Once upon a time there was a man who dropped a silver bowl into the sea while crossing it.

 

He pondered¹, "I'm going to make a mark on the water. I'm carrying on my journey now. But I'll come back for it later."

 

After two months' travel during which he visited Ceylon and many other countries. On seeing a river, he jumped into the water looking for the bowl he had lost before.

 

"What are you doing there?" people asked. He replied, "I have lost my bowl. Now I would like to get it back."　　　　　　　　　　　

 

People went on, "Where did you lose it?" He answered, "I lost it crossing the sea."

 

Again people asked, "How long ago did you lose it?" He answered, "I lost it two months ago."

 

People asked, "Since you lost it two months ago in the sea, why are you looking for it here in the river?" He answered, "I made a mark on the water where I lost the bowl. This water looks the same as the other. There seems no difference. That's why I'm doing this."

 

People went on, "Though all waters are identical², the place that you have lost it is there. How can you find it here?" Everybody jeered³ at him.

 

从前有一乘船渡海的人，不慎把银制的器皿掉到海里.

 

当时他想：“我现在就在水面上做个记号，以后再来打捞。”

 

过了两个月，他到达师子国，看到一条河，就到水中寻找那只丢失的银盆。

 

旁边的人问道：“你做什么呢？”他回答：“我以前丢失了一只银盆，现在想找回来。”

 

旁人又问：“在什么地方丢的？”回答说：“在刚渡海的时候。”

 

又接着问：“丢了多长时间？”回答说：“丢失了两个多月了。”

 

又问：“丢失两个月了，为何在这里找呢？”他回答：“我丢失银盆时，在水面做了记号，原来在水面划的记号，与这里没有不同，所以在这里寻找。”

 

旁人又接着再问：“水虽没有不同，但你以前丢失是在别处，现在却在这里寻找，怎么可以找到呢？”这时周围的人都对此大笑不止。

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