The graduate met a Zen master on the way hone and described to him what had happened.
在回家的路上秀才遇到了一个禅师，就如此这般地诉说了一遍。
The Zen master clapped his hands and laughed: “Congratulations, you will be top of the list!”
禅师一听，拊掌大笑说：“恭喜恭喜，你金榜题名了！”
The graduate said: “You really are a joker. I’m miserable, yet you make a joke of me.”
秀才说：“您老人家真会开玩笑。我都这么倒霉了，您还拿我开涮啊？”
The Zen master replied: “As I see it, it’s completely the other way round. If you think about it, planting cabbages on the top of the wall means that you are planting higher than others and will get a higher result!
禅师说：“依我看来，事情正好相反。你想想看，你在墙头上种白菜，说明你种的比别人高，高中！
Both umbrella and raincoat mean that your preparations have been adequate, a double insurance.
下雨天，戴着斗笠又打着把伞，不说明你准备充足，加了双重保险，有备无患！
As for sleeping in the bridal chamber with the girl you love, although back-toback, you just have to turn round for a successful conclusion. This demonstrates that your success will be doubled, your dreams will come true and that the time to turn round is about to arrive!”
跟心爱的姑娘都入了洞房，虽然背靠着背，但只要翻过身来，不就成功了吗？这说明你这个穷秀才好事成双、梦想成真、翻身的时候快要到了啊！”
The graduate was delighted, cast off his mental burden and as the Zen master said he would, at one stroke achieved the highest place in the exams.
秀才听了，大喜，放下了心理包袱，结果果然像禅师所说的那样，高中榜元，一举夺魁。
The cause of the way in which the graduate completely turned his life around was an attitude of Zen joy formed by a strong internal stimulus.
使秀才彻底改变命运的，就是强烈的自我暗示而形成的禅悦心态。
Had he been influenced by the first interpretation, his attitude would have been one
of “I’ll never pass, I’m bound to fail.”
如果受到第一种解释的影响，秀才心里就会想“我绝对考不上，绝对要名落孙山了”。
He would have been unable to answer the simplest question because he had already caused himself to fail before he entered the examination hall.
他可能连最简单的题目他也答不上来因为他在走入考场之前就已经让自己落榜了。
Conversely, encouraged by the second interpretation and taking the exam in a spirit of “I’m going to succeed and come top” he was able to realise his maximum potential and achieve a result beyond the normal standard.
相反，受到了第二种解释的激励，秀才抱着“我一定成功，我一定能高中”的心态应考，他就可以发挥出最大的潜力，可以超水平地发挥。
He had already psychologically come top before the exam.
他在走进考场之前，就已经在心理上金榜题名了。
中文大意：
在回家的路上秀才遇到了一个禅师，就如此这般地诉说了一遍。
禅师一听，拊掌大笑说：“恭喜恭喜，你金榜题名了！”
秀才说：“您老人家真会开玩笑。我都这么倒霉了，您还拿我开涮啊？”
禅师说：“依我看来，事情正好相反。你想想看，你在墙头上种白菜，说明你种的比别人高，高中！下雨天，戴着斗笠又打着把伞，不说明你准备充足，加了双重保险，有备无患！跟心爱的姑娘都入了洞房，虽然背靠着背，但只要翻过身来，不就成功了吗？这说明你这个穷秀才好事成双、梦想成真、翻身的时候快要到了啊！”
秀才听了，大喜，放下了心理包袱，结果果然像禅师所说的那样，高中榜元，一举夺魁。
使秀才彻底改变命运的，就是强烈的自我暗示而形成的禅悦心态。如果受到第一种解释的影响，秀才心里就会想“我绝对考不上，绝对要名落孙山了”，最简单的题目他也可能答不上来。因为他在走入考场之前就已经让自己落榜了。相反，受到了第二种解释的激励，秀才抱着“我一定成功，我一定能高中”的心态应考，他就可以发挥出最大的潜力，可以超水平地发挥。他在走进考场之前，就已经在心理上金榜题名了。
摘自: 吴言生著《CHINESE ZEN A PATH TO PEACE AND HAPPINESS》，
TONY BLISHEN 译，Better Link 出版社，纽约 )
