“A hundred-foot pole leads to a further step forward” comes from a Buddhist allusion.

According to the records of "Wudeng Huiyuan" written by Shi Puji of the Song Dynasty, there was an eminent monk named Jing Cen at that time, known as Master Zhaoxian. His Buddhist attainments were extremely high and he was often invited by various places to preach and lecture. One day, when he was invited to give a lecture at a Buddhist temple, a monk saluted and asked him to answer questions about the highest realm of Buddhism - the world of the ten directions. In order to explain what is going on in the world of the ten directions, Master Zhaoxian sang a verse on the spot: "The tip of a hundred-foot pole cannot move people, although it is not true yet. The tip of a hundred-foot pole must make progress, and the world of the ten directions is the whole body." Meaning. Because if the cultivation of Taoism reaches the point of reaching the top of a hundred-foot pole and no longer progresses, then, although it is great, it is not yet pure. Even if the cultivation reaches the top of the hundred-foot pole, we still cannot relax, we must not be complacent, and we must not give up. Continue to work hard and do it carefully, and you will make greater progress.

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Bai Chi Gan Tou goes further, the words come from "Jingde Chuan Leng Lu", telling the story of Zen Master Jing Cen.

Zen Master Jingcen was born in Changsha, Hunan during the Tang Dynasty. He studied under Nanquan Puyuan (Weishan). He was known as "Master Zhaoxian" and was known as "Changsha Monk".

One day, a monk met Nanquan Puyuan, and Jing Cen sent the young monk to ask questions. He said: "What happened to the monk after seeing Nanquan?" He was silent. Ask again. He said: "How was it when you didn't see Nanquan?" He said: "It can't be more different."

After listening to the young monk's report, Zen Master Jingcen composed a verse: "The head of a hundred-foot pole will not move ( Sitting) people, although they have entered, it is not true; the head of a hundred-foot pole must make progress, and the worlds in the ten directions are the whole body.

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