了凡四训
第一篇立命之学
余童年丧父，老母命弃举业学医，谓：“可以养生，可以济人，且习一艺以成名，尔父夙心也。”
在我童年时，父亲就去世了，母亲要我放弃科举考试的学业而去学医。她说：“学医可以养活全家，也可以救助别人，而且学得一门技艺还能以此成名，这是你父亲一直以来的愿望。”
My father passed away when I was young, and mother persuaded me to learn medicine instead of becoming a scholar. She said: “ Learning medicine will be a good way to support yourself and also to help others. Besides, having a skill on hand, you will never have to worry about making a living, and you can even famous through your medical skills. This has always been an ambition your father had for you.”
后余在慈云寺，遇一老者，修髯伟貌，飘飘若仙，余敬礼之。语余曰：“子仕路中人也！明年即进学，何不读书？”余告以故，并叩老者姓氏里居。曰：“吾姓孔，云南人也！得邵子皇极数正传，数该传汝。”
后来我在慈云寺，遇到一位老人家，他胡须修长而相貌伟岸，神采飘逸就像神仙一般，我对他非常尊敬并向他行礼。这个老人家告诉我说：“你有做官的命，应该是官场中的人，明年就可以考中秀才，为什么不读书呢？”我只好据实以告，并且请问老人姓名与籍贯。老人家说：“我姓孔，是云南人。我得到邵雍先生《皇极经世书》之正传，命中注定应该传授给你。”
One day, at the Compassionate Cloud Temple, I met an elderly but distinguished looking man who had a long beard and had such a look of a sage that I immediately paid my respects to him. The old man told me that you are destined to become a government official. You can attain the rank of Erudite First Level Scholar next year, why aren’t you studying for the exam? So I told him of my mother’s instructions to give up scholarly study for learning medicine. Then I asked for his name, birthplace and residence. He replied: “My last name is Kong. I came from Yunnan Province. I have inherited the knowledge of Mr Shao, who developed the art of prediction very well. By calculations, I’m supposed to pass it on to you.”
第一篇立命之学
余引之归，告母。母曰：“善待之。”试其数，纤悉皆验。余遂启读书之念，谋之表兄沈称，言：“郁海谷先生，在沈友夫家开馆，我送汝寄学甚便。”余遂礼郁为师。
我就把这位孔先生邀请到家里，并禀告给母亲。母亲说：“要好好招待他。”我们试验他的占卜之术，结果事无大小全部应验。我于是就产生了继续读书、参加科考的念头，并与表兄沈称商量此事，表兄说：“郁海谷先生正在沈有夫家里开设私塾，我送你去那里跟着他们一起学习也很方便。”于是我就拜郁海谷先生为师。
Therefore, I led Mr Kong to my home and told my mother about him. Mother told me to treat him well and said:“Since Mr Kong is so good at predicting the future, he must also know our past. Let’s ask him and test his authenticity.” As a result, I found Mr Kong’s calculations to be very accurate, even in every small cases. After hearing his words of advice, I once again thought about studying. I then consulted with my cousin Shen Chen. He recommended thus: “My friend, Mr Hal-gu Yu is teaching at the home of Yo-fu Sheng. It would be very convenient for me to take you there for boarding and studying.” This is how I became Mr Yu’s student.
