My mum recently sent me a fairly long text in Mandarin. I asked for a summary, and was told firmly that I should soldier my way through it and to brush up my Mandarin if necessary.
I rose to the occasion, and sent back a translated version to demonstrate my understanding of the fable. I haven't received any more fables from her since smile emoticon
Here are the respective texts to share:
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[闭上嘴是最高的修行]
一个流浪汉，走进寺庙，看到菩萨坐在莲花台 上众人膜拜，非常羡慕。
流浪汉：我可以和你换一下吗?
菩萨：只要你不开口。
流浪汉坐上了莲花台。他的眼前整天嘈杂纷 乱，要求者众多。他始终忍着没开口。
一日，来了个富翁。
富翁：求菩萨赐给我美德。磕头，起身，他的 钱包掉在了地下。流浪汉刚想开口提醒，他想 起了菩萨的话。
富翁走后，来的是个穷人。
穷人：求菩萨赐给我金钱。家里人病重，急需 钱啊。
磕头，起身，他看到了一个钱包掉在了地下。
穷人：菩萨真显灵了。他拿起钱包就走。流浪 汉想开口说不是显灵，那是人家丢的东西;可他 想起了菩萨的话。
这时，进来了一个渔民。
渔民：求菩萨赐我安全，出海没有风浪。
磕头，起身，他刚要走，却被又进来的富翁揪 住。为了钱包，两人扭打起来。富翁认定是渔 民拣走了钱包，而渔民觉得受了冤枉无法容 忍。流浪汉再也看不下去了，他大喊一声：“住 手!”把一切真相告诉了他们。一场纠纷平息 了。
你觉得这样很正确吗?
菩萨：你还是去做流浪汉吧。你开口以为自己 很公道，但是，穷人因此没有得到那笔救命钱; 富人没有修来好德行，渔夫出海赶上了风浪葬 身海底。要是你不开口，穷人家的命有救了;富 人损失了一点钱但帮了别人积了德;而渔夫因为 纠缠无法上船，躲过了风雨，至今还活着。
流浪汉默默离开了寺庙……
许多事情，该怎样，就怎样。等待它顺其自然 的发生，结果会更好。可面对现实的时候，有 谁又知道，事物本身该有的结果是什么样子呢?
静观其变，是一种能力!
顺其自然，是一种幸福!
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Ah Beng see Buddha so cool on lotus seat, he chao gian. He jio Buddha give him sit. Buddha say want sit is can sit la, but must shaddup.
Ah Beng sit lor. Shaddup onli ma, how hard.
Rich man come pray for virtue then drop purse. Ah Beng think this is goondu, but he diam diam.
Poor man come pray for money, see purse, ho sei! Ah Beng think you just lucky lor, but still diam diam.
Fisherman come pray for smooth sailing, halfway rich man come back and anyhow point finger. Of course fight lor, one say steal my money la, one say where got.
Ah Beng buay tahan. He shout loud loud "I got see everything!" So money return to rightful owner.
Buddha come back, say wa lau simple instruction also cannot follow. If you neh say anything poor man got money save family. Then rich man also donate and is got virtue. Then fisherman fight until no time to sail, but now he go out then storm come die. See la you, see la. Tell your mother.
Moral of story: If Buddha tell you do, you better blardy do. People Buddha leh.
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