A young man approached a Zen master seeking advice: "Master, some people call me a genius, while others insult me as a fool. What do you think?" "How do you view yourself?" the Zen master countered. The young man looked perplexed. The Zen master continued, "For instance, a pound of rice can be several bowls of cooked rice in the eyes of a cook; it can be a pastry in the mind of a baker; and it can transform into liquor in the perspective of a distiller. Yet, the rice remains the same rice. Similarly, you are still you. How much potential you have depends on how you view yourself." The young man suddenly felt enlightened.
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