In a tranquil Zen monastery, a master and his student sat by a still pond. The master tossed a pebble into the water, creating ripples that disturbed the pond’s calm surface. The master asked, “What happens when the pond is disturbed?”

The student replied, “The ripples spread and the water is no longer still.”

The master then said, “In the same way, a mind filled with thoughts and desires is disturbed and unsettled. But when the mind is still, like the calm pond, it reflects the true nature of the universe, and everything becomes clear and harmonious.”

The student realized that inner stillness allows one to perceive and understand the universe in its purest form.