1月10日

生活的藝術
夏丏尊 ( 1886~1946 )

在他，世間竟沒有不好的東西，一切都好，
小旅館好，統艙好，掛褡好，粉破的席子好，
破舊的手巾好，白菜好，萊菔好，鹹苦的
蔬菜好，跑路好，什麼都有味，什麼都了不得。

這是何等的風光啊！宗教上的話且不說，瑣屑
的日常生活到此境界，不是所謂生活的藝術化了
嗎？人家說他在受苦，我卻要說他是享樂。當我
見他喫萊菔白菜時那種愉悅叮嚀的光景，我想：
萊菔白菜的全滋味、真滋味，怕要算他才能如實
嘗得的了。對於一切事物，不為因襲的成見所縛，
都還他一個本來面目，如實觀照領略，這才是真
解脫、真享樂。
藝術和宗教實有同一的歸趨。凡為實利或成見
所束縛,不能把日常生活咀嚼玩味的，都是與藝
術無緣的人們。真的藝術,不限在詩裡，也不限
在畫裡，到處都有，隨時可得。

──選自《平屋雜文》

January 10th

The Art Of Living
Xia Gaizun (1886 - 1946)
English translation: Miao Guang

To him, nothing is bad in this world; all is good. A small
hotel is good, economy class is good, lodging is good,
a ragged mat is good, a worn out towel is good, cabbage
is good, carrot is good, running is good. Everything has a
flavor, and everything is fantastic.

What an outlook! Not to mention a spiritual state of
mind, but to be in such a state amidst daily trivial matters,
does this not symbolize an artistic and tasteful attitude
toward life? To others, he seems to be enduring hardship;
to me, he is just enjoying life. Having seen the look of his
face when he chewed on the carrot and cabbage, such joy
and pleasure demonstrated to me that only a man like him
is able to enjoy the true taste of these vegetables. Being free
from any bias or prejudice, he maintains that true self who
is able to simply observe and experience every part of life.
This is true liberation and enjoyment.

Art and religion in fact share a common purpose. Anyone
bound by profit or prejudice, and fails to relish even the
smallest things in life is one who shares no connection with
art. True art is not exclusive to poetry or paintings, instead,
it can be found and gained anywhere and everywhere.

── from Pingwu Zawen (Miscellaneous Writings in the Humble Hut)