It happened once upon a time that a seeker came to a spiritual teacher, presented himself, and said, “Your Holiness, my desire to progress on the path is great. As you yourself have taught, life is brief, and to leave this world without attaining liberation is to lose a precious, irreplaceable opportunity. You who have reached the farther shore, by your compassion I beg you, confer upon me the gift of illumination.”

The teacher responded, “Please listen carefully to this tale. There was a rich man who had a baby daughter, and he loved her very much. Her smiles were sunshine but like every baby there were also showers of tears. The rich man was full of a great longing that his daughter should grow up without delay, because he was sure that she would be full of grace and beauty. Therefore he summoned a wise physician, and asked him for a medicine that would make the little girl grow quickly.

“The physician told the rich man he could produce such a medicine, but it would take time for him to search for the necessary ingredients. In the meantime, the rich man must put the girl in seclusion, and not see her until the medicine was administered. If he should look upon the girl beforehand, the medicine would have no effect.

“The rich man did as he was advised, and the physician went on a long journey to the remote mountains. Twelve years later, he returned, bearing with him various rare herbs, with which he compounded a special tea. This he gave to the young woman, for the girl had of course grown quite naturally during this time. Then he presented her to her father, and the rich man was overjoyed at the beauty of his daughter, and congratulated the physician for his wisdom.”

“Therefore,” the teacher concluded, “when you ask for the gift of illumination, I say to you, yes, it is possible. But it will take time to prepare the medicine.”