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Two More Days to Wu-T'ai-Shan* |
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| Long ago, in T’ang China, there was an old monk going on a pilgrimage to Mount Wu t’ai, a sacred mountain. Aged and weak, he was treading the long dusty road alone, seeking alms along the way. After many months, one morning he gazed upward and saw the majestic mountain in the distance. By the roadside, there was an old woman working in the field. “Please tell me,” he asked, “how much longer I must proceed before reaching Wu-t’ai - shan?” The woman just looked at him, uttered a guttural sound and returned to her hoeing. He repeated the question a second and third time, but there was still no answer.
Thinking that the woman must be deaf, he decided to push on. After he had taken a few dozen steps, he heard the woman call out to him, “Two more days, it will take you two more days.” |
Somewhat annoyed, the monk responded, “I thought you were deaf. Why didn’t you answer my question earlier?”
The woman replied, “You asked the question while you were standing put, Master. I had to see how fast your pace was, how determined your walk!” An assessor is in the same position as the old woman in this story, although hopefully a lot more friendly and communicative! You must have evidence of learning, of the strength and determination to learn, and interest in the goal to give the students an idea of where they will start and what their journey might entail. |
| *Adapted from: Thus Have I Heard: Buddhist Parables and Stories | |