孔为余起数：县考童生，当十四名；府考七十一名，提学考第九名。明年赴考，三处名数皆合。复为卜终身休咎，言：“某年考第几名，某年当补廪，某年当贡，贡后某年，当选四川一大尹，在任三年半，即宜告归。五十三岁八月十四日丑时，当终于正寝，惜无子。”余备录而谨记之。
孔先生推算我县考时考第十四名，府考时考第七十一名，提学考时考第九名。第二年，我参加考试，三次考试所得名次和孔先生推算的完全相符。孔先生又替我推算终生的命数：某年考取第几名，某年补廪生，某年做贡生，又在贡后某年，被选为四川某县县令，做县令三年半后，最好辞官回乡，五十三岁那年八月十四日丑时，就寿终正寝，可惜命中没有儿子。这些话我都作了记录，并牢记在心。
Once again Mr Kong made a prediction for me. He said:“As a student, you will place fourteenth in the country examination, seventy-first at the regional exam and ninth at the provincial examination.” The following year, at the three places of examination, I placed exactly as he had predicted. Then Mr Kong calculated the predictions for my entire life. He said: “You will pass such and such a test in such and such a year, you will become a cival servant in such a year, and in such a year you will get a promotion. Finally, you will be appointed as a magistrate in Szechuan Province. After holding that office for three and a half years, you will resign and return home. At the age of fifty-three, you will die around one o’clock 【丑时指凌晨一点到三点，此处翻译不准确】in the morning on August 14th. It’s a pity that you will not have a son.” I recorded and remembered all that he said.
第一篇立命之学
The First Lesson: Learning To Create Destiny
【原文】自此以后，凡遇考校，其名数先后，皆不出孔公所悬定者。独算余食廪米九十一石五斗当出贡，及食米七十一石，屠宗师即批准补贡。余窃疑之。
【白话文】从此以后，凡是碰到了考试，所得到的名次先后，都不出孔老先生所预测的。惟独算我必须领用九十一石五斗的廪生米，才会补上贡生，但是当我领到七十一石的时候，屠宗师就批准我补上贡生位。因此，我对于孔老先生的预言，心中开始产生怀疑。
【英文】From then on, the outcome of every examination I took turned out exactly as Mr. Kong predicted. Mr. Kong also predicted that I would be promoted only after receiving a salary in the weight of ninety-one dans and five dous of rice. However, I had received only seventy-one dans of rice when the senior educational official Mr. Tu recommended me for a promotion. I secretly began to doubt Mr. Kong's predictions.
【原文】后果为署印杨公所驳。直至丁卯年，殷秋溟宗师见余场中备卷，叹曰：“五策，即五篇奏议也，岂可使博洽淹贯之儒，老于窗下乎？”遂依县申文准贡。连前食米计之，实九十一石五斗也。余因此益信，“进退有命，迟速有时”，澹然无求矣。
【白话文】后来屠宗师要批准我补贡的呈文，果然被代理提学职务的杨公驳回。一直到了丁卯年，殷秋溟宗师看到我考场上的备选试卷，不禁感叹地说：“这五篇文章，就像是呈给皇上的五篇论政奏折，难道要让这种学识渊博又能融会贯通的读书人，老死窗下而不能出人头地吗？”
于是就按照县里的呈文，准许补升为贡生。连同以往所领的七十一石米加起来，确实是九十一石五斗。经过了这一番波折，我因此更加相信，一个人的功名浮沉，都是命中所注定的，而运气来得快或慢，也都有既定的时间，所以对于世上的一切，就看得非常地平淡，再也不想汲汲营求了。
【英文】Nevertheless, the prediction turned out to be correct after all, because the recommendation was turned down by Mr. Tu's superior, Mr. Yang. It was not until several years later when Mr. Chiu-min Ying saw my old exam papers and exclaimed:“ These five essays are as well written as reports to the Emperor! How can we bury the talents of such a great scholar?” Mr. Ying wanted the magistrate to issue an official order for me to become a candidate for 'imperial student' under his authority. After undergoing this eventful promotion, my calculations showed that I had received exactly ninety-one dans and five dous of rice.
From then on, whether it was promotion, rank, or wealth, I deeply believed that all came in due time. Even the length of one's life is predestined. I began to view everything in a more detached manner and ceased to seek gain and profit.
