9月14日

《陶庵夢憶》選 ─ 陶庵夢憶序
明 張岱 ( 1597~1679 )

想余生平，繁華靡麗，過眼皆空，五十年來，總成一
夢。今當黍熟黃梁，車旅蟻穴，當作如何消受？遙思往
事，憶即書之，持向佛前，一一懺悔。......「莫是夢否？」
一夢耳，惟恐其非夢，又惟恐其是夢，其為癡人則一也。
余今大夢將寤，猶事雕蟲，又是一番夢囈。

──選自《陶庵夢憶》

September 14

Selections from Dreams of Tao an - Preface to Dreams of Tao An
Zhang Dai (1597 - 1679, Ming Dynasty)
English translation: Miao Guang

Looking back upon my life, all the ostentatious prosperity
and extravagance have now become as transient and
ephemeral as fleeting clouds. Everything across these fifty
years has all ended as dreams. Now that the millet in the
dream is cooked*, and the cart has already returned from
the ant hill**, how will such days be spent? As I look back
into the past, I shall write down all that I remember, and
then take them to the Buddha and repent. Could this be a
dream? I fear that a dream may not be a dream, yet still a
dream. What a foolish man! Now that I am about to have
a big awakening, I shall show off my unskilled ability in
putting things in words. Perhaps it is just another moment
of somniloquy.

── from Tao An Meng Yi (Dreams of Tao An)

* Refers to Huangliang Yimeng (Yellow Millet Dream).
** Refers to Nanke Yimeng (Dream of Nanke).