A PowerPoint Presentation of a Buddhist story that teaches an important life lesson - how not to worry needlessly. The texts are in English and Chinese. Dedicated to my Hokkien Dhamma Class at PBHP, youth members and all practicing Buddhists. For the Video with Hokkien narration, you can go to the Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQHtekKJ2gs

1. 1
不用担心。 要开心。
一个反思的佛教故事

2. 2
Once upon a time in a village lived a
merchant who used to work very hard.
He wanted to earn a lot of money so
that he and his children would never be
short of food.
One day he called his accountant and
said, “Find out how much money I have
and for how long will it be enough for
me and my family.
After a few days, the accountant came
with an accounting set of calculations.
从前，在一个村庄里住着一个商人，他曾
经非常努力地工作。 他想赚很多钱，这
样他和他的孩子们就永远不会缺饭吃。一
天，他打电话给他的会计师说：“查一查
我有多少钱，这些钱够我和我的家人用多
久。过了几天，会计拿来了一套会计账
本。

3. 3
He said to the merchant, “According
to all your expenditures done in the
present, if they stay the same and
even if there is no income from today
on, even then your next two
generations can carry on with enough
food to eat.”
The merchant was shocked at what he
heard. He asked, “Then what will
happen to my third or fourth
generation? From where will they get
the food?”
”他对商人说：“按照你现在所做的一切
支出，如果保持不变，即使从今天起没
有收入，你的后代也能有足够的食物
吃。商人听了大吃一惊。 他问：“那我
的第三代或第四代怎么办？ 他们从哪里
得到食物？”
My 3rd or 4th
Generation
?

4. 4
From this time onwards, the
merchant started thinking about
them – his third and fourth
generation. He started worrying
about his third and fourth generation.
Due to his worrying, the merchant
could not eat and sleep well. He
started to fall sick. He sought many
types of treatments and took various
types of medicine but there was no
relief from his sickness.
从这个时候开始，商人开始惦记着他
们——他的第三代和第四代。 他开始担
心他的第三代和第四代。由于担心，商
人吃不下饭，睡不好觉。 他开始生病
了。 他求医问药，吃过各种药，都不见
好转。

5. 5
One day, a friend of the merchant
came to see him. The friend saw that
the merchant was not well and
seemed very much worried. The
friend asked him the reason for his
worry. The merchant said, “Even
after earning so much, yet there is
nothing for my third or fourth
generation. I am always worried
about how they would feed
themselves.” The merchant’s friend
understood this problem of his.
一天，商人的一位朋友来看望他。 朋友见
商人身体不好，显得很担心。 朋友问他担
心的原因。 商人说：“挣了这么多钱，我的
三四岁也没有一代。 我总是担心他们如何
养活自己。” 商人的朋友理解他的这个问
题。

6. 6
He told his merchant friend, “A
monk has come to our town and he
will stay here for few days. He is
very wise and compassionate. If
you bring him food in the morning
then your problem will be solved.”
The very next day the merchant set
out to the monk’s place bringing
along some prepared food to offer
to the monk.
他告诉他的商人朋友：“一位僧人
来到我们镇上，他将在这里住几
天。 他非常睿智和富有同情心。
如果你早上给他带食物，那么你
的问题就会解决。”第二天，商人
带着一些准备好的食物前往和尚
的住所，供养和尚。

7. 7
Upon reaching the place, the monk
welcomed him with warmth and
respect. The monk called for his
disciples saying that merchant had
brought food for them.
One of the disciples replied, “But
Master, for today someone has already
given us food.”
Having listened to his disciple’s words,
the monk said to the merchant, “Sorry
my friend, but someone has already
given us food for today. So, we cannot
accept your food.
到达目的地后，和尚热情而恭敬地欢迎
他。 和尚召弟子说是商人送来食物。一
个弟子回答说：“可是师父，今天已经有
人给我们送饭了。”和尚听了弟子的话，
对商人说：“对不起，朋友，今天已经有
人送饭了。 所以，我们不能接受你的食
物。

