A horse and a donkey once heard that Monk Tang was going on a pilgrimage to the West for sacred scriptures. The donkey, daunted by the hardships ahead, gave up. The horse, however, followed without hesitation, endured countless trials, and finally returned with the teachings.
The donkey asked, “Brother, was it very hard?”
The horse replied, “In the time I traveled west, you walked no less than I did—yet you were blindfolded and driven. True exhaustion comes not from the journey, but from a lack of purpose. I chose my path; you endured yours.”
Life is much the same. We often fear hardship, yet forget that drifting without direction drains us far more. A meaningful path, however long, brings peace to the soul.
Choose your direction. The road itself becomes the reward.