THE-TUG-OF-WAR
| Usually in a tug-of-war,
it is the one who has the tighter grip and grit that
wins. One has to hold on and on, without letting go-until
victory is assured. But there is a tug-of-war which calls
for just the opposite kind of skill and that is
one’s final tug-of-war in life. When the moment of death approaches, we heave, heave and heave to hold on to the last vestige of life in us–the breath. We heave only to sigh-or rather we heave a sigh, well knowing that the inevitable is going to happen. Mara’s grip is tight on the other side and he seems determined to pull us on to his side together with all that is ours – namely, the five grasping groups. The total weight of our burden is now lying on Mara’s doorstep. In the very next moment we would be dragged into his gloomy den. This is a crisis in which no one can lend a helping hand. Should we hold on and yield victory to Mara’s side ? It is right at this moment that the opposite kind of skill comes in useful – the skill in letting-go. Let-go of the five bundles and Mara is sure to suffer a somersault-going head over heels. This is the grand finale in Samsara-victory over Death. In other words, you have won the neck-to-neck race with Mara by a hair’s breadth. |