"To escape worldly troubles is no easy task; one must grasp the rope tightly and put in hard work. Without enduring the bone-chilling cold, how can the plum blossom's fragrance be so sweet?"

尘劳迥脱事非常，紧把绳头做一场。  

不经一番寒彻骨，怎得梅花扑鼻香。

~ Huangbo Xiyun (黄檗希运, 749-840), Tang Dynasty Zen Master, Shangtang Kaishi Song (《上堂开示颂》）