I was 19 years old when I first came to Wudan mountain. A young kickboxing champion, I thought I knew everything about fighting and about life. But Master Po had different ideas about what I needed to learn.
The first night in his temple, I was shown to a small room with a wooden floor, a thin bamboo mat, and a pillow made of straw. It was uncomfortable and I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep properly. The next morning, with bags under my eyes, I complained to Master Po about the bedding.
"Master, I cannot sleep on such uncomfortable bedding. A fighter needs proper rest to recover. How can I train effectively when I cannot sleep?" I asked, certain of my reasoning.
Master Po simply nodded and said, "I understand. Tonight you shall have a different pillow."
"Comfort is the enemy of greatness. The path to mastery is paved with discomfort embraced willingly."
That night, I returned to my room to find no pillow at all. Just the bamboo mat on the hard wooden floor. I was furious but decided to endure it to prove a point. I slept even worse than the previous night.
The next morning, I confronted Master Po again.
"Master, now I have no pillow at all! How is this better?"
Master Po looked at me calmly and said, "You compared last night to the night before and found it worse. Tonight, you will have another different pillow."
That night, I found a pile of small, hard stones arranged where a pillow should be. I almost laughed at the absurdity. There was no way I could sleep on rocks! But out of stubbornness and pride, I tried anyway. It was the worst night yet.
The next morning, I was livid.
"Master Po, this is ridiculous! First straw, then nothing, then rocks! I demand a proper pillow!"
Master Po nodded thoughtfully. "I see. And which of these three options would you prefer tonight?"
Without hesitation, I replied, "The straw pillow, of course."
Master Po smiled. "Interesting. The very thing you initially found intolerable has now become your preference. The straw pillow has not changed - only your perception of it has."
I stood there stunned as Master Po continued, "In life, we must be careful what we reject as not good enough, for circumstances may reveal that what we had was better than we realized. The mind that always seeks better comfort will never find contentment. Learn to find comfort in discomfort, for that is where growth lives."
That night, I slept soundly on my straw pillow, which now felt like the softest luxury. It was the first of many lessons where Master Po would show me that mastery begins with mastering your own perceptions.
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