A young champion challenged a Zen master who was renowned for his skill as an archer.
The young man hit a distant bull's eye on his first try, and then split that arrow with his second shot.
The master asked the young archer to follow him up the mountain. They reached a deep chasm spanned by a shaky log. Calmly stepping out onto the middle of the unsteady bridge, the old master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his bow, and shot a clean, direct hit.
"Now it is your turn," he said as he stepped back onto the safe ground. The young man could not force himself to step out onto the log, never mind shooting at a target.
"You have much skill with your bow" the master said, but you have little skill with the mind that lets loose the arrow."
|