A horse and a donkey heard that Monk Tang was journeying to the West for scriptures. The donkey, daunted by the hardships, gave up. The horse, however, followed without hesitation, endured countless trials, and finally succeeded.
The donkey asked, “Was it very hard?”
The horse replied, “While I was traveling, you also walked a long way—but with your eyes covered, driven by a whip. In truth, drifting through life is more exhausting.”
True fatigue comes not from effort, but from inner emptiness and confusion. When we lack direction, every step feels heavy. But when we have a purpose, even a long road feels light.
Better to walk a hard path with meaning than to wander aimlessly with ease. Let us choose our direction, and move forward with courage—for the heaviest burden is a life without purpose.