I was deeply inspired after reading the story of a young monk who went up the mountain to chop wood and became enlightened. I want to share with you the story about an old monk and a young monk.
There is such a story in the legend of Zen Buddhism. A story: In a quiet little temple, there lived a wise old monk and his apprentice, a young monk. After a long period of meditation, the old monk became a great Zen master respected by many monks. Although their Life is very simple, but the old monk always looks very peaceful, as if there is no trouble in his heart.
Every day, when they go up the mountain to chop wood and work, the old monk's face never shows any displeasure. One day, the young monk asked: "Master, you look so good every day. You are so peaceful and comfortable. I have never seen you have any unhappy emotions. You must have reached the state of enlightenment long ago. Can you tell me why I am upset about trivial things every day? "
The old monk smiled slightly and replied: "My disciple, when you have too many obsessions about certain things, you will have troubles. But if your mind is not worried, why are you troubled? "
The young monk lowered his head and pondered for a moment and then said: "Master, every day I think about going up the mountain to cut wood, carry water, cook, and chant sutras. Thinking of these trivial things, I feel very uncomfortable. These trivial things always fill my heart. "
The old monk smiled kindly and said to him: "My disciple, I will give you a guide. If you can act according to it, the troubles and ignorance in your heart will naturally dissipate. " The young monk's eyes lit up and he asked eagerly: "Master, what method is that?"
The old monk said calmly: "Going up the mountain is just going up the mountain; when chopping wood, just chop wood without any distractions; lighting a fire, cooking, eating, chanting sutras, everything is so focused on the present moment, completely immersed in that moment , troubles have nowhere to take root. From tomorrow on, you try Try this method to see the changes."
The little monk was a little confused: "Master, is that all?" The old monk replied calmly: "Practice brings true knowledge."
The next day, the young monk went to the mountain to chop wood as promised. Following the master's instructions, he devoted himself to every day. As he climbed the mountain , he deeply felt the beauty of the surrounding nature. The surrounding mountains, flowing water, and abundant green seemed to take on a new look.
The hardships and fatigues he once had now became unimportant. Every step he took was accompanied by new discoveries, as if he was stepping into a world. A whole new world. When he started chopping wood, his heart was completely immersed in that action, and his skills were significantly improved . He could even complete each cut with his eyes closed.
This was not only a skill, but also a kind of enjoyment and integration with nature . Compared with the pain and fatigue in the past, this is a brand new experience.
In the quiet temple, the old monk smiled slightly and said to the young monk: "I see you have completed the entire practice process. You have experienced different states of mind along the way. When you practice it sincerely, your heart will There was no disturbance."
The young monk stood happily in front of the old monk and said excitedly: "Master, you are really a wise man. Following your guidance, I really feel the changes. "
The old monk sighed: "The true meaning of life is to improve our spiritual realm. When your perspective and state of mind increase , the world you see and what you experience will be different. This is what is called the unity of mind and heart. In the state of oneness, only by truly living in the present and enjoying every detail of the moment can you appreciate the true meaning of life. If you are preoccupied with the past and the future, you will not be able to truly experience the present, and troubles will follow."
The old monk continued Said: "You must know that everything is constantly changing. Except for living wholeheartedly in the present, nothing is worth overly obsessing about."
There is a saying in Buddhism: the past and the present. The future is elusive, which means we should not be attached to external objects and should not have too strong a purpose. That will only make the heart impetuous. Regardless of whether things rise or fall, we should take it lightly to maintain inner peace.
If we can understand it deeply and put it into practice, we will surely gain higher wisdom and achieve true awakening.