The Japanese say, “If the flower is to be beautiful, it must be cultivated... In order that beauty of mind body spirit and soul be arrived at, there is a crying need for work- within and without.
Not just in the animal and plant kingdoms but in the entire human race, perfection can be achieved only with diligence and work. In the words of the Tao teachers, “Dig the well... keep digging... only then will you find water someplace.”
That leads one to ruminate about a certain incident in the famed epic, the Mahabharata. The Pandavas and the Kauravas, as young lads, were taken out to the forest to test their skills in various disciplines. The Pandavas, despite being few in number, still managed to excel in every field. Then came the intricate skill of archery. For this department, Guru Dronacharya had positioned a wooden bird atop a branch near a tree. Every lad had to aim at the eye of the bird. The one who pierced it would be declared the winner.
Each student was called upon to aim at the bird; and each of them declared differing things upon being questioned by the Guru, until Arjuna’s turn arrived. Upon being queried by the Guru, his answer was quite intriguing: “Guru, I see only the eye of the bird.” A visibly pleased Dronacharya told Arjuna to let fly his arrow, and immediately the bird fell down below.
This incident has several lessons, be it humility or focus, but most of all, in any and every situation, one needs to persevere.
It is simple enough to realise that we must have a definite goal and an unwavering focus on achieving our goals. But is it easy? It is sheer hard work and perseverance.
A prize or a medal cannot be obtained by mere wishful thinking. As that saying goes, “If you want your dreams to come true, the first thing to do is to wake up...” One needs to be aware of the goal ahead and work hard to attain it.
Why, then, should there be doubts about the spiritual gurus who guide us all? It is their guidance alone that helps one reach the peak of excellence.
And it is a constant aspiring for that which is far above and beyond one and all. Finally, this saying by Pat Riley sums it up all too well, “Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.”