【原文】贡入燕都，留京一年，终日静坐，不阅文字。己巳归，游南雍，未入监，先访云谷，会禅师于栖霞山中，对坐一室，凡三昼夜不瞑目。
【白话文】我作为贡生来到北京，在北京的一年时间里，整天静坐在那里，也不再读书了。到了己巳年，我回到江南家乡，求学于南京的国子监。在没有进入国子监入学之前，我先去栖霞山拜访了云谷法会禅师，我和禅师面对面坐在在禅房中，三天三夜未曾合眼。
【英文】After being selected as an imperial student, I was to attend the university at Beijing. During my year-long stay at the capital, my interest in meditation grew and I often sat silently without giving rise to a single thought. I lost interest in books and did not study at all.
Before I was to enter the national university at Nanking, I paid a visit to the enlightened Zen master Yun Gu at Chi-shia Mountain. We sat face to face in the Zen Hall for three days and nights without ever falling asleep.
【原文】云谷问曰：“凡人所以不得作圣者，只为妄念相缠耳。汝坐三日，不见起一妄念，何也？”余曰：“吾为孔先生算定，荣辱死生，皆有定数，即要妄想，亦无可妄想。”云谷笑曰：“我待汝是豪杰，原来只是凡夫。”
【白话文】云谷禅师问我：“大凡人们无法成为圣人的原因，只是因为各种胡思乱想纠缠在他们的心中而已。你整整静坐了三天，却不见你产生一丝一毫的胡思乱想，这是为什么呢？”我回答说：“我的命运已经被孔先生测算清楚，荣辱生死，都已命中注定，即使想有一些胡思乱想，也没有什么可以让我去胡思乱想的了。”云谷禅师笑着说：“我原来还把你看作人中豪杰，原来只不过是一介凡夫俗子而已。”
【英文】
Master Yun Gu questioned me saying,“The reason why mundane people are unable to attain sagehood is because they have too many wandering and false thoughts running through their minds. In our three-day meditation, I have not observed the slightest wandering thought arise in you - why is this so?”
I replied,“Mr Kong has clearly predicted the entire outcome of my life. I have seen that the time of life, death, promotion, and failure are all predestined. There is no use or need for me to think about it or to desire anything. That’s why you have not seen me give rise to a single wandering thought.” Master Yun Gu laughed and said: “I thought you were someone of remarkable capabilities! Now I realize you are nothing but a common mundane person!”
【新词】mundane /mʌnˈdeɪn/adj. 平凡的（贬义色彩）
【原文】问其故，曰：“人未能无心，终为阴阳所缚，安得无数？但惟凡人有数。极善之人，数固拘他不定；极恶之人，数亦拘他不定。汝二十年来被他算定，不曾转动一毫，岂非是凡夫？”
【白话文】我请教云谷禅师认定自己是凡夫的缘故。他回答说：“一个人如果不能消除虚妄的世俗之心，那么他就会自始至终被万事万物所束缚，怎么能够没有注定的命运呢？但是只有那些普通人才有注定的命运。极为善良的人，原本注定的命运就根本无法使他的吉凶祸福一成不变；极为凶恶的人，原本注定的命运也根本无法使他的吉凶祸福一成不变。你二十年以来的命运都被孔先生预测准确，不曾有丝毫的改变，你难道不是个凡夫俗子吗？
【英文】
Feeling confused by what he said, I asked the Master to explain. He answered,“ An average person’s mind is forever occupied by his wandering and imaginary thoughts, so naturally their lives are bound by the chi of yin-yang and fate. We cannot deny the fact that fate exists, but only ordinary people are bound by it.
Fate cannot bind those who cultivate great kindness. The merits accrued can actually change their destiny from suffering to happiness, poverty to prosperity, and short lives to longevity. Similarly, fate cannot bind those who commit great evils. When a person’s evil deeds are so great and powerful, they will cancel out the fortune and prosperity predetermined in his original fate, and his life can be transformed from good to bad.
For the past twenty years, you have lived your life according to Mr Kong’s predictions and did not do a thing to change it. Instead, you became bound by your own fate. If you’re not considered as a mundane mortal, then who is?”
