A Boat moves with two Oars...

There was a Sufi fakir by the name of Hassan. One day as they were getting in a boat his disciple said, ”That there is joy I can understand, because God is our Father, and it is but natural that He should give joy to His children; but why sorrow, why unhappiness?”

Hassan gave no reply but began to row the boat with only one oar. The boat began to turn in circles. ”What are you doing?” the disciple called out. ”If you row with one oar we shall never reach the other shore. We shall keep going round and round in this one spot. Has the other oar broken or is your arm paining? Let me row the boat!”

Hassan replied, ”You seem to be a much more intelligent fellow than I thought!”

If there is joy alone, the boat will go only in circles and arrive nowhere. For it to work, the opposite is also needed. A boat moves with two oars, a man walks with two feet, and two hands are needed to work. In life you need night and day, joy and sorrow, birth and death; or else the boat keeps going round and round, reaching nowhere.

When a person begins to perceive correctly, knowing that He is in everything, he is filled with thanksgiving; even when sorrow comes he accepts it cheerfully. Then you accept His joy and you accept His sorrow equally. then joy is no longer joy, sorrow is no longer sorrow;the dividing line is lost. When you begin to look upon them impartially, your attachment to joy and rejection of suffering are both broken and you stand apart, free from both, having arrived at the attitude of witness. Then you shall be rid of sorrow and carry home joy.

OSHO

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