TED-Ed: The Japanese folktale of the selfish scholar | Iseult Gillespie

A scholar, seeking spiritual purity, embarks on a pilgrimage to the Hie shrine. He avoids defilement and discovers the spirit world. However, his compassion leads him to help a grieving woman, risking defilement. A medium reveals that contamination and corruption are different, transforming his understanding. He continues his journey, helping others and embracing the spirit world.

What motivated the scholar to begin his pilgrimage to the Hie shrine?

• To meet new people

• To purify his soul

• To find a new home

• To escape the city's noise

What did the scholar discover during his repeated pilgrimages?

• The path to enlightenment

• A new city

• A hidden treasure

• The invisible world of spirits

Why did the scholar initially hesitate to help the grieving woman?

• He was afraid of the dark

• He did not understand her language

• He feared spiritual defilement

• He was in a hurry

What realization did the scholar have after meeting the medium?

• Contamination and corruption are different

• Contamination and corruption are the same

• Purity is unattainable

• Kindness is a form of corruption

How did the scholar's approach to his journey change after his revelation?

• He stopped his pilgrimages

• He began helping others

• He avoided all human contact

• He returned to the city permanently