THE BUDDHA

The Compassionate Buddha sums up the spiritual life in one simple phrase: "going against the current" - the current of all our conditioning in how we act, how we speak, and even how we think. Imagine swimming in a river flowing swiftly after monsoon rains - not floating downstream, with the current, but swimming straight across not letting the current sweep you from your course. That is the kind of spirit you need for meditation. When a flood of anger is sweeping, over you with monsoon swiftness, that's no time to let yourself be carried away. Swim against it; that's what it means to live. You will feel your arms almost breaking, your endurance stretched to the limit, but you'll discover that there is such satisfaction in the achievement that nothing easier will seem worthy of your effort again. That is why the spiritual life appeals to the adventurous. It is only when you take on this challenge that you begin to understand the daring and the resolute, dauntless spirit it requires.

Parvamani.