There is a lovely story of a boy who goes to a Zen Master and asks,
“Master, I know you have many students, but if I study harder than all
the rest of them, how long will it take me to get enlightened?”
The master said, “Ten years.”
The boy said, “Well, if I work day and night and double my efforts, how long will it take?”
The master said, “Twenty years.”
Now the boy talked of further achievement and the master said, “Thirty years.”
The boy replied, “Why do you keep adding years?”
And the master answered, “Since you will have one eye on the goal, there will only be one eye left to have on the work. And it will slow you down immeasurably.”
The master said, “Ten years.”
The boy said, “Well, if I work day and night and double my efforts, how long will it take?”
The master said, “Twenty years.”
Now the boy talked of further achievement and the master said, “Thirty years.”
The boy replied, “Why do you keep adding years?”
And the master answered, “Since you will have one eye on the goal, there will only be one eye left to have on the work. And it will slow you down immeasurably.”
- Ram Dass
