Baby Monkey Waters Flowers 猴子澆花
無論修行也好，做人也好，佛教一再強調要有智慧，凡事講求中道。所謂「中道」即不偏不倚，也就是正道。然而，如何才能掌握中道呢？就需要智慧來引導，因此智慧對我們而言，實在很重要。
經典裡有一個故事說到：在國王的花園裡，住著一個猴子家庭，成員有爸爸、媽媽和孩子。另外，花園裡還有一個專門負責照顧花朵的園丁。
由於園丁跟猴子們相處得很好，所以有時候猴子就會幫忙園丁，做些拔草、澆水的工作。
有一天，王宮外面的廣場傳來演戲的聲音，園丁聽到了，實在好心動，很想跑去看戲。可是，澆花的時間到了，他也不敢走開。就這樣，人雖然在花園裡，可是一顆心七上八下，坐立難安。好朋友猴子看出了他的心情，於是體諒地說：「去啦，去啦，我幫你澆水，你放心吧。」
園丁一聽，高興地說：「謝謝，就拜託你了。不過，國王常常告誡我們『滴水如金』，你得好好的澆，不能浪費喔 ！」
「沒有問題，沒有問題，你趕快去吧！」猴子拍拍胸脯回答。園丁走了以後，猴子爸爸要小猴子去澆水。澆水之前，猴子爸爸告訴孩子：「滴水如金，不能浪費喔！該多澆的，水就給多一點；不該澆的，就給少一點。」
孩子想了想，問道：「多和少該怎麼分辨呢？」
猴子爸爸說：「這很簡單，根深的植物，多給一點水，根淺的少澆一點。」
孩子點點頭說：「我懂了！」隨後小猴子就開始動手澆花。
過了一會兒，新的問題又來了，從地面上根本看不出根是深、還是淺，該怎麼辦呢？
小猴子想了一下，忽然拍掌笑起來，說：「有了，有了，有辦法。」
牠決定將每朵花從泥土裡拔出來看一看，這樣不就知道根的深淺了嗎？
「這個根深一點，水多澆一點」、「這個淺一點，少澆一點。」就這樣，整座花園裡的花，每一株都被小猴子給拔了起來，再擺回去。
等到園丁回來一看，花苗東倒西歪，有的甚至都枯掉了。他難過得不得了，可是也不敢責備猴子， 因為對方是好心幫忙。
社會上也常常有這種現象，明明是一番好意， 結果卻弄巧成拙，反而幫了倒忙。這就是因為缺乏智慧，所以佛法裡說好心很重要，但更要緊的是要有智慧。禪宗提到「不求成佛作祖，只求能夠開悟」，開悟就是有智慧，有了智慧之後，方能打開成佛之門， 也才能看清世間真相。
佛教是很講究智慧的宗教，奉勸天下學佛人，多閱藏、多聽經，學佛法、開智慧，這才是真正的自救、救人之道。
Once upon a time, in a beautiful garden, there lived a monkey family. There was Papa Monkey, Mama Monkey, and Baby Monkey. Taking care of their beautiful garden was Michael, the gardener.
They were all very good friends and the monkey family always helped Michael to take care of the beautiful garden home.
One day, a circus1 arrived just outside the garden. Michael could hear the music and the crowd as he was working. But he could not leave the garden because he had to look after the flowers, the plants, and the trees.
As the days passed, Michael would always peek2 through the bushes3 at the circus outside the garden. Although his hands were tending4 to the trees and flowers, his mind was not. All he could think about was the circus.
Knowing that Michael longed to see the circus, Papa Monkey made a suggestion5:
"Just go see the circus, my friend! I'll take care of the garden while you're gone."
"No, no. It's okay. The garden is too much of a burden6 for you!" said Michael.
But Papa Monkey insisted7, "Don't worry! I'll ask Baby Money to help me. Just go and see the circus!
"Are you sure? I might be gone for quite a while," Michael replied.
"Yes, I am very sure! You go on ahead!" said Papa Monkey.
Michael's eyes lit up with excitement8. "Thank you so much Papa Monkey! Please remember that water is precious9, so please be careful not to waste any water when you water the plants."
"Of course I know. Now please just go and enjoy yourself at the circus!" replied Papa Monkey.
So, Michael went to see the circus. And just as he promised10, Papa Monkey asked Baby Monkey to help water half the garden.
"Water is precious, little one, so please tend to the plants and flowers carefully!" said Papa Monkey.
"Don't waste water, each plant and flower needs just the right amount, so only use that much water," repeated Papa Monkey.
"But how do I know how much water is enough?" asked Baby Monkey.
"That's easy. Those with long roots need more water. Those with short roots need less water," explained Papa Monkey.
"Ok, I understand!" nodded Baby Monkey.
Soon enough, Baby Monkey realized11 it was more difficult12 than he thought.
"I can't see how long the roots are! So how do I figure out13 how much water to give? he wondered14.
Baby Monkey sat down on the grass and began to think hard about this problem.
"I got it!" He shouted15. "I'll pull them out of the ground. That way, I can see whether the plants have long or short roots!"
Full of excitement, Baby Monkey started to pull the plants out of the soil, so he could check the length of each root.
"This one has short roots, so it needs less water. That one has long roots, so it needs more water," Baby Monkey thought proudly16 to himself.
He then planted them back into the soil and watered them accordingly17.
