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The Scholar And The Boatman (adapted from an essay in Back To Godhead magazine, Volume 11.11) * * * * * * * * *
CAST: Scholar, Boatman. (Scholar is in an intellectual huff and approaches Boatman by the side of a river)
Scholar: Boatman! Take me across! Boatman: Yes, sir. Climb aboard! Scholar: Boatman, the water is becoming rather choppy. While you're out here, have you ever thought about the relationship between total torque and cross-current impact? Boatman: No, sir, I can't say that I have. Scholar: For one thing, a more streamlined apparatus should likely yield a greater mechanical advantage. But then, I don't suppose you've studied much about physics, have you? Boatman: None at all, sir. I just row this boat across the river. Scholar: Hmmm. Boatman, it appears that you've wasted 25% of your life. (they proceed on for a few moments) Scholar: Boatman, Have you ever looked into statistics and probability? I'm thinking here of Gaussian or possibly Poisson distribution. With all these dark clouds coming in over us, do you have any idea what a graph of storm probability would look like? Boatman: No, sir, I never have studied whatever it is you're talking about. I don't know what you mean. Scholar: You mean you've never studied advanced mathematics? Ah, then, my dear fellow, you should know that you've surely wasted 50% of your life. Boatman: You're probably right, sir. I just row this boat across the river. By the way, there seems to be a big storm coming. Scholar: Tell me, Boatman, do you know anything about gauging deviations from the STP — standard temperature and pressure — to forecast wind velocity in a storm center? Boatman: I'm sorry, sir, I really don't. Scholar: You're a bit dense, Boatman, aren't you? Are you telling me that you've never learned anything about meteorology? Boatman: I guess I haven't, sir. Scholar: Well, then, you've wasted a full 75% of your life! What do you have to say for yourself? Boatman: I just row this boat across the river... say, hold on tight! It's really raining and blowing hard! (boat capsizes, Boatman swims and starts heading for shore while Scholar flails about, reaching out with umbrella handle but hooking nothing) Scholar: Boatman! Boatman: Sir! We'll have to swim the rest of the way! Scholar: But... I can't swim! Boatman: Then it looks as though you've wasted 100% of your life! (Boatman swims on while Scholar drowns helplessly) Moral of the story: Whatever else we may learn in our life's journey, there's one thing we all need to know: how to cross safely to the spiritual world when our material body "capsizes." Therefore, while the West's technological science can analyze things and perhaps make our voyage more comfortable, we need the East's spiritual science to make it more successful. The End
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