《塞翁失馬》通過一個(gè)循環(huán)往復(fù)的極富戲劇性故事,闡述了禍與福的對(duì)立統(tǒng)一關(guān)系,揭示了“禍兮福所倚,福兮禍所伏”的道理。如果單從哲學(xué)角度去看,這則寓言啟發(fā)人們用發(fā)展的眼光辯證地去看問題:身處逆境不消沉,樹立“柳暗花明”的樂觀信念;身處順境不迷醉,保持“死于安樂”的憂患意識(shí)。
《塞翁失馬》 劉安
近塞上之人,有善術(shù)者。馬無敵亡而入胡,人皆吊之。其父曰:“此何遽不為福乎?”居數(shù)月,其馬將胡駿馬而歸。人皆賀之,其父曰:“此何遽不能為禍乎?”家富良馬,其子好騎,墮而折其髀,人皆吊之,其父曰:“此何遽不為福乎?”居一年,胡人大入塞,丁壯者控弦而戰(zhàn)。近塞之人,死者十九。此獨(dú)以跛之故,父子相保。故福之為禍,禍之為福,化不可極,深不可測(cè)也。
The Old Man at the Fort from Huainantse
Liu An
There was an old man at a frontier fort in the north who understood Taoism. One day he lost his horse, which wandered into the land of the Hu tribesmen. His neighbors came to condole with him, and the man said, "How do you know that this is bad luck?"
After a few months, the horse returned with some fine horses of the Hu breed, and the people congratulated him. The old man said, "How do you know that this is good luck?"
He then became very prosperous with so many horses. The son one day broke his legs riding, and all the people came to condole with him again. The old man said, "How do you know that this is bad luck?"
One day the Hu tribesmen invaded the frontier fort. All the young men fought with arrows to defend it, and nine tenths of them were killed. Because the son was a cripple, both father and son escaped unharmed.
Therefore, good luck changes into bad, and bad luck changes into good. The workings of events are beyond comprehension.