52. THE POWER OF MERCY

　　Dashan Temple is one of the biggest temples in Guizhi, Zhejiang. Worshipers flock there, and so do many tourists and sightseers. One day two scholars came to the temple, Tao Shiliang and Zhang Zhiting. We told earlier how the Wise Master began the tradition of having Free Life ponds in temples. Of course Tashan Temple had a big Free Life Pond, and when these two scholars saw the thousands of eels and fish swimming happily in the pond, they were touched. They wanted to do something, too.

　　　　"I'd like to buy these eels and take them to the big river where they have more space to swim around. That river flows into the Yangtze River, so they'll have all the space they need. They'll be free for the rest of their lives. What do you think?" Tao Shiliang asked.
　　
　　Zhang Zhiting said, "That's a good idea. Let me help."

　　"I don't have much money. Let's see if we can get some more people to pitch in so we can set more eels free."

　　"Great! I'll do my best," Zhang answered. Zhang had an ounce of silver, so he donated that, and then he went to all the nice people he knew and asked them to help. All together, they collected eight ounces of silver that way.
　　
　　Tao and Zhang were happy. They hired some workmen and made arrangements with the monks in the temple. Then they took thousands of eels from the pond and released them in the river. Later, they forgot all about freeing those eels,but one night in the fall, Tao had an odd dream. He dreamed that a god strode up and announced very formally, "You two gentlemen may be scholars, but you were originally fated to fail all of the imperial examinations. Let it be known that because you have released thousands of animals and returned to them their natural freedom, you have earned great merit. You have earned enough merit to pass the imperial examinations. I have come to congratulate you on your coming good fortune."

　　When he woke up, Tao went to tell Zhang about his dream.
　　
　　"That's amazing!" Zhang said. "I had exactly the same dream last night, too!"
　
　　Sure enough, when they took the imperial examinations that year, both Tao and Zhang passed. They became important government officials, and they always remembered that their fortune came because they had been kind to dumb animals.

52.仁慈的力量

　　大善寺是浙江桂枝最大的地方之一。香客云集，还有许多游客。一天，两个学者，陶世良和张志廷去庙里游玩。我们先前说过智者大 师开创在寺院里建放生池的故事。当然，大善寺里也有一个很大的放生池。当这两位学者看到放生池里的鳝鱼和其他鱼快乐 地游来游去，他们深深感动了。他们也希望自己能做一些事情。

　　“我想把这些鳝鱼买来放到大江里去，这样它们就会畅所欲游。那条江会流到长江，这样它们会得到它们所需要的空间。它们会有一个自由自在的余生。你觉得怎样？”陶世良问。

　　张志廷说，“好主意。我来帮你。”

　　“我的钱不多。我们试试能不能多叫点人加入，这样我们就能让更多的鳝鱼自由了。”

　　“好极了！我会尽力的，”张回答。张有一两的银子，他捐了出来，然后他去向他认识的好心人求助。就这样，他们筹到了八两的银子。

　　陶和郑都很高兴。他们雇了一些雇工，还和寺庙里的和尚约好。他们把放生池 里数千条鳝鱼放到江里。不久后，他们就忘了放鳝鱼的事情。秋天的一个夜里，陶做了一个奇怪的梦。他梦到一个神大步走来，很庄重地 说， “你们两位也算是学者，但是你们本来命中注定通不过所有的科举考试。因为你们放了许多动物，绐它们回归自然的自由，你们将得到大 福报。你们的福报足以使你们通过科举考试。我是特地来恭喜你们将来的好运的。”

　  当他醒后，陶告诉张他做的梦。

　　“怪了!”张说，“我昨天也做了一个一模一样的梦。”

　　果然，他们这年参加科举考试，两人都考取了。他们成了朝廷中的大官，他们什么时候都记得，因为他们善待那些不能言语的动物们，才能有这么好的命运。