十變五化(Ten transformations and Five
mutations.)
本部落格寫作緣起，原是為了向國際友人介紹中華文化。因此行文中，為求簡明易懂，例如將皇帝、王等傳統頭銜，統一簡化為國王，並盡量直稱其名。此為譯介之便，非為考據之疏。若您欲查閱嚴謹史料，請以文末所附典籍出處為準。
中國的晉王朝結束之後，中國陷入一段長時間的混亂狀態，這段時代被歷史學家稱為南北王朝時代。
佛教自從西元67年開始系統性地傳入中國之後，經過了將近400年的醞釀最後在南北王朝時期達到了高峰。
由於南北王朝時期的政治與經濟情勢非常動盪，戰爭頻發，政權更迭非常的快速，人們的內心感受到生命的脆弱與人生的無常，所以佛教在這個時期快速的普及並進入了人民的生活，從這個時期開始，佛教與儒家與道家成為影響中國人的思想與價值觀的最主要的三種力量。
在南北王朝時代，有一個著名的大臣與文學家，他的名字是顏之推，他信仰佛教而且對佛教的教義有著很深刻的理解，他相信佛教所說的那些我們肉眼看不見、身體無法感知的世界真實的存在。
他寫了一本書分享自己的人生經驗給他的孩子，他所寫的這本書被大家所喜愛與傳播，這本書其中許多內容至今為止仍然深刻地影響著許多中國人，他這本書中有一段話如下。
大多數人認為只有我們耳朵聽得到的與眼睛看的到的才是真實存在的，大多數人懷疑那些我們眼睛看不到的或耳朵聽不到的東西的真實性。
針對這個現象我提出我的看法，天空是我們大家看的到的，但是關於天空的運行方式與架構、在我們的社會中就存在著許多不同的理論。從這個例子就可以知道，我們日常生活中很簡單就能夠看到的事情，我們也不一定知道其中所蘊含的道理，所以我們不應該輕易地否定佛教的論述。
一個住在山裡的人，他可能不會相信這個世界上有像大樹一樣大的魚，一個住在海邊的人不相信有像大魚一樣大的樹；我們人總是不相信自己沒有看到的事情，例如西方人看到絲綢的時候，他們不相信這是用蠶絲做出來的，住在中國的南方的人不相信這個世界上有可以容納一千個人的大帳篷，住在中國北方的人不相信這個世界上有可以乘載兩萬公斤稻米的大船。
我們生活的這個世界中，有些巫師能夠操縱各種幻術，這些人可以踩在火上行走，也可以踏在刀做的路前進，有些人可以憑空變出水果，有些人甚至可以移動水井，這些人掌握著讓我們難以想像的許多種變化與許多種異化，這些人跟我們一樣都是人，但他們卻擁有我們無法理解的能力。
連巫師那類的人都可以掌握我們無法理解的能力，那麼更何況那些掌握了佛教的智慧的覺悟者呢?我相信那些覺悟者的力量更是我們難以想像的。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是十種變化與五種異化。
這句成語中的十與五並非字面上的意思。這是一種中文中用來形容數量非常的比喻方式。
這句成語目前被用來形容一件事情或一個東西有著非常多的變化。。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你相信那些超自然的力量嗎?你是否看過令你覺得難以理解的幻術呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為顏之推-顏氏家訓-卷5－歸心篇
https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E9%A1%8F%E6%B0%8F%E5%AE%B6%E8%A8%93/%E5%8D%B7%E7%AC%AC5
Ten transformations and Five mutations.(十變五化)
This blog was originally created to
introduce Chinese culture to international friends. For the sake of simplicity
and ease of understanding, traditional titles such as 'Emperor' and 'King' have
been simplified to 'King', and the names of the individuals in question are
used directly wherever possible. This is for the sake of translation
convenience, not historical accuracy. If you wish to consult more rigorous
historical materials, please refer to the sources listed at the end of the
article.
Following the end of the Jin dynasty, China
descended into a prolonged period of chaos known to historians as the Northern
and Southern Dynasties period.
After being introduced to China in 67 AD,
Buddhism took nearly 400 years to reach its peak, which occurred during the
Northern and Southern Dynasties period.
The highly turbulent political and economic
situation, frequent wars and rapid changes of regime during this period made people
feel the fragility of life and the impermanence of existence. Consequently,
Buddhism spread rapidly and became an integral part of people's lives during
this period. From this time onwards, Buddhism, alongside Confucianism and
Taoism, became one of the three main influences on Chinese thought and values.
During this period, there was a famous
minister and writer named Yan Zhitui. A devout Buddhist, he had a profound
understanding of Buddhist doctrines. He believed in the existence of the world
described in Buddhist texts — a world invisible to the naked eye and
imperceptible to the body.
He wrote a book in which he shared his life
experiences with his children. This book was widely read and disseminated, and
many of its ideas still influence Chinese people today. One passage from the
book reads as follows:
'Most people believe that only what we can
hear and see is real, and most people doubt the reality of things we cannot see
or hear.'
I would like to offer my perspective on
this phenomenon. Although we can all see the sky, there are many different
theories about how it operates and what its structure is. This shows that we
may not fully understand the underlying principles of the things we see in our
daily lives. Therefore, we should not dismiss Buddhist teachings so easily.
A person living in the mountains might not
believe that fish as large as trees exist, and a person living by the sea might
not believe that trees as large as fish exist. We humans often don't believe
things we haven't seen. For instance, Westerners who see silk don't believe
it's made from silkworms, people in southern China don't believe tents exist
that can hold a thousand people, and people in northern China don't believe
ships exist that can carry 20,000 kilograms of rice.
In our world, some sorcerers can manipulate
various illusions. Some of these people can walk on fire or on paths made of
knives. Some can conjure fruit out of thin air, while others can move wells.
They possess many transformations and mutations that are unimaginable to us.
They are human like us, but they have abilities that we cannot comprehend.
If sorcerers can possess such abilities,
what about those enlightened beings who have grasped the wisdom of Buddhism? I
believe the power of these enlightened beings is even more unimaginable.
This idiom translates as 'ten
transformations and five mutations'.
The 'ten' and 'five' in this idiom do not
have a literal meaning. It's a metaphorical way of describing a very large
quantity in Chinese.
The idiom is currently used to describe
something that has undergone many changes.
Dear friend, what thoughts or inspiration
did you have after hearing this story?
Do you believe in supernatural forces? Have
you ever experienced illusions that were difficult to understand? I hope this
story will inspire you.