To have reached a very high level of achievement in one's studies, career, or position, but to still need to strive for further progress and greater heights.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Synonym:
Story:
During the Song Dynasty, there was an eminent monk in Changsha named Jingcen, also known as Master Zhaoxian. He possessed profound knowledge of Buddhism and often traveled to various places to preach and expound on sutras.
One day, Master Zhaoxian was invited to lecture in the Dharma hall of a Buddhist temple. Many monks came to listen. The master spoke with great clarity and eloquence, deeply moving his audience. The hall was silent, save for the master's voice.
After Master Zhaoxian finished his lecture, a monk stood up, bowed to him, and asked several questions, requesting the master's answers. The master returned the bow and slowly began to respond. Whenever the monk found something unclear, he would ask again, and the two engaged in a warm and natural dialogue.
The listeners realized they were discussing the highest realm of Buddhism—the Ten Directional World.
To further explain what the Ten Directional World truly entailed, Master Zhaoxian presented a gatha, which is a Buddhist text containing chants. The master pointed to a passage and chanted: 'A hundred-foot bamboo pole is not considered high; one still needs to take a step further, for only then can the Ten Directional World be truly seen as the ultimate peak.'