岩中花树 Flowers on the cliff
Wang Shouren (Wang Yangming) 王守仁 · Ming
A friend points to a flowering tree and asks Wang Yangming how it can belong to the mind.
先生游南镇。 xiān shēng yóu nán zhèn.
The Master was visiting Nanzhen.
一友指岩中花树问曰：“天下无心外之物，如此花树在深山中自开自落，于我心亦何相关？” yī yǒu zhǐ yán zhōng huā shù wèn yuē: “tiān xià wú xīn wài zhī wù, rú cǐ huā shù zài shēn shān zhōng zì kāi zì luò, yú wǒ xīn yì hé xiāng guān?”
A friend pointed to a flowering tree on the cliff and asked, “There is nothing in the world outside the mind. Yet this tree blooms and sheds its flowers by itself deep in the mountains. What does it have to do with my mind?”
先生曰：“你未看此花时，此花与汝心同归于寂；你来看此花时，则此花颜色一时明白起来。 xiān shēng yuē: “nǐ wèi kàn cǐ huā shí, cǐ huā yǔ rǔ xīn tóng guī yú jì; nǐ lái kàn cǐ huā shí, zé cǐ huā yán sè yī shí míng bái qǐ lái.
The Master said, “Before you look at this flower, the flower and your mind rest together in stillness. When you come to look at it, its colours become clear all at once.
便知此花不在你的心外。” biàn zhī cǐ huā bù zài nǐ de xīn wài.”
Then you know that this flower is not outside your mind.”