在一篇台湾小说里的句子“当下、梦和回忆”中，“当下”指的是什么？

Question

下面摘自一篇台湾的小说（/r/MandarinBookClub当前的小说）：

下了飞机，爸爸还在跟司机讨价还价，我已经坐上计程车。整个人昏昏沉沉的，车窗的风夹带着牛粪味灌进来，我看着奔跑过的树木和柏油路，又有一点分不清楚来往的现实和梦。我有时候怀疑，难道对其它人来说，当下、梦、回忆是这么容易分辨的三样东西吗？窗外以不一样速度移动的前景和远景，会让我想到某个深夜在仁爱路奔跑时，隔着眼泪看到的景象；坐在台东的安养院里，我会想起奶奶在梨山上拄拐杖摘水果的模样，也会想到正在哭泣的妈妈，但是我分不出来我现在想到的那个场景，是在梦中出现的，还是真的发生过。安养院背后的一条小径，我好像在那和我的国小同学追逐过，不过再一眨眼，那可能只是十几年前的回忆跑出来捣乱；念大班的侄女，每次用一种像在偷看带着害羞，又像在瞪人带着生气的眼神看我，偶尔让我胆战心惊，记忆的抽屉就翻出一封，在无聊同学的鼓噪、或是起哄之下，基于恼羞成怒，从来没有到达女孩手上的情书。这来来往往的一切一切让我混乱，但是我在这时候把自己寄托在一个故事上。一个，故事上。

于是，除了当下、梦和回忆，现在又多了一个让我混乱的项目：故事，一个真实的故事。
_{那些年,我们一起追的女孩, 九把刀, 第1章}

我根本不懂这里用的“当下”。小说里的“我”区分不了“当下”、“梦”和“回忆”。我猜“当下”的意思是“目前现实的状况”。

问题：在“当下、梦和回忆”中，“当下”指的是什么？

Answer 1

The clue is "三样东西" (three things)

当下, 梦 and 回忆 are the three things in question. 当下 is a noun for "the present". 梦 (dream) and 回忆 (memory) are the other two.

当下、梦、回忆是这么容易分辨的三样东西吗 -- Are the present (reality), dream and memory the three things that can be easily distinguished?

除了当下、梦和回忆，现在又多了一个让我混乱的项目：故事

故事 (story) is the latest item that is hard to distinguish from the other three

Now he cannot distinguish the difference between reality, dream, memory, and story. His mind is confused

Normally we would use 现实 instead of 当下 for 'reality'. I guess the author just want to add some literary flair to his writing

Answer 2

1. Some philosophical uses of 当下 could be one's present experience, i.e. the current experience of a dream, the reality, a memory or the thought of a story etc. or even the experience of nothingness.

2. Other uses might about the things that happens in the current time, or just current time i.e. 把握当下,不要活在过去也,不要多想未来，做好现在该做的事.

In this context, it sounds like the first one. Indeed, is there a difference in experiences of 现实/梦/回忆/故事 etc. in some sense no, since all of them are just experience, see Dream argument

Answer 3

I would take 当下 as the counterpart to 梦 here: dreams <--> reality.

我有时候怀疑，难道对其他人来说，当下、梦、回忆是这么容易分辨的三洋东西吗？
I sometimes wonder if, for other people, reality, dreams and memories are such easily distinguishable things?

Albert Einstein said:
"Zeit ist eine Illusion, allerdings eine hartnäckige!"
"Time is an illusion, albeit a persistent one."

Answer 4

当下 means here everything you have now, it's the reality which the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.

Answer 5

当下 has two aspects : real and right now.

梦 Is dream, or illusion, which is not real comparing to the real aspect of 当下.

回忆 Is memory, which is long time ago comparing to the now aspect of 当下。

But at least 当下， 梦 和 回忆 are all your own, while 故事 Is something you acquired from out side.