黃金與鉆石

Gold and Diamond A long time ago, in Egypt lived a famous mystical person named Zun-Nun. A young man came to visit him and asked,"Teacher, I do not understand why people like you when you dress in such a simple way?" The mystic only smiled and took his ring from one of his fingers, and said:"Young friend, I will answer your question, but first do one thing for me, take this ring and go to the market across this street, can you sell this for one chip of gold?" Looking at Zun-Nun's dirty ring, the young man became doubtful, "One chip of gold? I am not sure this ring could be sold at that price." The young man went to the market quickly. He offered the ring to the textile, vegetable, meat, fish traders, and the others. The fact is that no body was willing to pay for a chip of Gold. He went back to Zun-Nun's residence and reported,"Teacher, nobody's brave enough to offer more than one chip of silver." With a wise smile Zun-Nun said,"Now go to the Gold Shop at the back of this street and show this to the owner or to the gold trader. Don't give your price; just listen how much he will pay for this ring." The young man went to the shop mentioned and returned with a different expression on his face. He then reported,"Teacher, the traders in the market really didn't know the value of this ring, the gold trader offered this ring for one thousand of gold, and the value of this ring was one thousands times from what the traders in the market offered." Zun-Nun just smiled subtly and spoke softly," That was the answer of your question, my friend. Someone cannot be valued only from his dress. The traders in the market give value like that but not for 'the gold trader'." The gold and diamond inside someone only could be seen and valued if you could look at the inner soul. It needs heart to see, and it needs a process. We cannot see it from the words or attitude. Many a time what we think is a gold, is only a brass but a brass is a gold.