In old times it was customary for Monks who is traveling and seeking for lodge to stay was to engage himself in dharma combat with head monk at Zen monastery. If he won battle then he could stay else he would have to seek quarters elsewhere.

古時候，游歷的或想要借宿的和尚習慣于和寺院的住持辯論佛法。如果贏了，就能留下，否則就要另尋他處。

Once a traveling monk stop at a monastery. Master at monastery assigned his attendant to engage in silent debate combat with traveling monk. By chance attendant who was to combat with wayfarer had only one eye.

一次有一位游歷僧人到了一家寺院，住持安排一個手下僧人和這個游歷僧人進行一場沉默的佛法辯論。碰巧游歷僧人的對手只有一只眼睛。

They both were sent for combat. Soon the wayfarer returned to master saying, “Your man is too good. I must journey on.”

這兩個人都出去辯論了，很快游歷僧人回來找到住持說：“你的人太厲害了，我得繼續(xù)找住處了。”

Wayfarer then told master about the combat. He said , “I held up one finger to symbolize Buddha but he held up two fingers for Buddha and Dharma. So I held up three fingers for Buddha Dharma and Sang-ha but then he made a fist to indicate that they were all one. So I ran to indicate that I am no match for him.”

然后游歷僧人跟住持講述了辯論經(jīng)過。他說：“我舉起一根手指代表佛陀，他卻舉起兩根手指代表佛陀和達摩。所以我舉起三根手指代表佛陀、達摩和僧伽，但他卻握拳表示他們都是一體，所以我就跑了，意思是我比不上他。”

After saying this wayfarer left. When the traveler left, master’s attendant arrived. He was angry and out of breath. He demanded to his master, “Where is that rascal??”

說完這番話，游歷僧人就離開了，他走之后，住持的手下回來了，他很生氣，上氣不接下氣地問住持：“那個混蛋跑哪兒去了?”

He continued, “Master, first he insulted me by holding up one finger to indicate I had only one eye. Still being polite I held up two fingers to indicate that he was blessed with two eyes but still that traveler kept going on and held up three fingers to indicate that together there were only three eyes among them. So I wanted to hit him hard and made a fist but he ran off. Where is he hiding??”

他繼續(xù)說：“住持，首先他舉起一根手指羞辱我，意思是我只有一只眼睛。我仍然很有禮貌地舉起兩根手指，意思是他很幸運有兩只眼睛。但那個游歷僧人變本加厲，舉起三根手指表示加在一起還是三只眼睛，所以我就想揍他攥起拳頭，但他跑了，他藏哪兒了?”

Moral: Never be too quick to judge others.

道理：永遠不要急于對別人做出評價。