The world of Tzu Chi February 2020 (Vol.119)

2020 • 02 52 T here was a farmer who tilled his field with his hoe day after day, year after year. He worked hard and his harvest was abundant, but still he was never satisfied. “Tilling the field every day is so boring. What does it mean? Where does life come from and where does it go?” One day, a monk came to him, begging for food. The farmer thought that the monk looked free and happy, coming and going as he pleased. He decided to give up everything and become a monk himself. When he walked out of his house, he suddenly felt how empty his hands were. He was so used to holding his hoe in his hands to work that without his hoe, he now felt that something was missing. So, he went back and picked up his hoe. The shaft was smooth and shiny from daily use. He kept stroking it, unable to bear the thought of leaving it behind. “All right,” he thought, “I’ll put it away.” So he cleaned it and wrapped it in layers of cloth, and then he stored it in a secure place. Feeling better, he finally left his house. The farmer was determined to be a good monk. He studied diligently and made a lot of progress. But whenever he saw the green plants in the fields, he would think of his hoe. He often could not resist the temptation to go back home and look for it. He would unwrap the layers of cloth, caress the hoe tenderly, then wrap it up again and return to the temple. After seven or eight years, he began to wonder why he had not achieved anything in his spiritual formation. After some serious reflection, he discovered that there was still something he could not part with. He made up his mind to break this attachment. He went home and took out the hoe. He walked to a large lake and with all his strength threw the hoe far out into the lake. Splash! He felt as though a very heavy weight had fallen from his heart. “I’ve succeeded, I’ve won!” he shouted exultantly. The Farmer and the Hoe After seven or eight years, the monk began to wonder why he had not achieved anything in his spiritual formation. After some serious reflection, he discovered that there was still something he could not part with… aster Cheng Yen Tells Stories