Chapter Fourteen : Prospects 7

When the Founding Master was visiting Chŏnju, Mun Chŏnggyu, Pak Hojang, and others came to pay their respects. The Founding Master said, “On my way here, I witnessed many ludicrous things. When I was passing one place this morning, there were some people who were still sound asleep without realizing that daybreak had already come, even though it was noisy all around from the activities of myriad things. I saw some people sowing seeds amid the cold breeze and ice, and others still wearing their summer clothes and shivering in the cold.” Chŏnggyu understood his words and asked, “How long will it take before people sleeping in the broad daylight wake up and come out into the world? How long will it take before those sowing seeds amid the ice and wearing summer clothes in winter understand the right time to do their work?” The Founding Master said, “The person who is presently sound asleep without realizing the day has already broken will definitely awaken from his sleep when the sound of the myriad things moving outside continues for a long time. When he wakes up and opens his door, he will know right away that the day is already bright and, realizing this, he will get up and do his work. Those who are sowing seeds amid the ice or wearing summer clothes in winter do not understand the right time to do their work, and so they will definitely fail. After failing at their work and experiencing much suffering and many obstacles, they will awaken in their own minds by observing people who understand the right season; thus, they will gradually become those who understand the right season.”