在日常生活中我們常常會遇到一些會令我們產生很多負面情緒，根本的原因是因為有「自我」。有人的情緒很容易可以排解，有人可以因為其他人簡單幾句說話就讓負面情緒佔據在他們的心靈一整天，甚至走不出來導致患上嚴重精神病。有了負面情緒再排解是下等的方法，最有效率的方法是把負面情緒扼殺在搖籃當中。但如果產生了負面情緒該如何排解呢？莊子以下幾個小故事分別用三種方法去排解這些負面情緒。
In daily life, we often encounter situations that can trigger negative emotions. The fundamental reason for this is the existence of the “self.” Some people can easily resolve their negative emotions, while others can have their negative emotions occupy their minds for the whole day just because of a few simple words from others. In some cases, this can even lead to serious mental illness. Resolving negative emotions after they have arisen is a less effective approach. The most efficient way is to nip them in the bud. But what should we do if we do experience negative emotions? Zhuangzi tells several stories using three different methods to resolve negative emotions.
凝神 Focus
仲尼適楚，出於林中，見痀僂者承蜩，猶掇之也。仲尼曰：「子巧乎！有道邪？」曰：「我有道也。五六月，累丸二而不墜，則失者錙銖；累三而不墜，則失者十一；累五而不墜，猶掇之也。吾處身也，若厥株拘；吾執臂也，若槁木之枝；雖天地之大，萬物之多，而唯蜩翼之知。吾不反不側，不以萬物易蜩之翼，何為而不得？」孔子顧謂弟子曰：「用志不分，乃凝於神，其痀僂丈人之謂乎！」
《莊子 丈人承蜩》
孔子到楚國去，走在一座樹林中，看見一個駝背人在粘蟬，就像用手撿東西一樣。孔子上前問道：「您真厲害啊！請問有什麼訣竅嗎？」駝背人答道：「如果能在竿頭摞上兩枚圓丸而不掉下來，那么知了很少能跑掉；如果摞上三枚圓丸而不掉下來，那麼十隻也不過跑掉一隻；能摞上五枚圓丸而不掉下來，那粘蟬就像伸手拾東西一樣了。我站立在那裡，身體就象一個樹樁子；我執竿的手臂，就象一節枯樹的乾枝。雖然天地這麼大，萬物這麼多，但我心目中只注意在蟬翅膀上。我內心寧靜，心無二念，不因萬物干擾而轉移我對蟬翅膀的注意力，這怎能粘不到知了呢?」孔子回頭看著他的弟子們，說：「用心專一，就是聚精會神於一處，不就是說的這位駝背老人嗎？」
當我們專心一意專注在某種事物上，以一念代萬念，我們的顯意識就會掌握所有控制權，不被情緒慾望等影響。
When Confucius visited the state of Chu and walked through a forest, he saw a hunchbacked man catching cicadas with his hands as if he were picking something up. Confucius approached him and asked, “You’re really skilled at this! Is there a trick to it?” The hunchbacked man replied, “If you can stack two round pellets on the end of a stick without them falling off, then few cicadas can escape. If you stack three pellets, then only one in ten cicadas can escape. If you can stack five pellets, then catching cicadas is as easy as picking things up with your hand. When I stand there, my body is like a tree stump, and my arm holding the stick is like a dry branch of a dead tree. Although the world is so vast and there are so many things in it, I only pay attention to the cicada’s wings. My mind is calm, with no other thoughts, and I don’t let anything else distract me from my focus on the cicada’s wings. That’s how I can catch cicadas so easily.” Confucius turned back to his disciples and said, “Being focused on one thing means concentrating all your energy in one place. Isn’t that what this hunchbacked old man has done?”
When we focus our attention on one thing with single-mindedness, our conscious mind gains complete control, and we are not influenced by emotions or desires.
空船 Empty Boat
「方舟而濟於河，有虛船來觸舟，雖有惼心之人不怒。有一人在其上，則呼張歙之；一呼而不聞，再呼而不聞，於是三呼邪，則必以惡聲隨之。向也不怒而今也怒，向也虛而今也實。人能虛己以遊世，其孰能害之！」
《莊子 山木》
你駕駛了一艘小船在河中行走，突然有一隻空船碰到了你。就算脾氣再不好的人，都不至於太生氣。但若這時船上有個人，你便會大聲喝斥他，若叫喊一聲對方不理，你會喊三聲，並且可能口出惡言。為何遇到同樣的事，只因為船上有沒有人，結果便大不同？因為我們心知其他人會我們的情緒作出反應，正如我們不會對動物太過計較一樣，你會因為因不小心被石頭絆到而對石頭破口大罵嗎？只需把他人當作「無情之物」不會和我們溝通，也不會對我們作出情緒反應，如同枯木石頭一般，就可以輕易排解對他人的憤怒情緒。
You are driving a small boat on a river when suddenly an empty boat collides with yours. Even someone with a bad temper would not get too angry. However, if there was a person on the other boat, you might yell at them loudly. If they don’t respond to your first shout, you may shout three times and even use foul language. Why does the presence or absence of a person on the other boat make such a big difference? It’s because we know that other people will react to our emotions, just as we don’t get angry at inanimate objects like stones or animals. Would you curse at a rock if you accidentally tripped over it? If we treat others as “emotionless objects” that won’t communicate with us or respond emotionally like dead wood or stones, we can easily diffuse our anger towards them.
無我 Selflessness
「且舉世而譽之而不加勸，舉世而非之而不加沮，定乎內外之分，辯乎榮辱之境，斯已矣。」
《莊子 逍遙遊》
世上有一種人，哪怕世上所有人都一起來奉承讚美他，也不能把他推動一步；哪怕世上所有人都一起來非議他，也不能使他沮喪一分。為什麼呢？因為他知道什麼是「內」，什麼是「外」。建立屬於自己的自我價值，不把他人的評價視作「自我價值」的一部份，與他人的價值觀澈底隔離，不會讓任何外物或他人影響到自己的內心。
There is a type of person in the world who cannot be pushed forward even if everyone in the world praises and flatters them together, nor can they be discouraged even if everyone in the world criticizes them together. Why is this? It’s because they know what is “inside” and what is “outside.” They establish their own sense of self-worth and do not consider other people’s evaluations as part of their “self-worth.” They isolate themselves from other people’s values thoroughly and do not let any external objects or people affect their inner world.
鯨落筆記whale fall notes 