魯米(Rumi,1207—1273）
《瑪斯納維》第三卷,故事五
《黑暗中的象》




大象被帶到這裡。
那是印度人帶來的一頭巨獸，
被關在一間漆黑的屋子里。
人們成群結隊地湧進黑暗，
都想看它一眼。
既然眼睛在黑暗裡失去了作用，
他們就伸出手，開始摸索。
一個人的手碰到了象鼻：
“噢，這東西就像一根粗大的水管。”
另一個摸到了它的耳朵：
“不對，它感覺像一把大扇子。”
第三個人抱住了它的腿：
“我看它是一根矗立著的柱子。”
第四個把手平鋪在大象的背上：
“這分明是一張堅實的寶座。”
你看，他們每個人
都只摸到了一個局部，
卻都以為自己得到了全部。
如果他們聽聽彼此，
聽到的也只會是衝突。
一個人的現實，成了另一個人的荒謬。
其實，感官的認知
不過是黑暗中胡亂摸索的掌心。
手掌再大，
又怎麼可能量得完一整頭象？
如果這時候，
有一個人能帶進來一根點燃的蠟燭，
所有的爭吵、所有的盲目，
都會在光芒里，
瞬間融化。

Rumi,(1207—1273）:
Masnavi,Volumn III,STORY V
The Elephant in a Dark Room.


Some Hindoos were exhibiting an elephant in a dark room,
and many people collected to see it.
But as the place was too dark to permit them to see the elephant,
they all felt it with their hands, to gain an idea of what it was like.
One felt its trunk, and declared that the beast resembled a water-pipe;
another felt its ear, and said it must be a large fan;
another its leg, and thought it must be a pillar;
another felt its back, and declared the beast must be like a great throne.
According to the part which each felt,
he gave a different description of the animal.
One, as it were, called it "Dal" and another "Alif."