The Master's Gourd

A young monk went to see his master.

"Master! I sit in meditation every day, chant the scriptures often, keep early hours, and have no distracting thoughts. I thought to myself that no one could be more diligent than I—so why can't I attain enlightenment?"

The old master took out a gourd and a handful of coarse salt, and handed them to the young monk.

"Fill it with water, then pour in the salt and make it dissolve at once—and you will attain enlightenment!"

Before long, the young monk came running back.

"The mouth of the gourd is too small! I poured in the salt, but it wouldn't dissolve; I tried stirring with a chopstick, but I couldn't stir anything. I still can't attain enlightenment!"

The old master picked up the gourd, poured out some of the water, shook it just a few times, and the salt dissolved.

"If you practice all day long without leaving room for an ordinary mind, you are like a gourd filled to the brim with water—you can't shake it, you can't stir it. How can the salt dissolve? How can you attain enlightenment?"