富足強大的寶鏡國，有面鎮國之寶的大圓鏡子；這面鏡子，世世代代的國王都供奉在寶鏡殿裡。每一代的皇太子自小就得住在那兒，學習一切君王所應具備的道德、學識、技藝和儀態。直到承繼王位之後，還必須每天早晚來鏡前禮拜，檢束自我的身心。若遇大事難決，鏡前片刻靜坐，更能帶來意想不到的靈感。首代開國之君制定這套傳統，說明他的不世智慧，便是得自這面寶鏡；後代子孫若能依教奉行，也必能智慧過人，代代興盛不絕。而事實也證明如此。
有一天，小太子玩彈弓，不小心彈子偏飛進了屋，鏡子破了！小太子正嚇得不知如何是好？已教了三代太子的老太傅若無其事地把碎玻璃掃了，打開夾壁的暗門，取出一面大小尺寸完全吻合的鏡片，嵌進鏡框內。小太子拭乾眼淚悄聲問：「父王即使看不出它是假的，可是等到他有疑難，要來求教寶鏡時，卻得不到智慧，他就會知道這不是真寶鏡了！況且，以後我也得不到智慧，又怎樣令百姓信服呢？」老太傅慈祥地微笑道：「別擔心！你一樣會得到智慧的。只要你認為它是真，假的就是真的；你若懷疑，真的也是假的。你父王小時候已打破過一面寶鏡了！你打破的那一面，正是我替他裝上去的。」「你是說，那一面也不是真的？」小太子又驚訝又困惑：「那為什麼父王還是這麼虔誠供奉，又真的能得到智慧呢？」老太傅笑得更燦爛了：「因為他也知道，他打破的那一面，也是我以前替你皇祖父裝上去的。」小太子目瞪口呆地盯住大圓鏡子，鏡子裡是一個小呆瓜。老太傅輕撫著他的肩：「事實上，人是不須在心外求智慧的。寶鏡之所以寶，因為能真實地反映出你自己，好讓你矯正自己。試想：你能成為一個好國王，乃在你所受的訓練和教養，而非鏡子的神力。國王在鏡前靜思問題與反省，是由於他們所受的訓練，讓他們能靜思──這才是獲得靈感和智慧的原因，鏡子並不會賜給你什麼！我已老了，將來我怕是不再有機會為你的兒子換鏡片了；但不用擔心，我已交待了新太傅，夾壁裡還有很多鏡片。」
小太子終於會意地笑了，鏡子裡是個信心十足、煥發著嶄新智慧的明日之君。 |
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The strong and wealthy Jeweled Mirror Country has a big, round mirror, which is the nation's treasure of protection. This mirror has been displayed for worship by kings of the past in the Palace of the Jeweled Mirror. The Crown Prince of every generation lives there from a very young age to learn all the virtues, knowledge, skills and mannerisms that a king should have. Even after they inherit the throne, they still have to come every morning and night to bow to the mirror and discipline their bodies and minds. Sometimes, when the kings have perplexing problems, they sit silently in front of the mirror to receive unexpected inspirations. The first king of this nation set up these rules of worship because he claimed that his unsurpassed wisdom had been obtained through the Jeweled Mirror. He said that if latter generations practice this tradition, they surely will obtain superior wisdom and always enjoy prosperity. And this has actually been the case.
One day, the little Crown Prince was playing at shooting marbles. By accident, he shot the marble into the room with the mirror and broke the glass. The little Crown Prince was so frightened that he didn't know what to do. The elderly instructor who had been teaching the crown princes for three generations swept up the broken glass as if nothing had happened. Then from a secret door in the double wall, he brought out a piece of glass the same size as the former mirror, and fixed it into the frame. The little Crown Prince wiped his tears and asked in a hushed tone, "Even if my father, the King, does not know this is fake now, when he cannot gain any more wisdom from the mirror, he will know that it is fake. And I won't obtain any wisdom in the future, either. How can I make my people believe in me ?” His old teacher smiled kindly and said, "Do not worry. You will gain wisdom, too. If you believe it is real, then the fake one will be real. If you do not believe it to be real, even the real one becomes fake. Your father broke one Jeweled Mirror when he was little. The one you broke is the one I used to replace the one he broke.” "You mean that one is also not real ?" the little Crown Prince asked in surprise. He became more puzzled. "Why does my father still worship that mirror so sincerely and how does he still obtain his wisdom?” The elderly teacher's smile broadened and he said, "It is because he knew the one he broke was the one I replaced for your grandfather, the former King." The little Crown Prince stared at the mirror stupidly. The reflection in the mirror showed a stupid little boy. The old teacher patted his shoulder lightly and said, "In fact, one need not seek for wisdom outside his own mind. However, the Jeweled Mirror is so precious because it can truly reflect yourself for your own disciplining. Think about this: you gain your wisdom to become a good king from your training and rearing, not from the magic power of a mirror. Kings have sat in front of the mirror to meditate on their problems and observe themselves. It is because of their training that they are able to meditate, and This is what allows you to gain inspiration and wisdom. A mirror cannot grant you anything. I am getting old. I am afraid that I will not have the chance to replace the mirror glass for your son. But don't worry, I've already told the new instructor that there is some more glass inside that double wall.”
The little Crown Prince smiled. The mirror showed a future king beaming confidently with newfound wisdom. |
