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這個孔明先生「躬耕南陽」，自耕自食，也是日出而作，日入而息，耕田而食這個樣子。他在那見隱遁，他說「茍全性命於亂世」，我就願意保全我這個性命於國家離亂的時候。「不求聞達於諸侯」，我不求哪一個達官貴人、國王，來知道我，所以就結廬而棲，住一個草造的房子，很不漂亮，馬馬虎虎的，所以叫茅廬。
他曾經說過這麼一首詩：「大夢誰先覺」：說人生像一場大夢似的，誰先明白先覺悟這個夢？「平生我自知」，說我這一生，我知道人生好像夢似的。「草堂春睡足，窗外日遲遲」，我在草堂裏春天睡的覺很夠的，不會那麼忙忙碌碌，奔奔波波地，為國為民事，團團轉。
所以古人又說，「生不願為上柱國，死不願做閻羅；閻羅點鬼心殘忍，柱國憂民事更多。」說我生來不願為丞相--這是隱士說的話--上柱國就是國家的棟樑之才，國家要傾覆了，他能把它支撐起來。「死更不願做閻羅」，死了也不願意做閻羅王。為什麼呢？因為「閻羅點鬼心殘忍」，閻羅王點鬼的名字的時候，心很殘忍的，一定要把人送到油鍋裏去炸上，又把鬼放到刀山劍樹上去刺他。這麼樣子心很殘忍的，所以「閻羅點鬼心殘忍，柱國憂民事更多。」上柱國就是國家的丞相，常常憂軍憂民，事情很多的。
古來的人願意韜光晦跡，淡泊名利，不像現在這麼競爭，為財、色、名、食、睡所迷。所以諸葛武侯在當時就是志在隱遁，隱居南陽--河南以南，躬耕讀書，自食其力，做一個勞苦的大眾。這麼樣子他也不貪，也不爭，很淡泊的。
「淡泊明志」，淡泊就是不貪，很平淡，不求名不求利這麼樣子，不那麼追紅摒白，像一般人那麼樣顛倒。他在那兒淡泊明志，他的志是很高尚的。
「高臥草堂」，他在草堂那個地方常常休息，不忙碌，可是他智慧很大，學問很淵博，所以他看當時國家的形勢，也都看得很清楚。所以他「隆中策」，未出隆中已經知道定了三分天下。
他這麼隱居自得其樂，那麼劉備那時騎著馬到外邊去閒遊，遇到一個溪，就是河流。這個馬也沒有避著河流，一跳就跳過去了溪的那一邊，走到一個別有天地的一個環境裏頭，就遇到一個司馬徽先生。
這三國裏邊最高的人物是司馬徽，因為他能認識臥龍、鳳雛這兩個人，可是他自己本身不出去貪名貪利，司馬徽是真正淡泊名利。那麼司馬徽和劉備談起來話，劉備就請問他當時的這些個英雄豪傑，有大智慧的人是誰，誰可以幫助他復興漢朝的基業。水鏡先生(司馬徽)就告訴他說：「現在有兩個人，一個叫臥龍，一個叫鳳雛；這兩個人你得一而可以安天下。」你要是得到，不用說兩個，你得到一個，你的天下就可以平定了，治理得很好了。因為這兩個人都是足智多謀，有大智慧，可以幫助你治理國家。當時劉備也沒問清楚這兩個人在什麼地方，得到司馬徽指點之後，就心裏知道有這兩個人的名字，於是乎就走了。
那時在劉備軍營裏頭有一位徐庶，也是一位博學之儒，很有知識的，可是他有個母親，就被這個曹操給騙去了。曹操就說徐庶在他軍營裏，有事情要見她；徐庶的母親也很聰明的，就不相信，以後被曹操硬給搶到他軍營去了。曹操以後就叫旁人偽造徐庶母親的字跡，寫了一封書信，說是她在曹操這個地方住，有病，叫他趕快去見她。徐庶聽說母親在曹操這個地方，恐怕有什麼意外，就趕快和劉備告辭，到曹操那兒去。
曹操為什麼把徐庶的母親給抓去了呢？就因為想要籠絡徐庶；他知道徐庶有才幹，就把他母親抓來，先騙他媽媽去。
〈編按：以下註解，包括贊及偈之部分，因錄音帶缺失，故參照陳果傑居士當時在場所記之筆記，並由本刊早期之英譯譯回中文，整理而成。)
那麼徐庶要去時，劉備送他一程又一程，依依不捨，不知送了有多遠！他看到劉備的誠心，非常感動，所以就推薦諸葛亮給劉備。劉備回去以後，就去南陽拜訪諸葛亮；出請三次，諸葛亮都不出去，所以說「三顧茅盧。」「先生感知遇之恩，誓死以報」，諸葛亮發誓死了都要報答劉備，故有六出祁山之舉，伐魏中原。所以《出師表》云，「鞠躬盡瘁，死而後已」，就是把他累死他也要去做，才停止他報國的心。「盡忠報國，萬古留芳。」
「三顧茅廬」，劉備請了他三次，回自己國家之後，又特地去看諸葛亮，去了一次、兩次，請他出來幫忙治國，諸葛亮也不理他，不顧意去；第三次又去請，劉備的誠心感動了諸葛亮，就同意了。「先生感知遇之恩，誓死以報」，諸葛亮因為劉備認識他的才幹，受了感動，所以發誓不顧一切，就是死了也要報答劉備的恩。「故有六出祁山之舉」，他出兵祁山六次，諸葛亮一生討伐北魏六次，死了之後他的繼承人姜維，在中原打了九次戰。
「於隆中策預知鼎立」，他在隆中那地方，還在他那茅廬裡住的時候，就知道有魏、蜀、吳三國鼎立的局勢，像鼎的三個腳一樣。「不過盡人事，聽天命」，雖然他盡了力，也沒有成功。「出師表云」，他寫的《出師表》裏說，「鞠躬盡瘁，死而後已」，不管多艱難困苦，就是把他累死，他也要去做，到死了他報國的心才停止。「盡忠報國，萬古流芳」，他的名聲，千秋萬世都存在的，從古到今，人都很仰慕他。
待續
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Mr. Kong Ming lived in seclusion
in Nanyang, plowing the fields himself. He
sustained himself by farming. He went to work when the sun
rose and rested when the sun set. He dug a well so he could
drink. He plowed the fields so he could eat. He studied and
lived as a recluse. He said, "I sustain my own life in this
troubled world and do not seek to be known by nobility." He
did not seek recognition from high officials, noble lords,
or the emperor. He lived in a thatched hut that was very
