Chapter Twelve: Exemplary Acts 26

While Yi Ch’ŏngch’un was watching two pigs copulate, she had a profound awakening and she shook off all worldly joys and joined the order.
While arduously cultivating the Way, she decided to donate all of her land holdings to the order, but the Founding Master said, “Your intention is quite touching, but a person’s mind may not be the same in the beginning and at the end. So think this over more carefully.” He refused her offer many more times. Ch’ŏngch’un not only did not have a change of heart, but was even further impressed by the Master’s many refusals and begged him to grant her this wish. Finally, the Master consented and said, “In exercising virtue, exercise great virtue that is signless like that of heaven and earth’s, so that your merit will remain forever unextinguished.”