〖满园子的动物〗

人们总会认为西方人住在阿姜查的寺院里，语言上一定是个问题，但事实却不然。有一次有人来问阿姜查：「您是如何教导那些外国弟子的呢？您会说英语、法语吗？还是会说日语或德语呢？」

「不会！」阿姜 查回答。

「那他们怎么办？」这个人问。

「这位居士啊！」阿姜 查问：「你的家园子里有水牛吗？」

「有的。」他回答。

「你有没有牛，或狗、鸡等……？」

「有啊！」他回答。

「那请你告诉我，」阿姜 查问道：「你会说水牛的话吗？你会说牛的话吗？」

「我不会啊！」

「很好，那牠们怎么办呢？」

Yard Full of Animals

People often presume there would be a problem with language for the Westerners who wanted to stay at Ajahn Chah's monastery, but this was not the case. Someone once asked Ajahn Chah, "How do you teach all your Western disciples? Do you speak English or French? Do you speak Japanese or German?" "No," replied Ajahn Chah. "Then how do they manage?" he asked. "Do you have water-buffalos in your yard at home?" "Yes, I do."

"Do you have any cows, or dogs, or chickens?" "Yes, I have them, too," was the reply. "Tell me," Ajahn Chah asked, "do you speak Water-buffalo or Cow?" "No, of course not." "Well, how do you manage then?"