......
無論修行也好，做人也好，佛教一再強調要有智慧，凡事講求中道。所謂「中道」即不偏不倚，也就是正道。然而，如何才能掌握中道呢？就需要智慧來引導，因此智慧對我們而言，實在很重要。
經典裡有一個故事說到：在國王的花園裡，住著一個猴子家庭，成員有爸爸、媽媽和孩子。另外，花園裡還有一個專門負責照顧花朵的園丁。
由於園丁跟猴子們相處得很好，所以有時候猴子就會幫忙園丁，做些拔草、澆水的工作。
有一天，王宮外面的廣場傳來演戲的聲音，園丁聽到了，實在好心動，很想跑去看戲。可是，澆花的時間到了，他也不敢走開。就這樣，人雖然在花園裡，可是一顆心七上八下，坐立難安。好朋友猴子看出了他的心情，於是體諒地說：「去啦，去啦，我幫你澆水，你放心吧。」
園丁一聽，高興地說：「謝謝，就拜託你了。不過，國王常常告誡我們『滴水如金』，你得好好的澆，不能浪費喔 ！」
「沒有問題，沒有問題，你趕快去吧！」猴子拍拍胸脯回答。園丁走了以後，猴子爸爸要小猴子去澆水。澆水之前，猴子爸爸告訴孩子：「滴水如金，不能浪費喔！該多澆的，水就給多一點；不該澆的，就給少一點。」
孩子想了想，問道：「多和少該怎麼分辨呢？」
猴子爸爸說：「這很簡單，根深的植物，多給一點水，根淺的少澆一點。」
孩子點點頭說：「我懂了！」隨後小猴子就開始動手澆花。
過了一會兒，新的問題又來了，從地面上根本看不出根是深、還是淺，該怎麼辦呢？
小猴子想了一下，忽然拍掌笑起來，說：「有了，有了，有辦法。」
牠決定將每朵花從泥土裡拔出來看一看，這樣不就知道根的深淺了嗎？
「這個根深一點，水多澆一點」、「這個淺一點，少澆一點。」就這樣，整座花園裡的花，每一株都被小猴子給拔了起來，再擺回去。
等到園丁回來一看，花苗東倒西歪，有的甚至都枯掉了。他難過得不得了，可是也不敢責備猴子， 因為對方是好心幫忙。
社會上也常常有這種現象，明明是一番好意， 結果卻弄巧成拙，反而幫了倒忙。這就是因為缺乏智慧，所以佛法裡說好心很重要，但更要緊的是要有智慧。禪宗提到「不求成佛作祖，只求能夠開悟」，開悟就是有智慧，有了智慧之後，方能打開成佛之門， 也才能看清世間真相。
佛教是很講究智慧的宗教，奉勸天下學佛人，多閱藏、多聽經，學佛法、開智慧，這才是真正的自救、救人之道。
Once upon a time, in a beautiful garden, there lived a monkey family. There was Papa Monkey, Mama Monkey, and Baby Monkey. Taking care of their beautiful garden was Michael, the gardener.
They were all very good friends and the monkey family always helped Michael to take care of the beautiful garden home.
One day, a circus1 arrived just outside the garden. Michael could hear the music and the crowd as he was working. But he could not leave the garden because he had to look after the flowers, the plants, and the trees.
As the days passed, Michael would always peek2 through the bushes3 at the circus outside the garden. Although his hands were tending4 to the trees and flowers, his mind was not. All he could think about was the circus.
Knowing that Michael longed to see the circus, Papa Monkey made a suggestion5:
"Just go see the circus, my friend! I'll take care of the garden while you're gone."
"No, no. It's okay. The garden is too much of a burden6 for you!" said Michael.
But Papa Monkey insisted7, "Don't worry! I'll ask Baby Money to help me. Just go and see the circus!
"Are you sure? I might be gone for quite a while," Michael replied.
"Yes, I am very sure! You go on ahead!" said Papa Monkey.
Michael's eyes lit up with excitement8. "Thank you so much Papa Monkey! Please remember that water is precious9, so please be careful not to waste any water when you water the plants."
"Of course I know. Now please just go and enjoy yourself at the circus!" replied Papa Monkey.
So, Michael went to see the circus. And just as he promised10, Papa Monkey asked Baby Monkey to help water half the garden.
"Water is precious, little one, so please tend to the plants and flowers carefully!" said Papa Monkey.
"Don't waste water, each plant and flower needs just the right amount, so only use that much water," repeated Papa Monkey.
"But how do I know how much water is enough?" asked Baby Monkey.
"That's easy. Those with long roots need more water. Those with short roots need less water," explained Papa Monkey.
"Ok, I understand!" nodded Baby Monkey.
Soon enough, Baby Monkey realized11 it was more difficult12 than he thought.
"I can't see how long the roots are! So how do I figure out13 how much water to give? he wondered14.
Baby Monkey sat down on the grass and began to think hard about this problem.
"I got it!" He shouted15. "I'll pull them out of the ground. That way, I can see whether the plants have long or short roots!"
Full of excitement, Baby Monkey started to pull the plants out of the soil, so he could check the length of each root.
"This one has short roots, so it needs less water. That one has long roots, so it needs more water," Baby Monkey thought proudly16 to himself.
He then planted them back into the soil and watered them accordingly17.
......
