Idiom Explanation:
A hundred-foot-high pole is used as a metaphor in Buddhism to describe the cultivation of Taoism to a very high level, and later used in general to encourage people not to be satisfied with what they have already achieved, but to continue to work hard and climb up to the top.
Pronunciation:
百尺竿头，更进一步
bái chǐ gān tóu，gèng jìn yī bù
Origin:
唐·吴融《商人》诗：“百尺竿头五两斜，此生何处不为家。”
Story:
During the Song Dynasty, there was a senior monk named Jing Cen in Changsha, and his name was Master Zhaoxian. This master was highly accomplished in Buddhism and often went to various places to preach and teach scriptures.
One day, Master Zhaoxian was invited to give a sermon in the Dharma Hall of a Buddhist temple. There were many monks who came to listen to the sermon, and the master spoke so deeply and so eloquently that those who listened were deeply infected. There was silence in the hall except for the voice of the master.
When JO finished, one of the monks stood up and gave him a salute, then asked a few questions and asked the master to answer them. The master returned the salute and answered slowly.
When the monk heard something he did not understand, he asked the master another question, and the two asked and answered each other in a cordial and natural way.
The listeners found that they were talking about the ten worlds, the highest realm of Buddhism. In order to explain what the ten worlds are all about, Master Zhaoxian presented a verse on the spot. The so-called Madhyamaka is a Buddhist book of sung words. But see the master pointed to the above text chanting: “Hundred feet of the pole must progress, ten worlds is the whole body.” It means that the bamboo pole of one hundred feet is not high, but needs to go further, and the world of ten directions is the real peak.
This is the origin of the phrase “百尺竿头，更进一步”.
Similar Idioms:
- 再接再厉
- 精益求精