【原文】余问曰：“然则数可逃乎？”曰：“命由我作，福自己求。《诗》《书》所称，的为明训。我教典中说：‘求富贵得富贵，求男女得男女，求长寿得长寿。’夫妄语乃释迦大戒，诸佛菩萨，岂诳语欺人？”
【白话文】我问道：“那么可以逃避已经注定的命运吗？”云谷禅师说：“命运的好坏是由我们自己决定的，福祉也要靠我们自己去追求。《诗经》《尚书》里面所讲的这类内容，的确是圣明的训导。我们佛教的经典中也说：‘追求富贵的人就能得到富贵，追求儿女的人就能得到儿女，追求长寿的人就能得到长寿。’说假话是佛教的大戒，诸位佛祖喝众多菩萨，难道会讲假话欺骗人吗？”
【英文】Taken aback, I proceeded to ask Master Yun Gu, “According to you then, is it true that one can change one’s fate, that one escape from it?” The Master answered, “Fate is created by ourselves. Good fortune or bad fortune are also determined by ourselves. When I commit evil, disasters are bound to strike. When I cultivate kindness, good fortune will naturally come my way. It says so in all the great ancient books of wisdom.（这句话没有翻译《诗经》《尚书》）In the Buddhist teachings, it is written that if one wishes for and seeks wealth, position, a son, a daughter, or longevity, one can attain them. One only has to cultivate kind deeds in order to escape the control of fate. Since untruthful speech is one of the greatest offenses in Buddhist teachings, we can be assured that these are not lies. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas certainly have no reasons to deceive us.
【原文】余进曰：“孟子言：‘求则得之，是求在我者也。’道德仁义可以力求；功名富贵，如何求得？”云谷曰：“孟子之言不错，汝自错解了！汝不见六祖说：‘一切福田，不离方寸；从心而觅，感无不通。’求在我，不独得道德仁义，亦得功名富贵；内外双得，是求有益于得也。若不反躬内省，而徒向外驰求，则‘求之有道，而得之有命’矣！内外双失，故无益。”
【白话文】我进一步请教说：“孟子说：‘去追求就能得到，这是说是否去追求关键在于我们自己。’道德仁义可以努力去求得；功名富贵，如果能够求得呢？”云谷禅师说：“孟子的话没有讲错，是你自己理解错了。你有没有听到六祖慧能这样说过：‘所有的福祉，都离不开自己内心的追求；从自己内心去真诚地追求，不仅能够感到神灵而无不顺利得到。’如果我们自己诚心诚意去追求，不仅能够获取道德仁义，也能够得到功名富贵。内在的仁义道德和外在的功名富贵就能够双双得到，这就说明诚心努力追求有益于获取。如果不能回过头来在内心自我反省，而只是一味地向外追求，那么‘即使安装正确的原则去追求，是否能够得到就靠命运决定了’，这样就会使内在的仁义道德和外在的功名富贵双双失去，因此追求也就没人任何益处了。
【英文】I did not quite understand what he meant by ‘attaining all that one wished for, and so I asked him, “Mencius once said: ‘Whatever is sought for can be attained. The seeking is in oneself.’ This refers to inner qualities such as virtue, kindness, and morality. There are all qualities one can word towards. However, when it comes to outside factors such as wealth, fame and prestige, how can we seek and attain them? Don’t these have to be granted by others in order to be achieved?The Master replied: “Mencius was correct, but you misinterpreted his meaning. Hui-Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of the Zen school has taught that, “All the fields of merit are within one’s own heart. If one seeks from within, one can be in touch with all fortunes and disasters. The outside is merely a reflection of the inside.”
