What is your favourite quote that best describes your idea of spiritual formation? (continued)

b. The Martial Arts Apprentice
One day, a young man who desired to learn a supreme form of martial arts heard there was a martial arts master in a high mountain. He made his way there to beg to be an apprentice, that he too might one day become a martial arts maestro.

As he approached the martial arts master, he was already feeling rather downhearted because the master did not seem very keen in teaching him the art. But it did seem that the master was keen on trying him out first, so the master said, “All right, you begin by mopping the floor using two pieces of cloth. You squat down and use both your hands to mop the floor. Make sure you’re done by the end of the day.” So the young man thinks to himself, “I didn’t come here for this. But I think he’s testing me, so I’ll just do it, and then tomorrow he’ll accept me as his apprentice.” So he completes his task for the day.

To his horror, early the next morning, the master tells him, “Do again what you did yesterday”! He begins to get furious, but tells him he has to persevere if he wants to gain the trust of the master. But as time goes by, this task of mopping the floor drags on for two weeks, then three weeks, then up to months! And worse still, at a later stage, while the disciple was mopping the floor, the master would just walk by and give him a kick in his stomach. At times, he would use a stick to hit the disciple’s back. And he would fall over with such great pain. Even at night while the disciple was sleeping, the master would just sneak into the room and kick him hard. Ouch!

Eventually, the disciple realises he has to watch out and avoid kicks and beatings from the master. So as he mops the floor, and even as he sleeps at night, he finds himself being very alert so that when the master comes, he can avoid those kicks and beatings.

One day, he loses his patience at the master’s abuse. And tells the master, “Okay, enough is enough! When are you going to teach me some real martial arts?” The master replies, “You’ve been learning every day since the day you came. And everything I have to impart, you already know. You now know the secret of this art – it’s alertness, and you’ve mastered it. Now you can go.”