Once upon a time there was a young man who used to meditate1 all day about the meaning of life. Most of the time he was pondering about what is the most important thing in life. He thought the importance could more easily lead people beyond the exterior2 of existence, and disclose to them the reason of things.
　　 No matter how long he meditated and observed, he could get no result. To clear his doubts, he decided to go and visit an old sage, who lived alone in a faraway forest.
　　 When he finally met the old sage, he was asked what brought him there. The young man replied he was search－ing for the most precious deed a man could do to get close to God.
　　 “What did you do on your way here?” asked the sage.
　　 The young man thought the old man did not get the question, and repeated his demand.
　　 Then the sage asked again, “What did you do on your way here?”
　　 “I toiled,” said the young man, “because the road up the hill was very steep. I gasped and felt very thirsty. But I made an effort to patiently endure that troublesome walking.”
　　 “What did you do next?”
　　 “I meditated, as I do every day. Today I pondered about imperturbability3 that can be both a virtue and a fault.”
　　 “What did you do next?”
　　 “I helped an old man by taking his bundle of wood to his place. This meant a long detour4on my route, but he was too weak for that burden5.”
　　 “What did you do next?”
　　 The young man hesitated, then admitted, “I sat on a stone for a moment, and played with a marble that my father gave me when I left school. I apologize for wasting my time like that.”
　　 “What action made you feel lighter?” asked the old man.
　　 The young man, puzzled, looked at the sage， “I came to you with a demand.”
　　 The sage repeated, as if he had not heard this last objection,“What action made you feel lighter?”
　　 “Playing with the marble,” said the confused young man, “I was really free and happy; I had no thoughts, no worries.”
　　 “That was the best time today,” said the sage, “when you yielded to play.” Play is a light yet serious activity, because then God is near you. You go beyond the surface of existence in the very same moment as you rise above it.
　　从前有一个年轻人成天思考着生命的意义。大多数时间他都在思考什么才是生命中最重要的事情，因为他认为事件的重要性能够更容易地引导人们超脱事物的外表，揭露事情的本质。
　　不管他怎么思考和观察，都得不到答案。为了解决自己的疑问，他决定去拜访一个独居在森林的老圣人。
　　当他最后见到老圣人的时候，圣人问他有什么事情。年轻人回答说他正在寻找能接近上帝的最有价值的事情。
　　“在你来这里的路上，你做了什么？”圣人问道。
　　年轻人以为老人没有明白他的问题，就又重复了他的问题。
　　然而圣人依然问道：“路上你做了些什么？”
　　“我很辛苦地来到了这里，”年轻人说道，“因为上山的路非常的陡峭，搞得我气喘吁吁，并且非常渴，但我奋力地、耐心地坚持走完了这段艰苦的路程。”
　　“然后你做了什么？”
　　“就和每天一样，我在思考。今天我在思考关于冷静的问题，我认为冷静既是优点也是一种缺陷。”
　　“然后你做了什么？”
　　“我帮助一个老人把一捆柴送到他住的地方，这意味着我要绕一大圈路，但是老人已经疲弱得背不动了。”
　　“然后你做了什么？”
　　年轻人犹豫了一下，然后说道：“我在一个大石头上坐了一会，还玩了一会儿弹球，那弹球是我离开学校的时候父亲给我的。我对我那样的浪费时间感到抱歉。”
　　“什么事情能够让你感到更轻松一点？”老人问道。
　　年轻人感到很困惑，看着圣人，问道：“请回答我的问题，我是来问你问题的。”
　　圣人就像没有听到年轻人的抗议一样，继续重复他的问题：“什么东西能够让你感到轻松一点？”
　　“玩弹球，”困惑的年轻人回答道，“玩弹球的时候，我感到很放松，很快乐，不思考和担忧什么。”
　　“当你沉浸于玩乐的时候，”圣人说，“那是今天最美好的时候。”玩是非常轻松但又严肃的事，因为上帝就在你身边。每次当你能从中看到更远的时候，你就已经超越了表层的东西。