【新词】Patriarch /ˈpeɪtriɑːk/ n. 宗教首领
By seeking within ourselves, we cannot only attain the inner qualities of virtue, kindness, and morality, but we can also attain wealth, fame and prestige.Therefore, if one cannot reflect within his own heart but instead blindly seeks fame, fortune and longevity from external sources, then this seeking will be in vain. Just as Mencius once said: “ In seeking, one should follow the right path. In attaining, one attains what one’s destiny entitles him to.” If one tries to seek these qualities from the outside, and even goes to the extent of committing evil deeds for them, then one will not only lose one’s inner qualities of virtue and kindness, but predetermined fortune as well. Furthermore, evils committed in one’s greedy mind to obtain more, will often reduce the fortune of one’s original fate. From this we can see that no benefit is derived from blind seeking.
【原文】因问：“孔公算汝终身若何？”余以实告。云谷曰：“汝自揣应得科第否？应生子否？”余追省良久，曰：“不应也。科第中人，类有福相。余福薄，又不能积功累行，以基厚福；兼不耐烦剧，不能容人；时或以才智盖人，直心直行，轻言妄谈。凡此皆薄福之相也，岂宜科第哉？
【白话文】云谷禅师接着问我：“孔先生为你预测的一生命运如何？”我就如实做了回答。云谷禅师又问：“你自己决定你能够获取科举功名吗？能够有儿子吗？”我追忆往事、反省良久，然后说：“不能够啊。能够考中科举功名的人，似乎都有福相，而我没有福相，再加上我不能积累功德善行，以培植获取厚福的根基；另外我还不能忍受纷杂烦难的事务，不能宽容别人；有时还会凭借自己的才智去压制别人，心里怎么想就怎么做，轻易发言，随意乱说。所有这一切都是福气薄少的表现，我怎么能够考取功名呢？
【英文】Master Yun Gu continued to ask,“What were Mr Kung’s predictions regarding your entire life?” I told him in great detail, from the placement positions in the examinations, to my appointment as an official, and finally, the date of my death.“ Do you feel you deserve imperial appointments or a son?”I reflected upon my previous deeds and attitudes in the past for a long time. Then I answered him saying, “No, I don’t feel I deserve an imperial appointment or a son. Those who receive imperial appointments all have the appearance of good fortune, and I do not. I do not work towards accumulating virtues to build up my fortune, either. I am very impatient, intolerant, undisciplined, and speak without any restraint. I also have strong sense of pride and arrogance. These are all sings of scant fortune and non-virtue. How is it possible for me to receive an imperial appointment?
【原文】地之秽者多生物，水之清者常无鱼，余好洁，宜无子者一。和气能育万物；余善怒，宜无子者二；爱为生生之本，忍为不育之根；余矜惜名节，常不能舍己救人，宜无子者三；多言耗气，宜无子者四；喜饮铄精，宜无子者五；好彻夜长坐，而不知葆元毓神，宜无子者六。其余过恶尚多，不能悉数。”
【白话文】粪土多的地方能够生长出很多的东西，清澈见底的水域常常没有鱼类，而我特别爱干净，这是我不该有儿子的第一个原因；和气能够养育万物，而我却喜欢发怒，这是我不该有儿子的第二个原因；仁爱是万物生生不息的根本，狠心是万物不能生育的根由，而我太珍惜自己的名节，经常不能放下自己的身段去帮助、挽救那些品行不太好的人，这是我不该有儿子的第三个原因；我平时喜欢说话而消耗了自己的精气，这是我不该有儿子的第四个原因；我爱好饮酒而损害了自己的精力，这是我不该有儿子的第五个原因；我喜欢整夜整夜地坐在那里，而不懂得保养元气、爱护精神，这是我不该有儿子的第六个原因。我其他的过失与恶行还很多，无法一条一条地全部讲完。”
【英文】There is an old saying,“life springs from the dirt of the earth, and water too clean often harbors no fish.” The first reason why I feel I do not deserve a son is because I am addicted to cleanliness, resulting in the lack of thoughtfulness for others. The second reason is that ‘Harmony is the cultivator of all life.’ But I have a quick temper and easily become angry.The third reason is based on the principle that loving kindness is the basis of reproduction, and harshness is the root of sterility. I overly guard my own reputation and cannot sacrifice anything for the sake of others. The fourth reason is that I talk too much, which wastes a lot of chi, or energy.The fifth reason is that I also delight in drinking alcohol, and that depletes my spirit. The sixth reason I do not have a son is my habit of staying up nights, not knowing how to conserve my energy. Aside from these, I have many, many, other faults which are too numerous to mention.”
