Reference translation for exercise 5 (cultural translation)

我不識字

I am illiterate.

在一座藏經樓上，有一禪者在裡面從不看經，每日只管打坐，於是管理藏經樓的藏主，就問道：
In a sutra library, there was a Ch'an practitioner (Zen monk) who meditated all day without reading any sutra. The librarian was curious and he asked,

「大德每天打坐，為何不看經呢？」
'Sir, you meditate here everyday. Why don't you read sutras?'

禪者坦誠的回答道：「因為我不識字。」
'Because I don't read,' replied frankly the Ch'an practitioner.

藏主道：「為什麼不請教人呢？」
'Why don't you ask somebody for help?' said the librarian.

禪者反問道：「要請教誰呢？」
'Whom (Who) can I ask then?' challenged the practitioner.

藏主不客氣的道：「你可向我請教呀！」
'Well, you can ask me for help,' responded directly (unreservedly; bluntly) the librarian.

禪者起立、作禮、合掌詢問道：「請問這個是甚麼？」
The practitioner stood up, bowed with his palms held together, and he asked, 'May I ask what “this” is?'

藏主經這一問，無言以對，因為「這個」意指自性，究竟是甚麼東西呢？
The librarian had nothing to say in reply to his question. Because the 'this' referred to the self, and we cannot just express the self with words (verbally).


禪宗不立語言文字，因為語言文字不能表達自性真如的本來面目。藏經樓上的禪者，雖不看經，卻能老實修行，每日只管打坐。禪不限於文字，只要認真參究，廓然貫通，一樣可以悟出本來面目。

In Ch'an school, we don't rely on either verbal language or scriptures as the basis of teaching, because they cannot represent the truth of self nature. Though the Ch'an practitioner never read any sutra, he could still practice Ch'an by sitting in meditation diligently everyday. Ch'an is not confined to scriptures. If you meditate diligently and seriously, you can still realize the truth of self nature.