rustic and simple, not attractive at all. Once he spoke the
following poem:
Who is the first to enlighten from the
great dream?
I understand my life entirely.
I've got plenty of sleep this
spring, in my thatched hut.
The sun creeps up slowly outside my window.
The meaning of this poem is: life is like
a big dream- who is the first to awaken from it? I
understand that life is like a dream. It's springtime. I've
had a lot of sleep in my thatched hut. I won't be
frantically running around, getting entangle in the affairs
of state and people.
An ancient poet also said,
While alive I do not want to be a Prime Minister;
After death I have no wish to be King Yama.
King Yama is cruel when he calls the ghosts.
A Prime Minister must worry about the myriad
affairs of the people.
A certain recluse composed this poem He
said, "While I'm alive, I do not want to be a Prime
Minister. A Prime Minister is the pillar of a country, able
to support the country when it is on the verge of collapse.
After I die, I want even less to be King Yama. Why? King
Yama is cruel when he calls out the names of the ghosts. One
moment the ghosts are sent to be fried in pots of oil;
another moment they are impaled upon the mountain of knives.
King Yama is very cruel. Also, a Prime Minister is always
concerned about the country and the people."
People in the past preferred to hide
their light and cover their tracks. They looked lightly on
fame and profit. Unlike people nowadays who like to compete
with one another, ancient people were not confused by
wealth, sex, fame, food and sleep. So the Marquis Zhu-ge Wu
(his posthumous title) was determined to live in seclusion
in Nanyang. He farmed and studied by himself. He earned his
own living, like a common laborer.
He kept his aspirations pure by
leading a tranquil life with few worldly desires.
He was not greedy and did not contend with others. He led a
very simple life and did not seek name and profit, unlike
deluded common people. His aspirations were lofty and pure.
He always rested in his thatched hut and
was not overly busy, but his wisdom was profound and his
knowledge extensive. He very clearly saw what was happening
in his country. Before he left Longzhong, where he lived, he
already had a very clear picture of the entire country. He
knew that China would in the future be divided into three
kingdoms. As a recluse, he lived at ease in a humble cottage
that he built himself, enjoying his seclusion. His
fine reputation as the "Crouching Dragon" was known far and
wide.
