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有一個國王，有一天他想到，假使他能知道以下三個問題的答案，那他將終生不再擔心做事會失敗了。
什麼時候是做每一件事情最適當的時刻？
什麼人是在一起共事的最佳人選或者該規避的人？
什麼是最重要的事情？
於是這位國王發出告示通令全國，誰能回答這三個問題：「每一個行動的最佳時機、誰是最需要的人，甚麼是最重要的事？」就可獲得重賞。很多看到告示的人，立刻跑來晉見國王，每個人都帶著不同的答案。
國王對這些答案通通不滿意，因此並沒有發給任何的獎賞。
經過幾夜的深思，國王決定去拜訪住在山裡一位很有智慧的隱士。聽說這位隱士已經悟道，只願意接見貧賤庶民，而拒絕與任何達官顯貴往來，並且從不離開他所居住的山中。但是國王仍決定去尋訪這位隱士，於是他把自己裝扮成一個農夫，命令他的侍從在山腳下等候，然後自己一個人爬上山頂去尋找。
當國王到達這位隱士的住處時，看見他正在自己的茅屋前墾土掘地。而他看到國王時，只是點個頭打個招呼，然後又繼續工作。他是個老人，每次舉起鋤頭往地面挖的時候，都顯的緩慢吃力。顯然這件工作，已超出他體能負荷。
國王走近問他：「我來此想請教您三個問題：
什麼是做每件事情的最佳時機？什麼人是一起共事的最佳人選？什麼是最先該做的最重要事情？」
隱士專注地聽他講完之後，一言不發，只是輕輕地拍國王的肩膀，而後依然繼續挖他的地。國王見狀便說：「你一定累了，讓我來幫你的忙。」隱士將鋤頭交給國王，道了謝，然後就坐在地上休息。
國王翻鬆了兩列田埂之後，又停下來重複那三個問題。隱士站起來，並沒有回答他的問題，只是指著鋤頭說道：「你現在休息一會兒，換我來做一下。」然而國王仍繼續挖土。一個鐘頭過去了，兩個鐘頭也過去了，太陽終於下山。國王放下鋤頭向隱士說：「我來此的目的，是要請教您那三個問題。假如您不知道答案，請坦白承認，這樣我也可以啟程回家。」
隱士突然抬起頭向國王說：「你聽到有人在附近奔跑嗎？」國王隨之轉頭查看，於是他們看見一個留著鬍鬚的人，從樹林中出現。這個人手按腹部，血流不止，驚惶奔馳。他跑到國王面前，便支撐不住，撲倒在地，痛苦呻吟。兩人掀開他的衣服，看見他腹部嚴重被刺傷。國王見狀，立刻為他清洗傷口，並用自己的手帕和隱士的毛巾為他包紮。然而血很快地染紅了包紮的布，國王只好將它拿去清洗，然後再度為他止血包紮。過了一會兒，血止了，他終於甦醒過來，並且要水喝。國王又跑到溪邊，打水回來。而這時候，太陽也已經下了山。氣溫逐漸轉涼。隱士幫助國王把這個人抬進茅屋，放在床舖上。他合眼安詳地躺著，而國王因為爬山，又幫忙墾地，以及照顧這個受傷的人而精疲力盡，於是靠著門邊很快地睡著了。當國王醒來時，太陽已冒出山頂上，他幾乎忘了身在何處，以及來此作什麼！轉過頭去，只見那人躺在床上，正以滿臉困惑的表情望著他。此人對著國王，以微弱的聲音說道：「陛下，我乞求您寬恕！」
國王問道：「你我素不相識，你做錯了什麼事，需要我原諒？」
那人說：「陛下，您不認識我，可是我認得您，你是我不共戴天的仇人，因為在上一次的戰爭當中，我的兄弟被你的軍隊所殺，而且我家所有的財產也被你掠奪充公。我發誓要報仇，因此當我獲悉您將單獨前來山上，便在路邊設下埋伏準備暗殺您。可是在還沒有找到您之前，就遇上您的侍衛，被他們認出並刺傷。幸虧我及時逃離，而來到了這裡。要不是遇見您，我現在必死無疑。我企圖謀殺您，卻為您所救，內心的慚愧和感激實在難以形容。假使我能安然無恙，您也同意的話，我發誓終生當您的僕人，並且命我的子孫們也這麼做。現在，請您原諒我！」
國王對於能夠如此容易地和以前的敵人言歸於好，深感驚喜。他不但原諒此人，而且答應歸還他所有的財產，另外又命令他自己的醫生和僕人看護他，直到完全康復為止。等將此人送回家後，國王又折回來找隱士。他想在回宮之前，最後一次請教隱士那三個問題。此時這位隱士，跪在昨天已挖好的土壤上播種子。國王說：「有智慧的人啊，最後一次我請你把答案告訴我。」他還是蹲著，抬頭望著國王說：「你的問題早已答覆完畢了。」
「這如何解釋呢？」國王困惑地問。「你昨天要不是同情我年邁體衰，幫我掘地，將會在回家路上，被那人所刺殺。那麼你勢必深感懊悔，當時沒有跟我在一起。因此，最重要的時刻是你在掘地的當下，最重要的人就是我，而最重要的事情就是幫助我。稍後，那位身受重傷的人跑過來之時，最重要的時刻是幫他包紮傷口的那一剎那，因為假使你沒有照顧他，他就會死掉，你將失去和他重新和好的機會。換句話說，他就是最重要的人，而最重要的事，就是治療他的傷口。請記住，最重要的時刻只有一個，那就是「現在」。眼前的片刻是我們真正能把握的唯一時刻。最重要的人，是當下你能跟他在一起，就近在我們身旁的人。因為，誰能知道你將會遇上什麼人呢？最重要的事，就是使當下我們身旁的人幸福快樂，那是人生唯一的追求目標。」
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It once occurred to a certain king that if he always knew the right time to begin everything, if he knew who were the right people to listen to and whom to avoid, and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.
