Although I was a bald, novice monk, I was still young and playful. On that day I played by throwing rocks and pulling leaves of grass as I made my way to deliver the letter to Guang-duk Temple. I was throwing the rocks up and hitting them with my palm when unexpectedly a shabby-looking old man sitting by the road roared with laughter and called to me "Child." I later learned that he was around 50.
The old man frightened me and I stood still and just stared at him. Then he said "It hurts to hit rocks like that. Would you like to learn how to break rocks with your hands?" In that brief, startling moment, I naively replied "Teach me." I thought the old man was just playing with a little kid and I observed him to be ‘an unusual old man.’ Then he became serious and said "I will teach you."
Next he gave me a dipper and told me to go get him some water. When I returned with the water he was not there. I looked around and finally saw him on top of a tall rock. I went to him and gave
him the water. He took a sip and then calmly said "This is how you break rocks". He raised his right hand and extended only his little finger. There was a stone the size of a fist next to him and he broke it by striking it only with his little finger.
A chill came into my veins. I was very frightened and was perfectly convinced that either the old man was not human or I might have been possessed by a fox or a ghostthat caused me to have illusions. I thought it would be best to get out of there as fast as I could. I had these continuing thoughts of running away and caught a detailed glimpse of the old man while I searched for an avenue of escape. I asked myself again "Is he a man or ghost?” But the old man was smiling and remained calm. He had no white hair, a long beard, peachy red face, and sparkling eyes. He looked like he might be some kind of Dao master. Even though I was deep in the mountains, curiosity and fear kept me there.
Then the old man asked me some questions in a voice I could not refuse to answer.
"Where do you live, child?"
"In Hae-sun am Temple."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm delivering an abbot’s envelope to the Guang-duk Temple."
"Pull out the envelope."
I gave him the envelope and he barely looked at it before ripping it up.
"Have you learned any Buddhist sutras?"
"I've learned the Chun-su-gyung(sutra)."
He told me to recite it and I began reciting.
Then he began asking more questions.
"You are smart. Why are you trying to become a monk? What reasons do you have?"
I thought I was in big trouble but at the same time I wondered if he was a real Dao master. I continued to answer all the questions he asked me such as my name, date of birth, and family circumstances. I even told him about a dream my father had when I was born. My father dreamt about hugging the moon to his chest when I was born. I babbled for a long time explaining the dream. I thought that if the old man was some kind of Dao master then my father's dream might be a good omen.
Then the situation suddenly changed. The old man ordered me to follow him. I was very surprised because I thought the old man was only going to give me some good advice and leave. Instead he told me to go deeper into the mountains. When I tried to turn around and run he blocked my escape.
Not knowing if he was a man or ghost, I just adventurously followed him into the deep, deep mountain until he told me to sit in a space between the summit rocks. It seemed as if no human had ever been there before. It was a dark black night and all I could hear was noisy crying sounds. I was so frightened and regretted that I had followed this man. I only thought about escaping at sunrise. When dawn came he told me to eat and, come to think of it, I was hungry.
Then the old man said "A man cannot take back what he said. You told me to teach you how to break rocks. So I said I would and from now on we will be master and pupil. You must do as I tell you." He ordered me to follow him again.
I surrendered to him and decided to follow. I already was a monk who had left home. So I thought that following this strange but Dao master looking teacher wasn't going to be that bad. I decided that if following him turned out to be a bad thing then I would just run away. Later on I tried to run away from him many times. But eventually I practiced in front of him for 15 years. I still see him nowadays from time to time and get instructions from him.
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