Once Liu Bei's horse leapt over a
river, and those circumstances led to his meeting with Mr.
Si-ma Hui, also known as Shui-jing (Water-Mirror).
One time Liu Bei was riding through the countryside when he
came upon a deep stream. His horse did not swim across, but
rather jumped across the stream. On the other side, Liu Bei
discovered a place of unique beauty-a paradise of sorts-
where he met Mr. Si-ma Hui. This gentleman was probably the
loftiest individual during the Three Kingdoms Period.
Although Mr. Si-ma recognized the talents of “Crouching
Dragon" and "Young Phoenix," he himself did not seek fame or
profit. He was a true hermit. For this reason, during the
Three Kingdoms Period, Si-ma Hui was considered the highest
and wisest person. Upon meeting, Si-ma Hui and Liu Bei began
to converse. Liu Bei wanted to consult him on the
outstanding wise men of that time- people who could help him
rejuvenate and strengthen the foundation of the Han dynasty.
This gentleman pointed out to Liu
Bei, "There is Wo Long (Crouching Dragon) and Feng Chu
(Young Phoenix). If you can recruit either one of these men,
you will be able to bring peace to the country."
Mr. Shui-jing (Water-Mirror) told Liu Bei, "There are two
people, Wo Long and Feng Chu. If you gain the help of either
one- you don't need both, but one will do- it will bring
peace to the world. You will rule the country very well
because these two men are knowledgeable in military
strategy. They have great wisdom. They will be able to
assist you in running the country." Liu Bei did not ask
clearly where they lived. He left, only knowing their names.
In Liu Bei's military camp, there was a
learned scholar named Xu Shu. Xu Shu's mother had been
tricked by Cao Cao, an enemy of Liu Bei, into going to Cao
Cao's camp. Xu Shu's mother was also intelligent. Cao Cao
told her that Xu Shu was in his camp and that he wish to see
her to discuss some matters with her. She did not believe
it. But Cao Cao took her by force anyway. After that, Cao
Cao asked someone to forge a letter with Xu Shu's mother's
handwriting. The letter said that she was ill and living in
Cao Cao's camp, and that she wanted Xu Shu to come as soon
as possible to see her.
After Xu Shu found out that his mother
was in Cao Cao's camp, he was afraid she would run into some
kind of mishap and so he quickly said good-bye to Liu Bei
and went to Cao Cao's camp. Why did Cao Cao capture Xu Shu's
mother? Because he wanted to win Xu Shu's support. Knowing
that Xu Shu was a talented person, he kidnapped his mother
in order to induce the son to work under him rather than Liu
Bei. When Xu Shu was taking his leave, Liu Bei personally
escorted him for many miles. He could not bear to part from
him. Xu Shu, moved by this conduct, recommended Zhu-ge Liang
to Liu Bei.
Thereupon Liu Bei called on Zhu-ge
Liang three times. After Liu Bei returned to his
own country, he made a special trip to call on Zhu-ge Liang.
He called on him once, and then a second time, to invite
Zhu-ge Liang to help him rule the country. Zhu-ge Liang paid
him no heed and did not wish to go. Liu Bei then called a
third time. Zhu-ge Liang was finally moved by Liu Bei's
sincerity and consented. Zhu-ge Liang was moved by someone
who recognized his true worth and vowed to repay this
kindness even at the cost of death. He was grateful
for Liu Bei's kindness and appreciation of his ability, so
he dedicated his life to repaying Liu Bei. Later he
dispatched his troops out of Qi Mountain six times.
He mobilized his army from Mount Qi. During his life, Zhu-ge
Liang attacked the Kingdom of Northern Wei six times and
after his death, his successor Jiang Wei battled in the
Central Plains nine times.
Planning his strategy in his
thatched hut at Longzhong where he resided he already
foresaw the establishing of the Three Kingdoms-
Wei, Shu and Wu- which stood like the three legs of a
censer. He simply tried his best to comply with heaven's
will in the human realm. Even though he tried his best, he
met with no success.
In his Memorial of Military
Dispatch are the lines: "I will devote myself to affairs of
state with body and mind; not until death will I stop."
He would withstand all toil and fatigue and would take his
responsibility very seriously until the day he died. Only
then would his desire to serve his country cease. His
loyalty and dedication to his country will forever be
remembered. His good name will last through the ages. From
the past to the present, people have admired him very much.
~ To be continued
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