The Act of Crossing the River
- Ravi Ila Bhatt
Once, near the ancient city of Rajagriha, the Lord Buddha (Gautam) was seated in deep meditation (dhyana) on the grassy banks of the river Ganges.
Not far from this spot was a renowned Gurukul (a traditional school), presided over by the respected Vedic teacher, Acharya Shyamcharan, who was instructing his students on the importance of complex fire rituals (Yajnas).
By chance, Acharya Shyamcharan saw the serene figure of the Buddha. Moved by his aura, the Acharya walked over, his disciples following him.
In the presence of the enlightened one, Acharya Shyamcharan humbly bowed and asked, “O Tathagata (one who has thus come and thus gone), we practice many rituals and forms of worship. Can one achieve liberation (Moksha) or success in life through these alone?”
Gautam Buddha smiled kindly and replied, “Acharya, before I answer, please answer a question of mine. If someone wishes to cross this great river Ganges to reach the opposite bank, what must they do?”
Acharya Shyamcharan replied confidently, “A wise person has three options: If he knows the technique, he can swim across the strong current. If resources are available, he can use a boat. Or, if it is the dry season and the water level is low, he can simply walk across the shallow parts.”
Buddha’s gaze remained steady as he asked, “And if that person stands right here on this bank, and performs none of these three actions—neither swimming, nor taking a boat, nor walking—but instead spends the day praying and reciting mantras to the river itself, will he be able to cross?”
Acharya Shyamcharan immediately fell silent. The profound truth of the analogy hit him like the cold river water.
He quickly bowed low at the Buddha’s feet, touching the earth in realization. “O Gurudev, I understand the ultimate truth you wish to convey! Mere worship, prayer, or ritualistic practices achieve nothing unless one commits to action (Karma)!”
Buddha spoke gently, his voice carrying the calm of the river. “Exactly, Acharya. If a person stands on the riverbank praying day and night, their feet will remain firmly planted on this side. Until they exert effort—either to swim themselves, use a boat, or walk—they cannot reach the other side. In the same way, relying only on blind faith, worship, or simply fate (Niyati) will yield no results. Action is the indispensable means to achieve any form of success, whether it is crossing a river, gaining wealth, or achieving enlightenment.”
Acharya Shyamcharan returned to his Gurukul, his teachings forever reformed, placing effort and diligence at the heart of the spiritual path.
Moral
Action is the key to achievement. No amount of wishing, praying, or performing rituals can replace the necessity of personal effort and concrete action to realize one's goals in life and spirituality.
