Turtle

"Imagine that the whole earth was covered with water, and a man was to throw a yoke with a hole in it into the water. Blown by the wind, that yoke would drift north, south, east and west. Now, suppose that once in hundred years a blind turtle would rise to the surface. What do you think? Would that turtle put his head through the hole in the yoke as he rose to the surface once in a hundred years?"

"It is unlikely Lord."

"Well, it is just as unlikely that one will be born as a human being; it is just unlikely that a Tathagata, a Noble One, a fully enlightened Buddha should arise in the world; and it is just as unlikely that the Dhamma and discipline of the Tathagata should be taught. But now you have been born as a human being, a Tathagata has arisen and the Dhamma has been taught. Therefore, strive to realize the Four Noble Truths."

Sunday, January 27, 2008

The Fast Lane

As I was driving to work, it suddenly struck me that if I chose to drive in the fast lane, I would drive faster, because that is what fast lane drivers must do - drive fast. If you are not fast, you either retreat to the middle lane, or you would be overtaken by another car in the fast lane.

I started to think that this is what life is about, if we put ourselves in the fast lane, if we wish to stay there, we must drive fast, we must build ourselves to stay in the fast lane. If we were not in the fast lane, there would be less motivation to drive faster, especially if the driver has not experienced the fast lane before. When everyone is driving at your speed, there is no motivation to drive faster, unless you want to take over others.

But, being in the fast lane is different, you drive fast just to keep yourself there, you are not even in the position to take over others.

Perhaps, if I want to succeed, I must put myself in the fast lane... But then, I also noticed that when I'm in the fast lane, I just speed, the journey became shorter and less eventful... I have to be focused on the road, there is no time for other things, no time to look at other cars, no time to entertain my own thoughts... Guess there's always a give and take in every decision we make...

ttg

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