And this thought having occurred to him, he had it proclaimed throughout his kingdom that he would give a great reward to anyone who could teach him what was the right time for every action, and who were the most necessary people, and how he might know what was the most important thing to do.
And learned men came to the king, but they all answered his questions differently.
All the answers being different, the king agreed with none of them and gave the reward to none. But still wishing to find the right answers to his questions, after pondering for several nights, he decided to consult a hermit, widely renowned for his wisdom.
The enlightened hermit lived in a wood which he never left, and he received none but common folk. So the king put on simple clothes, and before reaching the hermit’s cell, he dismounted from his horse and, leaving his bodyguard behind, went on alone.
When the king approached, the hermit was digging the ground in front of his hut. Seeing the king, he greeted him, and went on digging. The hermit was frail and weak, and each time he stuck his spade into the ground and turned a little earth, he breathed heavily.
The king went up to him and said, “I have come to you, wise hermit, to ask you to answer three questions: How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time? Who are the people I most need, and to whom I should, therefore, pay more attention than to the rest? And what affairs are the most important and need my first attention?
The hermit listened to the king but answered nothing. He just spat on his hand and recommenced digging.
“You are tired,” said the king; “let me take the spade and work awhile for you.”
“Thanks!” said the hermit, and, giving the spade to the king, he sat down on the ground.
When he had dug two beds, the king stopped and repeated his questions. The hermit again gave no answer but rose, stretched out his hand for the spade, and said: “Now rest awhile—and let me work a bit.”
But the king did not give him the spade and continued to dig. One hour passed and another. The sun began to sink behind the trees, and the king at last stuck the spade into the ground and said: “I came to you, wise man, for an answer to my questions. If you can give me none, tell me so, and I will return home.”
“Here comes someone running,” said the hermit; “let us see who it is.”
The king turned round and saw a bearded man come running out of the wood. The man held his hands pressed against his side, and blood was flowing from under them. When he reached the king, he fell fainting on the ground, moaning feebly. The king and the hermit unfastened the man’s clothing. There was a large wound in his side. The king washed it as best he could, and bandaged it with his handkerchief and with a towel the hermit had. But the blood would not stop flowing, and the king again and again washed and rebandaged the wound. When at last the blood eased flowing, the man revived and asked for something to drink. The king brought fresh water and gave it to him.
Meanwhile the sun had set, and it had become cool. So the king, with the hermit’s help, carried the wounded man into the hut and laid him on the bed. Lying on the bed the man closed his eyes and was quiet, but the king was so tired with his walk and with the work he had done that he crouched down on the threshold and also fell asleep—so soundly that he slept all through the short summer night. When he awoke in the morning, it was long before he could remember where he was, or who was the strange bearded man lying on the bed and gazing intently at him with shining eyes.
“Forgive me!” said the bearded man in a weak voice, when he saw that the king was awake and was looking at him.
“I do not know you and have nothing to forgive you for,” said the king.
“You do not know me, but I know you. I am that enemy of yours who swore to revenge himself on you, because you executed his brother and seized his property. I knew you had gone alone to see the hermit, and I resolved to kill you on your way back. But the day passed and you did not return. So I came out from my ambush to find you, and I came upon your bodyguards, and they recognized me, and wounded me. I escaped from them but would have bled to death had you not dressed my wound. I wished to kill you, and you saved my life. Now, if I live and if you wish it, I will serve you as your most faithful servant and will bid my sons do the same. Forgive me!”
The king was very glad to have made peace with his enemy so easily and to have gained him for a friend, so he not only forgave him but said he would send his servants and his own physician to attend him, and promised to restore his property.
Having taken leave of the wounded man, the king went out onto the porch and looked around for the hermit. Before going away he wished once more to beg an answer to the questions he had put. The hermit was outside, on his knees, sowing seeds in the beds that had been dug the day before.
The king approached him and said: “For the last time, I pray you to answer my questions, wise man.”
“You have already been answered!” said the hermit, still crouching on his thin legs and looking up at the king, who stood before him.
“How answered? What do you mean?” asked the king.
“Do you not see?” replied the hermit. “If you had not pitied my weakness yesterday, and had not dug these beds for me, but had gone your way, that man would have attacked you, and you would have repented of not having stayed with me. So the most important time was when you were digging the beds; and I was the most important man; and to do me good was your most important business. Afterward, when that man ran to us, the most important time was when you were attending to him, for if you had not bound up his wounds he would have died without having made peace with you. So he was the most important man, and what you did for him was your most important business. Remember then: there is only one time that is important—now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power. The most necessary man is he with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with anyone else; and the most important affair is to do him good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!”
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