的。我曾經讀到的文章上說，這泉水向著太陽盛開著花朵哩。你呢，你在尋找著什麼？"這一個回答說："我正在尋找死亡的秘密。" 兩個哲學家都認為對方對他那偉大的科學知之甚少，他們爭論起來了，都指責對方精神上的盲目性。 正當這兩個哲學家爭論得響遏行雲時，有一個陌生人經過。在他自己的村子裡，大家都認為他是個傻瓜。他聽見哲學家在熱烈辯論，便站停了一會兒，聽他們論爭。 然後他走近哲學家們，說道："先生們，看來你們兩位是屬於同一個哲學學派的，你們講的是同一個事物，不過你們用不同的語言講述罷了。你們兩人中有一位尋找青春的源泉，另一位尋找死亡的秘密。事實上，這兩者不過是一個事物；而且作為一個事物存在於你們兩位的身上。"

於是這陌生人一邊兒轉過身去，一邊兒說道："再見了，哲人們。"他離開時發出了耐心的笑聲。 這兩位哲學家默默地相視片刻，接著也哈哈大笑了。其中一位說道："好吧，現在咱們是否一起走一起探索？" The Quest A thousand years ago two philosophers met on a slope of Lebanon, and one said to the other, "Where goest thou?" And the other answered, "I am seeking after the fountain of youth which I know wells out among these hills. I have found writings which tell of that fountain flowering toward the sun. And you, what are you seeking?"

The first man answered, "I am seeking after the mystery of death." Then each of the two philosophers conceived that the other was lacking in his great science, and they began to wrangle, and to accuse each other of spiritual blindness. Now while the two philosophers were loud upon the wind, a stranger, a man who was deemed a simpleton in his own village, passed by, and when he heard the two in hot dispute, he stood awhile and listened to their argument.

Then he came near to them and said, "My good men, it seems that you both really belong to the same school of philosophy, and that you are speaking of the same thing, only you speak in different words. One of you is seeks the fountain of youth, and the other seeks the mystery of death. Yet indeed they are but one, and as they dwell in you both."

Then the stranger turned away saying, "Farewell sages." And as he departed he laughed a patient laughter. The two philosophers looked at each other in silence for a moment, and then they laughed also. And one of them said, "Well now, shall we not walk and seek together."