名著精讀:《悉達多》 和兒童般的俗人在一起(1)

WITH THE CHILDLIKE PEOPLE
Siddhartha went to Kamaswami the merchant, he was directed into a rich house, servants led him between precious carpets into a chamber, where he awaited the master of the house.
Kamaswami entered, a swiftly, smoothly moving man with very gray hair, with very intelligent, cautious eyes, with a greedy mouth. Politely, the host and the guest greeted one another.
"I have been told," the merchant began, "that you were a Brahman, a learned man, but that you seek to be in the service of a merchant. Might you have become destitute, Brahman, so that you seek to serve?"
"No," said Siddhartha, "I have not become destitute and have never been destitute. You should know that I'm coming from the Samanas, with whom I have lived for a long time."
"If you're coming from the Samanas, how could you be anything but destitute? Aren't the Samanas entirely without possessions?"
"I am without possessions," said Siddhartha, "if this is what you mean. Surely, I am without possessions. But I am so voluntarily, and therefore I am not destitute."
"But what are you planning to live of, being without possessions?"
"I haven't thought of this yet, sir. For more than three years, I have been without possessions, and have never thought about of what I should live."
"So you've lived of the possessions of others."
"Presumable this is how it is. After all, a merchant also lives of what other people own."
"Well said. But he wouldn't take anything from another person for nothing; he would give his merchandise in return."
"So it seems to be indeed. Everyone takes, everyone gives, such is life."
"But if you don't mind me asking: being without possessions, what would you like to give?"
"Everyone gives what he has. The warrior gives strength, the merchant gives merchandise, the teacher teachings, the farmer rice, the fisher fish."
"Yes indeed. And what is it now what you've got to give? What is it that you've learned, what you're able to do?"
"I can think. I can wait. I can fast."
"That's everything?"
"I believe, that's everything!"
"And what's the use of that? For example, the fasting-- what is it good for?"
"It is very good, sir. When a person has nothing to eat, fasting is the smartest thing he could do. When, for example, Siddhartha hadn't learned to fast, he would have to accept any kind of service before this day is up, whether it may be with you or wherever, because hunger would force him to do so. But like this, Siddhartha can wait calmly, he knows no impatience, he knows no emergency, for a long time he can allow hunger to besiege him and can laugh about it. This, sir, is what fasting is good for."
"You're right, Samana. Wait for a moment."
Kamaswami left the room and returned with a scroll, which he handed to his guest while asking: "Can you read this?"
Siddhartha looked at the scroll, on which a sales-contract had been written down, and began to read out its contents.
"Excellent," said Kamaswami. "And would you write something for me on this piece of paper?"
He handed him a piece of paper and a pen, and Siddhartha wrote and returned the paper.
Kamaswami read: "Writing is good, thinking is better. Being smart is good, being patient is better."

和兒童般的俗人在一起
席特哈爾塔去拜訪商人卡馬斯瓦密。他經人指點，走進了一幢富麗堂皇的房子。僕人領着他走過華貴的地毯，進入一間屋，在那兒他等候主人接見。
卡馬斯瓦密進來了。這是個敏捷、機靈的男子，頭髮已經花白，眼睛聰慧、謹慎，嘴巴卻顯得貪婪。主人與來客親切地寒暄。
"有人告訴我，"商人開口道，"你是婆羅門，一個學者，想向商人找個差事做。你是否陷入了困境，婆羅門，所以纔來找工作？'
"不，"席特哈爾塔說，"我並沒有陷入困境，從來也沒陷入困境。要知道，我是從沙門那兒來的，我曾跟他們在一起生活了很久。"
"既然你從沙門那兒來，又怎麼可能不困難呢？沙門不都是一貧如洗嗎？'
"我確實沒有財產，"席特哈爾塔說，"如果這就是你所說的意思的話，我確實一貧如洗。可我是自然的，並非陷入了困境。"
"你既然一貧如洗，又打算靠什麼生活呢？"
"這點我還從來沒想過，先生，我一貧如洗已經三年多了，卻從嚴沒想過靠什麼生活。"
"那麼，你就是靠別人的產業過活的。"
"興許是吧。但商人也是靠別人的財產謀生的。"
"說得好。不過，他從來不白拿別人的東西，他付給他們自己的商品。"
"實際情況正是如此。每個人都索取，每個人都付出，這就是生活。"
"可是請問，你既然一貧如洗，又能給人傢什麼呢？"
"每個人都獻出他所擁有的東西。士兵獻出力氣，商人獻出商品，教師獻出學問，農民獻出糧食，而漁夫則獻出鮮魚。"
"很好。那麼，你獻出的東西又是什麼呢？你學過什麼？你會做什麼？"
"我會思考。我會等待。我會齋戒。"
"就這些？"
"我想就是這些了。"
"這些能有什麼用呢？比如說齋戒吧--它有何益處？"
"它很有益處，先生。如果一個人沒有飯吃，齋戒就是他所能選擇的最明智之舉。比方說，席特哈爾塔如果沒學會齋戒，那麼他今天就必須找一份工作，不管是在你這兒還是在別處，因爲飢餓會迫使他這麼做。可是，席特哈爾塔卻能夠心平氣和地等待。他不知急躁，不知艱難，可以長久地忍受飢餓的困擾，而且對此一笑置之。先生，這就是齋戒的益處。"
"有道理，沙門。請稍等片刻。"
卡馬斯瓦密走了出去，又拿着一卷紙回來，遞給客人，問道："你會讀這個麼？"
席特哈爾塔細瞧那捲紙，裏面記錄了一份購貨合同，便開始讀出其內容。
"好極了，"卡馬斯瓦密說，"你可以在這張紙上給我寫點什麼嗎？"
他遞給席特哈爾塔一張紙和一支筆。席特哈爾塔一揮而就，又把紙遞還給他。
卡馬斯瓦密念道："書寫有益，思考更佳。聰明有益，忍耐更佳。"