22-Courage 勇气

Courage 勇气

A father was really worried about his son, who was sixteen years old but had no courage at all. So the father decided¹ to call on a Buddhist1 monk2 to train his child.

The Buddhist² monk³ said to the boy’s father, “You should leave your son alone here. I’ll make him into a real man within three months. However, you can’t come to see him during this period.”

Three months later, the boy’s father returned. The Buddhist monk arranged a boxing match between the child and an experienced boxer⁴. Each time the fighter struck the boy, he fell down, but at once the boy stood up; and each time a punch knocked him down again, then the boy stood up again. Several times later, the Buddhist monk asked, “What do you think of your child?”

“What a shame!” the boy’s father said, “I never thought he would be so easily knocked down. I needn’t have him left here any longer.”

“I’m sorry that that’s all you see. Don’t you see that each time he falls down, he stands up again instead of crying? That’s the kind of courage you wanted him to have.”

If each time you are knocked down you have the courage to stand up again, then you can be proud of yourself.

注释:

1. Buddhist adj. 佛教的 n. 佛教徒

2. monk n. 僧侣

3. punch n. （一）拳

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

3 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

4 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。