【原文】云谷曰：“岂惟科第哉！世间享千金之产者，定是千金人物；享百金之产者，定是百金人物；应饿死者，定是饿死人物。天不过因材而笃，几曾加纤毫意思？
【白话文】云谷禅师说：“岂止科举考试是这样呢！人世间那些能够享有千金家产的人，一定是德才能够与千金家产相匹配的人；能够享有百金家产的人，一定是德才能够与百金家产相匹配的人；那些饿死的人，一定是应该饿死的人；上天不过只是依据他们的德才而监视着他们而已，何曾掺进丝毫自己的倾向？
【英文】
“According to you then, there are too many things in life you do not deserve, not only fame and a son! We must understand that those who have thousands of dollars in this life must have cultivated the fortune worthy of that amount in the past. Those who have hundreds of dollars must also have fortune which is worthy of containing that sum. Those whose fate is to die of starvation, in fact were meant to die in that manner. We must understand that the fate of these people was created by their own past thoughts and actions. The retribution today is simply the fruit of their deeds. Heaven does nothing than punish evil beings with the suffering they deserve, and reward kind ones with the fortune they deserve.” Master Yun Gu said.
【原文】即如生子，有百世之德者，定有百世子孙保之；有十世之德者，定有十世子孙保之；有三世、二世之德者，定有三世二世子孙保之；其斩焉无后者，德至薄也。
【白话文】再比如生儿子的事，积累的功德能够庇护百世子孙的人，一定会有百世子孙去保护、祭祀他；积累的功德能够庇护十世子孙的人，一定会有十世子孙去保护、祭祀他；积累的功德能够庇护三世、二世子孙的人，一定会有三世、二世子孙去保护他、祭祀他；那些断绝后代没有子孙的人，他的功德一定是最少的啊。
【英文】
“ Bearing children is similar to bearing fruit from seeds; if the seeds are planted well, so will be the fruits they bear. If the seeds are not planted well, then the fruits will become malnourished. For example, if a person has accumulated enough merit and virtue for a hundred generations, then he or she will have descendants to last a hundred generations. One who accumulates enough merit and virtue to last ten generations will then have ten generations of descendants to live out that fortune. The same goes for three generations or two generations. For those who have no descendants at all, it is because they have not accumulated enough good merit and virtue - they may have amassed sins instead!” continued Master Yun Gu.
题外话：这段话与现代价值观差异太大。那些主动选择丁克或未婚的人暂且不论。有无子嗣与功德相关，一定程度上有点因果论。
【原文】汝今既知非，将向来不发科第，及不生子之相，尽情改刷。务要积德，务要包荒，务要和爱，务要惜精神。从前种种，譬如昨日死；从后种种，譬如今日生：此义理再生之身也。
【白话文】你今天既然知道了自己的错误，那就应该把过去那些引起科举考试无法成功，以及不能生育儿子的品德言行，尽心尽力地全部洗刷干净。你以后一定要积累功德，一定要学会包容，一定要温和仁爱，一定要爱惜精神。从前的种种言行，就譬如它们已于昨天消失；从今以后的种种言行，就譬如它们今天刚刚重生，这样你就等于重新获取了新的道德、义理之生命。
【英文】
Now that you recognize your own shortcomings, you can work to change and reform the misdeeds which cause you to not have a son or become an imperial official. You must cultivate virtue, tolerance, and treat others with compassion and harmony. You must also care for your health and conserve your energy and spirit. Live as though everything of the past dissolved yesterday, and all of the future begins today. If you can accomplish this, then you are a person born anew.