8. 8
Our monastic rule is to accept only one
meal a day which is given early in the
morning and we can't take any anymore.
I apologize.”
The merchant said, “Oh, then you keep it
for tomorrow, then you will not have to
worry about tomorrow's meal. I can still
bring fresh food for you tomorrow.”
The monk said, “No my friend, we do not
worry about tomorrow in our present
time. When tomorrow comes then
tomorrow's food will also be arranged.”
我们的寺院规矩是一天只吃一餐，清晨
给的，我们不能再吃了。 我道歉。””商
人说：“哦，那你留着明天吃，明天的饭
就不愁了。 明天我还能给你带来新鲜的
食物。”和尚说：“不，我的朋友，我们
现在不担心明天。 到明天的时候，明天
的饭菜也会安排好。”

9. 9
The merchant was surprised to hear the
monk’s words. He asked the monk in
surprise, “Sir, don't you worry about
tomorrow's meal? What will you do if you
don't get food tomorrow?”
The monk smiled and said, “My friend the
“god” who has given us food today will
give us food tomorrow also.”
“Which person has seen tomorrow?” the
monk continued. “Who knows whether
tomorrow will come or not. We only live in
the present and don't worry about
tomorrow.”
商人听了和尚的话，吃了一惊。 他惊讶地问
和尚：“先生，您不担心明天的饭菜吗？ 明天
没饭吃怎么办？”和尚笑着说：“我的‘神’朋
友，今天给了我们食物，明天也会给我们食
物。”“谁见过明天？” 和尚继续说道。 “谁知
道明天会不会到来。 我们只活在当下，不要
为明天担忧。”

10. 10
Hearing this, the merchant bowed down to
the monk and left on his own.
Throughout the way, he kept thinking about
what the monk said. He said to himself, “The
monk has no food for tomorrow and still he is
not worrying about tomorrow. And here I am
worrying about my third and fourth
generation.”
The merchant understood and realized that
we should not make our today unhappy by
worrying about tomorrow. He let go of all his
worries and started living happily.
商人闻言，向和尚顶礼而去。一路上，他一
直在想和尚说的话。 他自言自语：“和尚没
有明日的食物，却不为明日忧虑。 我在这
里担心我的第三代和第四代。”商人理解并
意识到我们不应该让我们的今天不开心担心
明天。 他放下了所有的烦恼，开始了幸福
的生活。
home

11. 11
If we reflect on our lives, we will find that we
often worry so much about our future that we
make our today miserable. We always worry
about how our future will be. What will be our
financial condition in the future? Would we be
able to fulfill our responsibilities or not? What
will happen to our children? What will be the
future of our children like?
Worrying about the future, we forget that
every moment we spend worrying about
tomorrow is a moment we lose from enjoying
today.
Some Reflective Comments from the Story Writer
如果我们反思自己的生活，就会发现我们常常
为自己的未来担忧，以至于让今天变得悲惨。
我们总是担心我们的未来会怎样。 我们未来的
财务状况会怎样？ 我们能不能尽到自己的责
任？ 我们的孩子会怎样？ 我们孩子的未来会怎
样？担心未来，我们忘记了我们花在担心上的
每一刻明天是我们因享受今天而失去的时刻。

12. 12
Just look at the sparrows, they do not know
what they will do in the next moment. What
will they get to eat in the next moment and
yet they remain quite untroubled?
Let us live from moment to moment,
day to day.
If you want to live a happy life, then always
believe that your tomorrow is going to be
very bright and prosperous.
Therefore, stop worrying about tomorrow
because worrying does not take away
tomorrow's troubles but it takes away
today's peace.
看看麻雀们，它们下一刻不知道要做什
么。 下一刻他们会吃到什么，但他们仍然
很平静？让我们活在每一刻，每一天。如
果你想过上幸福的生活，那么永远相信你
的明天会非常光明和繁荣。因此，不要为
明天担心，因为担心不会带走一切明天的
烦恼却带走了今天的平安。

13. 13
You shouldn’t chase after the past
or place expectations on the future.
What is past is left behind.
The future is as yet unreached.
Whatever quality is present
you clearly see right there, right there.
~
Ardently doing
what should be done today,
for—who knows?— tomorrow
death.
There is no bargaining
with Mortality & his mighty horde.
你不应该追逐过去或者寄希望于未来。过去
的就留在后面。未来尚未实现。 无论质量如
何你清楚地看到就在那里，就在那里。~热心
做今天应该做什么，因为——谁知道呢？—
—明天死亡。与 Mortality 及其强大的部落没
有任何讨价还价的余地。
From Majjhima Nikaya 131
来自 Majjhima Nikaya 131
With Metta,
Bro. Oh Teik Bin
The End 结束