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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翻译:
一切中国的哲学家在不知不觉中认为唯一重要的问题是:我们要怎样享受人生?谁最会享受人生?我们不追求十全十美的理想,我们不寻找那些得不到的东西,我们不要求知道那些不得而知的东西;我们只认识不完美的、会死的人类的本性,那么我们要怎样调整我们的人生,使我们可以和平地工作着,旷达地忍耐着,幸福地生活着呢?
我们是谁呢?这是第一个问题。这个问题几乎是无法答复的。可是我们都承认在我们曰常活动中那么忙碌的自我,并不完全是真正的自我;我们相信我们在生活的追求中已经失掉了一些东西。当我们看见一个人在一片田野里跑来跑去在寻找东西时,智者可以弄出一个难题给一切旁观者去解答:那个人失掉了什么东西呢?有的猜一只表;有的猜一支钻石胸针;其他的人则作其他的猜测。智者委实也不知道那个人在寻找什么东西;可是当大家都猜不中的时候,他会对大家说:“我告诉你们吧。他失掉了一些气息了。” 没有人会否认他的话是对的。所以我们在生活的追求中常常忘掉了真正的自我,像庄子在一个美妙的譬喻里所讲的那只鸟那样,为了要捕捉一只螳螂而忘掉自身的危险,而那只螳螂又为了要捕捉一只蝉而忘掉自身的危险。