The Three Diligences (三勤戒): “Be diligent, be diligent, and be diligent”

In the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, there lived a renowned agronomist, philosopher, and poet named Jeong Yak-yong, also known by his pen name, Dasan. During his exile in Gangjin, Dasan opened a small village school to ease his loneliness. Among the ordinary children who came to study, one boy especially caught his attention. Dasan encouraged him to pursue his studies, but the boy hesitated and spoke with difficulty:

“Teacher, I am slow-witted, my thoughts are blocked, and I lack ability. Can someone like me even study?”

To this, Dasan replied with great care:

“There are three common problems people face when pursuing learning: First, relying solely on natural intelligence and neglecting effort. Second, becoming arrogant when one writes well. Third, becoming careless due to quick understanding. People like you are the ones who truly need to study. Even if you’re slow, with consistent effort, you will break through. When a blocked stream bursts open, it becomes a powerful current. Even if your thoughts are dull, if you polish them persistently, they will one day shine. To drill through something, you must be diligent. To break through a blockage, you must be diligent. To make something shine, you must be diligent.”

The boy was deeply moved by the words of his teacher, who felt as grand and vast as the heaven. That boy was Hwang Sang, who would later become known as one of Dasan’s most cherished disciples. He engraved his teacher’s words in his heart and devoted himself to study for the rest of his life, eventually becoming one of the most renowned poets of his time.