00:00There was an unwritten rule at this temple.
00:02When the monks went to eat, they had to jump across wooden stakes to cross the lake, and their clothes
00:05couldn't get wet.
00:06One day, a new young monk arrived at the temple.
00:09Watching the other students easily hop across the stakes, he thought,
00:12This looks way too easy. Even a dog could do it.
00:14But the moment he stepped onto the first stake, he instantly lost his balance and fell into the lake.
00:18Soaking wet, he ran to the dining hall.
00:20Just as he reached the entrance, an elder monk stopped him and said,
00:23You can't come in with wet clothes.
00:24The boy quickly took off his clothes and hung them on a stone pillar by the door to dry.
00:28After his clothes dried, he put them back on and walked in.
00:31By then, all the monks had already finished eating.
00:33Only a little thin porridge remained in the basket.
00:35He picked up a bowl, ready to serve himself some.
00:37But he didn't know that porridge was specially reserved for the elder monks.
00:41Just then, an elder monk stopped him and said,
00:43If you want to eat your fill, you must earn our approval through effort.
00:46They gave him a challenge.
00:47He had to stand balanced on a wooden stake while finishing a bowl of porridge.
00:51But the poor boy couldn't maintain his balance at all and fell into the water once again.
00:54Early the next morning, when no one was watching,
00:56he tried to sneak over the wall into the dining hall, but got caught.
00:59The elder monk pushed him into the water again.
01:01The disciples around couldn't help but burst out laughing.
01:03That night, the boy made up his mind.
01:05He would overcome this balance problem and prove himself to everyone.
01:08After everyone fell asleep, he took out two wooden buckets.
01:11He placed the buckets on the floor, rolled them,
01:13and began trying to jump onto them while keeping his balance.
01:15He fell over and over, but each time he got back up and tried again.
01:18Gradually, he learned to adjust his posture to the rhythm of the rolling buckets,
01:22jumping from one bucket to another while maintaining balance.
01:24The next morning, everyone expected him to fall again,
01:27waiting to see him make a fool of himself.
01:28To their surprise, the boy lightly jumped onto the stakes,
01:31performed a beautiful flip, and crossed as easily as if he were flying through the air.
01:35Seeing this, the elder monk made the path more difficult.
01:37He replaced the thick wooden stakes with a thin wooden pole.
01:40Even the advanced disciples couldn't cross it.
01:42The confident boy tried as well, but this time he fell again.
01:45Now everyone began practicing day and night, yet no one succeeded.
01:48At this point, the elder monk came over and said to the boy,
01:51throw the plate forcefully into the water.
01:53The boy did so, and the plate sank straight down.
01:55The elder monk explained,
01:56When you step down hard, the stake sinks.
01:58The greater the pressure, the faster it sinks.
02:00Then, the elder monk gently threw another plate at an angle.
02:03Using its momentum, the plate landed steadily on the opposite shore.
02:06The boy finally understood the principle.
02:08That night, he returned to the lake to practice.
02:10Each time, he remembered the elder monk's words,
02:12Step lightly.
02:13If you fall, try again.
02:14He fell many times, but each time he got up and kept trying.
02:17Finally, after countless attempts, he successfully crossed the thin wooden pole.
02:21In that moment, he not only conquered the pole, but also understood the zen way of balance.
