鳳凰與貓頭鷹

惠子是梁國的宰相。

他聽到了一個秘密的消息，信以為真，據說莊子凱覦他的職位，正密謀取而代之。 

 莊子來梁國的時候，惠子下令逮捕他，但雖然他們搜查了三天三夜，也沒能找到他。 

莊子自己出現了，講了一個美麗的寓言。從你內心最深處的核心來聽這個寓言。　他說："你聽說過南方的那種鳥，－－永生不老的鳳凰(一種玄奧的鳥)嗎？"  

"永生的鳳凰，從南海飛向北海，除非是特定的聖樹它才棲息，它只吃最精美的珍稀的果實，它只喝最清澈的泉水。 

有一次一隻貓頭鷹，正嚼著一隻腐爛的老鼠，這時它看見鳳凰飛過。它驚慌地仰著頭尖叫，緊緊抓住死鼠不放，驚恐萬狀。 

"宰相，為什麼你這樣發狂地，緊緊抓住你的職位，對著我驚恐地尖叫？" 

莊子【秋水】，〈惠子相梁〉，原文:

惠子相梁，莊子往見之。或謂惠子曰：「莊子來，欲代子相。」於是惠子恐，搜於國中三日三夜。 

莊子往見之，曰：「南方有鳥，其名鵷鶵，子知之乎？夫鵷鶵，發於南海而飛於北海，非梧桐不止，非練實不食，非醴泉不飲。於是鴟得腐鼠，鵷鶵過之，仰而視之曰：『嚇！』今子欲以子之梁國而嚇我耶？」 

The Empty Boat

the 3000-year-old Taoist message of self-realization through the stories of the Chinese mystic, Chuang Tzu.Year published: 1976

The Owl and the Phoenix

HUI TZU WAS PRIME MINISTER OF LIANG.
HE HAD WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE INSIDE INFORMATION
THAT CHUANG TZU COVETED HIS POST,
AND WAS PLOTTING TO SUPPLANT HIM.

WHEN CHUANG TZU CAME TO VISIT LIANG
THE PRIME MINISTER SENT OUT POLICE TO ARREST HIM,
BUT ALTHOUGH THEY SEARCHED FOR THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS
THEY COULD NOT FIND HIM.
MEANWHILE, CHUANG TZU PRESENTED HIMSELF TO HUI TZU
OF HIS OWN ACCORD, AND SAID:
"HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE BIRD
THAT LIVES IN THE SOUTH --
THE PHOENIX THAT NEVER GROWS OLD?

"THIS UNDYING PHOENIX RISES OUT OF THE SOUTH SEA
AND FLIES TO THE SEA OF THE NORTH,
NEVER ALIGHTING EXCEPT ON CERTAIN SACRED TREES.
HE WILL TOUCH NO FOOD
BUT THE MOST EXQUISITE RARE FRUIT,
AND HE DRINKS ONLY FROM THE CLEAREST SPRINGS.

"ONCE AN OWL
CHEWING AN ALREADY HALF-DECAYED DEAD RAT
SAW THE PHOENIX FLY OVER. "LOOKING UP HE SCREECHED WITH ALARM
AND CLUTCHED THE DEAD RAT TO HIMSELF
IN FEAR AND DISMAY.

"PRIME MINISTER,
WHY ARE YOU SO FRANTIC,
CLINGING TO YOUR MINISTRY
AND SCREECHING AT ME IN DISMAY?"