- There Must Always Be a Teacher
- 1 One day, Sahng-jeh-nim had a deep pit dug in the yard and ordered a man to get into it.
- 2 Confused, the man hesitated and would not do so.
- 3 Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Fool, it is said, ‘A hill is needed to rub against.’ You will not go in, even with Me standing here to help you?
- 4 Watch how I go in and come back out.” Sahng-jeh-nim entered the pit, then, keeping His body straight and not moving His arms, He walked back out.
- 5 The man entered the pit, but could not get out again. All he could do was circle the bottom.
- 6 He cried out to Sahng-jeh-nim, “Please save me. I cannot get out without anything to hold on to.”
- 7 “You cannot live without an elder,” Sahng-jeh-nim said. “Respect and serve your elders. If you cannot even get yourself out of a hole, how can you save someone else?” Sahng-jeh-nim pulled the man out by the hand.
- 8 The man said to Sahng-jeh-nim, “I guess that is why there is a distinction between a noble person and a common person. How could I ever be like You?”
- 9 Sahng-jeh-nim said, “For the misguided to be enlightened, a teacher is needed.
- 10 There must always be a teacher.”
- (JSD Dojeon 8,6)
