During the Kaiyuan reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, there was an eminent monk named Daoyi who resided in Chuanfa Temple. He diligently practiced Chan meditation every day, seeking enlightenment.

Master Huineng observed him and asked what he aimed to achieve by meditating all day. Daoyi replied that he sought to become a Buddha.

Master Huineng then picked up a brick inside the hermitage and began grinding it against a stone. Daoyi, puzzled, asked what he was doing.

Master Huineng replied, "I am trying to grind this brick into a mirror." Daoyi exclaimed, "How can a brick be ground into a mirror?"

Huineng then enlightened him, saying, "If a brick cannot be ground into a mirror, then how can sitting meditation alone make you a Buddha?"

This story illustrates that true enlightenment comes from understanding one's nature, not merely from the physical act of sitting.