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Doing Same Thing but Different Outcome

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Recently, I keep sharing about life and what insights that I have gained.

I guess this is sign of mid-life crisis and trying to find an identity and purpose of life for myself.

Although many of us are doing this, but after all, life is not just work, earn money, spend and then work, then spend and then die correct?

This post I will share another story that I have came across but in Chinese as it gave “more feel” to the story. Of course this is with the help of chatgpt, I can type in Chinese Well but too tired to do so recently with all the things in life.

Photo by Eilis Garvey on Unsplash

Gist of Story

Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.

开悟前，劈柴挑水；
开悟后，依然劈柴挑水。

Photo by Andrew Reshetov on Unsplash

Story

故事

在一片宁静的山谷中，一位疲惫的旅人名叫李，正踏上寻求真理的旅程。经过几日沿着崎岖山路跋涉，他终于来到了隐匿在古老松林中的一座简陋寺院。在那里，他遇到了一位名叫道的老僧，正于黎明时分默默地劈柴。

被道师平静而祥和的气质所吸引，李上前问道：“师父，什么是开悟？”

道师停下手中的斧子，微笑着邀请李与他一同沿着一条狭窄的石径走向一条闪烁着光芒的溪流。沿途，道师依然默默地履行着他的日常——他用简单的陶制水桶从溪边打水，稍后又在寺院厨房中准备着朴素的饭菜。李细心观察道师的一举一动：每个动作都充满了仪式感和宁静的喜悦。

行至一棵枝繁叶茂的大树下，他们坐了下来。李依然满腹疑问，再次问道：“师父，这些平凡的日常活动，究竟如何体现开悟呢？”

道师温和地笑了笑，说道：“在我获得开悟之前，我也曾劈柴提水。但那时，每一斧的挥动只是沉重的劳作，每一次去井边仅仅是一项必要的任务。我总是被过去的烦恼和对未来的恐惧所困扰。”

他顿了顿，眼中映出附近溪流的平静，继续说道：“直到有一天早晨，我忽然间改变了。当我挥动斧子时，竟突然感受到每一个动作中的美丽——木材敲击的声响中蕴含着生命的律动，大自然的低语在每一次呼吸中回响。就在那一刻，我明白了：开悟并不是远离生活，而是在每一个平凡的举动中觉醒，哪怕只是劈柴或提水。”

李静静地聆听道师继续说道：“开悟，就是以一颗澄明的心去看待世界，让最普通的瞬间也变得非凡。它不在遥远的高山或神秘的幻象中，而是在我们每天平淡的生活中悄然显现。”

怀着心灵深处被触动的新觉悟，旅人李对道师深深鞠躬致谢。当他继续踏上旅程时，李内心明白：无论多么平凡的任务，都蕴藏着通往真知灼见的路径，只要我们用心去体会每个当下。

In a quiet mountain valley, a weary traveler named Li journeyed in search of truth. After days of walking along rugged paths, he finally arrived at a humble monastery tucked away among ancient pines. There, he encountered an old monk named Tao, who was quietly chopping wood at dawn.

Intrigued by the serene presence of Tao, Li approached him and asked, “Master, what is enlightenment?”

Tao paused, setting his axe aside, and invited Li to walk with him along a narrow stone path that led to a sparkling stream. As they strolled, Tao continued his daily routine—filling a simple clay bucket with water from the stream and later, preparing a modest meal in the monastery’s kitchen. All the while, Li observed the monk’s actions: every gesture was deliberate and infused with a quiet joy.

After a while, they sat under the shade of a sprawling tree. Li, still puzzled, inquired again, “But master, how do these ordinary tasks reveal enlightenment?”

Tao smiled gently and said, “Before I found enlightenment, I too chopped wood and carried water. Yet, each swing of the axe was a burdensome duty, and each trip to the well was a mere necessity. I was always distracted, burdened by thoughts of the past and fears of the future.”

He paused, his eyes reflecting the calm of the nearby stream, and continued, “Then one morning, something changed. As I swung my axe, I suddenly felt the beauty in each movement—the pulse of life in the sound of the wood, and the gentle whisper of nature in every breath. In that moment, I realized that enlightenment is not a departure from life, but an awakening to the sacred in every act—even those as simple as chopping wood or carrying water.”

Li listened intently as Tao added, “Enlightenment is seeing with a clear heart, where even the most ordinary moments become extraordinary. It is not found in distant peaks or mystical visions, but right here in the simple acts of living.”

The traveler, now with a deeper understanding stirring in his heart, thanked the monk. As he continued his journey, Li carried with him the quiet wisdom that every task, no matter how mundane, could be transformed into a meditation on life—a journey toward true enlightenment.

Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

深入探讨：故事背后的意义

拥抱当下

这个故事的核心在于正念的力量——全心投入当下的每一刻。道师的转变并非源于外在环境的改变，而是他内在体验的转变。曾经的例行公事，在他专注于当下时，都变成了通向深刻觉知的门户。这告诉我们，每一刻都有可能启迪智慧，只要我们愿意全心全意地体验它。

平凡中的神圣

许多人认为灵性觉醒需要通过隆重的仪式或非凡的体验来实现。但道师用行动证明，神圣存在于日常生活之中——在构成我们生活点滴的那些看似不起眼的行动里。无论是细致地劈柴、稳健地提水，还是静心烹调，每个动作都蕴含着一种机会，让我们在心中孕育平和与意义。

放下纷扰

在获得觉醒之前，道师深陷于分心的杂念——对过去的执念与对未来的担忧。这些纷扰使他无法体验当下的美好。只有当他学会放下这些无谓的思绪，才得以沉浸在当下的美丽中。对寻求开悟的人来说，这一教诲尤为重要：学会放下多余的纷扰，才能真正感受到生命流淌的美好。

内心的旅程

李与道师的相遇象征着我们每个人内心的探索之旅。虽然李踏上了通往寺院的道路，但他真正追寻的是内在的清明与理解。正如我们在生活中寻找的那般，开悟并不在遥远的外界，而是在我们内心深处。每一个日常的举动，都可以是自我发现、内在觉醒的步伐。

Delving Deeper: The Meaning Behind the Story

Embracing the Present Moment

At its core, this story highlights the power of mindfulness—the practice of being fully present. Tao’s transformation wasn’t the result of changing his external circumstances but in altering his inner experience. His once routine tasks became portals to a deeper state of awareness when he shifted his focus to the present moment. For modern readers, this teaches that every moment holds the potential for insight, provided we allow ourselves to be fully engaged with our experiences.

The Sacred in the Mundane

Many of us might believe that spiritual awakening requires grand rituals or extraordinary events. However, the monk Tao demonstrates that the sacred can be found in the everyday: the repetitive, seemingly insignificant actions that make up our lives. Whether it’s the careful act of chopping wood, the rhythmic motion of carrying water, or even the simple act of preparing a meal, there lies an opportunity to find peace and meaning if we approach these tasks with intention.

Letting Go of Distractions

Before his awakening, Tao was caught in the web of distractions—the past regrets and future anxieties that cloud our minds. His transformation came when he learned to let go of these mental burdens and immerse himself in the present. For those seeking enlightenment, the lesson is clear: by releasing the weight of unnecessary thoughts and distractions, we open ourselves to the profound beauty of life as it unfolds moment by moment.

A Journey Within

Li’s encounter with Tao is symbolic of the inner journey each of us must embark on. While Li traveled physically to reach the monastery, his real quest was for internal clarity and understanding. Similarly, in our lives, the journey to enlightenment is not found in external destinations but within our own hearts and minds. It is an ongoing process of self-discovery and mindfulness, where every act becomes a step toward a more profound connection with ourselves and the world around us.

Photo by Masjid Pogung Dalangan on Unsplash

结论

李与道师的故事温柔地提醒我们，开悟并非逃避平凡，而是转变我们对日常生活的态度。通过正念、感恩和全情投入每个瞬间，我们可以将最简单的任务转化为心灵成长的契机。

在忙碌的生活中，我们常常忽略身边的美好。然而，只要我们愿意停下脚步，聆听自然的低语，欣赏每个平凡瞬间的美丽，便会发现非凡其实一直隐藏在普通之中。

当你迎接每一天时，请记住：每一刻都蕴藏着觉醒的可能。拥抱你的日常生活，用心体验其中的每一份美好，让平凡中的神圣引领你走向真正的开悟。

Conclusion of Story

The story of Li and Tao serves as a gentle reminder that enlightenment is not an escape from the ordinary but a transformation of our relationship with the everyday. By embracing each moment with mindfulness, gratitude, and presence, we can turn even the simplest tasks into opportunities for spiritual growth.

In our busy lives, it is easy to overlook the beauty that surrounds us. Yet, if we allow ourselves to be present—to listen to the quiet rhythm of nature, to find joy in routine tasks, and to let go of our incessant worries—we may find that the extraordinary is hidden within the ordinary.

As you go about your day, consider this: every moment holds the potential for awakening. Embrace your routine, live mindfully, and let the sacred in the mundane guide you on your own journey to enlightenment.

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CAREYOURPRESENT

Money just buy you the chance of freedom.

When you are young and working, you exchange time for money. When you are old, you can have lots of money but you can’t buy time back, especially the things that you have missed while busying striking out in career. Of course, if you love your career, and consciously know that you are missing out the first time your child walk or talk, that’s ok, but if you are the other spectrum, please do something about it.

Your kids grew up and they no longer need you to accompany them. They no longer want to sit on your lap to share/do things with you…all these time you spent in your 9 to 6 or even longer cubicles…can the money that you have earned by you back these?

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We always thought that we have more time with our spouse every day, but we are wrong. One day they will be gone too. When you read this, please go tell your spouse that you love him/her and he or she is the best thing that you ever had in your life.

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REMEMBER:

Love your life daily.

You have one less day with your spouse, parents, children and yourself.

Time is ticking away.

For each passing day,

Enjoy and Treasure your Life!

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