There was an artist who wanted to depict Buddha and demons. In order to make his picture more lifelike he wanted to find a model in reality but never found one and finally gave up.
有一个画家，想画佛陀和魔鬼。为了使作品生动，他想在现实中想一个原型，但总是找不着，以致于一直没法下笔。
By chance, when he was making an offering of incense in a temple, he noticed a monk of a serene and dignified demeanour that attracted him and whom he sought out and asked to be a model.
一个偶然的机会，他在寺院进香时，无意中发现了一个和尚，他身上的那种端庄安祥的气质，深深地吸引了画家。于是，他就去找那个和尚，请他给自己做模特。
Hearing that the artist wanted him as a model so as to help him depict a Buddha the monk happily agreed.
和尚听说做模特是为了帮助画家画佛，就欣然同意了。
When the work was completed it had a sensational effect.
画家的作品完成以后，造成了轰动效应。
The artist said with conceit: “This is the most satisfactory picture that I have
ever done because when people looked at the model, they believed him to be a Buddha. His demeanor moved everybody!”
画家也很自负地说：“这是我画过的最满意的一幅画，因为给我做模特的那个人，让所有的人看了，都会认为他就是佛！他身上那种庄严安详的气质，可以感动每一个人！”
This picture brought great success to the artist and in order to express his thanks, he made a gift of a large sum of money to the monk.
画家因为这幅画，取得了巨大的成功。为了表达谢意，画家给了那个和尚一大笔钱。
A year later the artist was preparing to do a picture of a demon. A similar problem arose however. Where could he find a model for a demon?
一年之后，这个画家又准备着手画魔鬼了。但同样的难题又出现了：到哪里去找魔鬼的原形呢？
He travelled everywhere and sought out evil looking people but none of them satisfied him. Eventually he found someone in prison who was the spitting image of the demon of his imagination.
他走了很多地方，找了很多外貌凶恶的人，但没有一个让他完全满意。最后，他终于在监狱中找到了和想像中的魔鬼完全吻合的一个人。
The artist was delighted and thought that he could achieve another masterpiece with this model.
画家高兴极了，他想，自己又可以根据这个模特，创作出另一幅杰作了。
However, when the criminal saw him he wept and said: “Why is it that the last time when you painted a Buddha it was me that you chose and this time when you are painting a demon it’s me again! You’ve turned me from a Buddha to a demon!”
可是当那个犯人看到他的时候，却失声痛哭起来，说：“为什么你上次画佛的时候找的是我，现在画魔鬼的时候找的还是我！是你把我从佛变成了魔鬼！”
The artist said in surprise: “How is this possible? The man I portrayed was of no ordinary demeanor and you seem to be an out-and-out devil. How can you be the same person?”
画家一脸的惊奇，说：“这怎么可能呢？我画佛时找的那个人气质非凡，而你看起来就是一个不折不扣的魔鬼，怎么会是一个人呢？
The man replied dejectedly: “Ever after I had that money from you, all I thought of was pleasure and enjoyment. I spent extravagantly on the vices of wine, women and gambling. There was nothing that I didn’t indulge in.
那个人伤心欲绝地说：“自从我得到你给我的那一笔钱后，每天只知道寻欢作乐，挥霍无度，酒色财气，样样都沾，还染上了毒瘾。
Finally I became a drug addict. Eventually I ran out of money but my craving was uncontrollable. I went and stole some money but killed somebody during the robbery. I would do anything for money.
到后来没了钱，而我的欲望已经一发不可收拾了，于是我就去抢别人的钱，在抢劫的时候，还杀了人。只要能得到钱，什么坏事我都做了。
In the beginning I still had a sense of shame but later on I was completely insensitive and became what I am now!”
开始的时候还有惭愧之心，到后来就完全麻木了，以至于成了现在这个样子！”
The artist heard this with deep regret. To his utter surprise the two completely opposite schemes of creating a Buddha and a demon had come together in the same body!
画家听完他的话，感慨万分。他惊叹成佛和成魔这两件截然相反的事，竟然发生同样的一个人身上！
Although the major cause of the transformation lay in the man’s own inability to curb his greed, the artist felt that he bore an inescapable responsibility. He threw his brushes away and never painted again.
虽然这个人转变的主要原因是他自己没有克制住贪欲，但画家觉得自己也负有不可推托的责任。于是他将画笔扔了，从此以后，再也没有画过画。
中文大意：
有一个画家，想画佛陀和魔鬼。为了使作品生动，他想在现实中想一个原型，但总是找不着，以致于一直没法下笔。
一个偶然的机会，他在寺院进香时，无意中发现了一个和尚，他身上的那种端庄安祥的气质，深深地吸引了画家。于是，他就去找那个和尚，请他给自己做模特。和尚听说做模特是为了帮助画家画佛，就欣然同意了。
画家的作品完成以后，造成了轰动效应。一时间，电视、报纸、网络上，对这件事大肆炒作。画家也很自负地说：“这是我画过的最满意的一幅画，因为给我做模特的那个人，让所有的人看了，都会认为他就是佛！他身上那种庄严安详的气质，可以感动每一个人！”
画家因为这幅画，取得了巨大的成功。为了表达谢意，画家给了那个和尚一大笔钱。
一年之后，这个画家又准备着手画魔鬼了。但同样的难题又出现了：到哪里去找魔鬼的原形呢？
他走了很多地方，找了很多外貌凶恶的人，但没有一个让他完全满意。最后，他终于在监狱中找到了和想像中的魔鬼完全吻合的一个人。
画家高兴极了，他想，自己又可以根据这个模特，创作出另一幅杰作了。
可是当那个犯人看到他的时候，却失声痛哭起来，说：“为什么你上次画佛的时候找的是我，现在画魔鬼的时候找的还是我！是你把我从佛变成了魔鬼！”
画家一脸的惊奇，说：“这怎么可能呢？我画佛时找的那个人气质非凡，而你看起来就是一个不折不扣的魔鬼，怎么会是一个人呢？
那个人伤心欲绝地说：“自从我得到你给我的那一笔钱后，每天只知道寻欢作乐，挥霍无度，酒色财气，样样都沾，还染上了毒瘾。到后来没了钱，而我的欲望已经一发不可收拾了，于是我就去抢别人的钱，在抢劫的时候，还杀了人。只要能得到钱，什么坏事我都做了。开始的时候还有惭愧之心，到后来就完全麻木了，以至于成了现在这个样子！”
画家听完他的话，感慨万分。他惊叹成佛和成魔这两件截然相反的事，竟然发生同样的一个人身上！
虽然这个人转变的主要原因是他自己没有克制住贪欲，但画家觉得自己也负有不可推托的责任。于是他将画笔扔了，从此以后，再也没有画过画。
摘自: 吴言生著《CHINESE ZEN A PATH TO PEACE AND HAPPINESS》，
TONY BLISHEN 译，Better Link 出版社，纽约 )
