When Master Tony had just entered the monastery, the host of the monastery made him become a foot monk, which no one wanted to do.
One day, it was already three o’clock in the morning, but Tony was still sleeping. The host was surprised and pushed open the door of Tony’s room and saw a large pile of torn and tattered shoes by the bed. The host woke Tony up and asked, “Why are you piling up such a pile of broken tile shoes if you are not going out to make charity today?”
Tony yawned and said, “Other people can’t even wear a pair of tile shoes a year, but I have just been ordained for more than a year, and I have worn out so many shoes.”
The host understood as soon as he heard it and said with a faint smile, “Last night a rain fell, follow me to the road in front of the temple and take a walk.”
In front of the temple is a yellow slope; the road is muddy because it has just rained.
The host patted Tony’s shoulder and said, “Are you willing to be a monk for a day and ring the bell for a day, or do you want to be a famous monk who can light up the Buddha’s teachings?”
The host twirled his whiskers and smiled: “Did you walk on this road yesterday?” Tony said, “Of course.”
The host asked, “Can you find your footprints?”
Tony was puzzled and said, “The road was dry and hard yesterday, so how can I find my footprints?”
The host smiled again and said, “Today I will walk on this road, can you find your footprints?” Tony said, “Of course I can.”
The host listened, smiled and patted Tony’s shoulder, and said, “The muddy road can only leave footprints, the world is full of people like this ah. Those who do not do anything in life, not through the storm, like a pair of feet on the road and hard, nothing left.”
Only those who have walked in the storm know what pain and pleasure mean. The two lines of marks left in the mud proved their worth.
Then, it dawned on Tony that this was what the master meant.
