One day, a man approached a monk with a sense of desperation. He confessed, “I have tried many things in my life and failed at each one. Can you suggest one powerful thing to succeed in my life?” The monk, listening attentively, smiled and responded, “I will give you the advice, but before that, you need to complete a test.” The man agreed.
The monk pointed to an ant on the wall and said, “Use your hand to block this ant and stop him. Meanwhile, I have some work. I will come back after some time.” The man thought this was an easy test and began to block the ant’s path. However, each time he tried to stop the ant, it found another way to continue. The man persisted, placing his hand in a new direction, but the ant consistently found alternative paths. This pattern continued for a long time until the man, exhausted, finally quit.
When the monk returned, the man was tired and even more desperate because he hadn’t received the powerful advice he sought. The monk, placing a hand on the man’s shoulder, said, “I hope the ant teaches you a powerful lesson. Now it is your turn to apply this to your life.” Upon hearing this, the man suddenly became happy, thanked the monk, and went on his way.
