What Challenges Teach Us

No river flows in a straight line. It makes its way in a zig-zag fashion. Every obstacle the river meets on the way defines the twists and turns it takes. It is sometimes difficult to realise that it is not the river that chooses to flow in a certain manner but the terrain and the obstructions that ordain how it will flow.

A river does not argue with its circumstances. It\r\ninvolves and engages with its difficulties and finds a way around. To that\r\nextent, it uses its challenges to define its course. That is the way of the\r\nworld. If you choose to live your life in the same fashion, you will progress;\r\nand progress sustainably.

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There is a story I would like to share. One of the\r\ngreat masters in Tibet had many disciples and one day, a disciple came to him\r\nand asked to be accepted. The master said: “Yes, of course, but do you have any\r\nqualifications?” The disciple answered, “No, I have none.”

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The master asked him many questions but every time\r\nhe answered that he had nothing, he just wanted to be a disciple. Eventually,\r\nhe felt he had to say something, so he told the master, “I have a reputation of\r\nbeing a person without anger. That’s all I have.”

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“Oh,” said the master, “that’s the greatest qualification\r\nyou can have. Please join us to hear my teachings.”

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At the next gathering, the master said: “Until\r\ntoday, we have had such a nice time here without any problems, but from now on,\r\nwe have to be very careful. There is a thief in our group. Though none of us\r\nhave much to steal, we may still have a little bit to eat and a few things to\r\nwear. We don’t want them stolen, so we must be watchful because one of us is a\r\nthief and that’s him over there.”

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The master pointed to the man who said he had no anger.\r\nThe man was embarrassed and felt terrible. He started sweating, but couldn’t\r\nsay anything in front of the great master.

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This went on for several months. The master would\r\nsay in front of thousands of disciples, “Did you lose anything? Oh, good, because\r\nhe is such a thief. I worry night and day about all of you.”

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Finally, after a very long time, the disciple became\r\nvery angry. He could no longer control himself. “Who said I’m a thief?” he\r\nscreamed in front of everyone.

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The master looked at him. “Didn’t you say that you\r\nnever got angry? I thought you didn’t have any anger but really you do, don’t\r\nyou?”

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In that way, the disciple was able to realise that\r\nanger was there, and it was very much an awakening, a great lesson given with\r\nlove as he went on to become a great disciple.

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Sometimes when you are in the followership of a\r\nMaster, he will throw you into situations that cause conflict only to see how\r\nyou respond and to get you practice patience and forbearance. Sometimes the\r\nMaster will ask you to stop following him only to expose you to the vagaries of\r\nthe world and have you return chastened and aware of your own weakness so you\r\ncan practice with greater diligence and concentration. But often, for those who\r\nhave not yet found a Master, life throws challenges literally every day. It is\r\nour response to them that refines our character and finally defines our\r\ncharacter.

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A serious student of spiritual practice will not\r\navoid situations of conflict. Rather, he will throw himself into them to\r\nconstantly keep checking his reactions and his growth. Challenges can be the\r\nMaster we seek, until we find the Master we deserve.

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It is easy to practise patience when there is\r\nnothing to be worked up about, when you are feeling calm and at one with the\r\nworld. Even as you read my words, telling you how important patience is, I\r\ncan’t help you nearly as much as trying it out in the real world.

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It is only when we are tested that we would know which level\r\nof understanding we are at. It is always easy to say that we are practising\r\nspirituality, patience, love, compassion, kindness and wisdom when we are in an\r\neasy, cosy and safe environment. Once in a while, when we are faced with\r\nchallenges, this is when we will check our level of understanding and spiritual\r\naccomplishment.

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So if someone comes and provokes your anger, does something\r\nnasty to you, that person is the real master. Of course in the moment we don’t\r\nrealise that and feel like they are an enemy, but they are giving you a real\r\nchance to get into the practice, so grab it whenever you can.

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The author is the spiritual head of the 1,000-year-old\r\nDrukpa Order based in the Himalayas

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By The New Indian Express

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Gyalwang Drukpa