he said he was determined to get rid of his negative emotions. he struggled against anger and lust he struggled against laziness and pride. but mostly he wanted to get rid of his fear. his meditation teacher kept telling him to stop struggling. but he took that as another way of explaining how to overcome his obstacles.

finally the teacher sent him off to meditate in a tiny hut in the foothills. he shut the door and settled down to practice. and when it got dark he lit three small candles. around midnight he heard a noise in the corner of the room and in the darkness he saw a very large snake, it looked at him like a king cobra. it was right in front of him swaying, all night he stayed totally alert, keeping his eyes on the snake. he was so afriad that he couldnt move. There was just the snake and himself and fear.

just before dawn the last candle went out, and he began to cry. he cried not in despair but from tenderness. he felt the longing of all the animals and people in the world. he knew their alienation and their struggle. all his meditation had been nothing but further separation and struggle. he accepted really accepted wholeheartedly that he was angry and jealous that he resisted and struggled and that he was afraid. he accepted that he was also precious beyond measure wise and foolish, rich and poor and totally unfathomable. he felt so much gratitute that in the total darkness he stood up walked toward the snake and bowed. then he fell sound asleep on the floor.