"One great warrior, one of the best swordsmen of his country, had a very obedient servant. He loved the servant, trusted him. He was away, and the servant committed some mistake – which is just human. When the warrior came back he was so angry that he challenged the servant to have a fight with him, a duel with swords, because he did not want to kill him. The mistake that he had committed was big enough – although he may not have understood that. He had spoiled one of the great paintings while cleaning it.

"The warrior said, 'Because I have loved you, I will not kill you. I will give you a chance – you have to fight with me. Take this sword and come to the dueling ground.'

"The servant said, 'You know, lord, that I don't even know how to hold a sword. It is better you kill me; you will kill me anyway – you are a famous swordsman. I cannot in any way be victorious in the fight.'

"But the master was stubborn. He said, 'You will have to fight.'

"Then the servant said, 'You will have to wait at least one hour. I will have to go to my master with whom I have been learning meditation – just to pay him respects, last respects, because I don't think I can survive fighting you.' He was allowed the time. He went to the master.

"The master laughed. He said, 'Don't be worried. This is a good opportunity for you because it is absolutely certain that he is a great warrior and he is going to kill you. You don't know anything about swordsmanship, so you will be killed. You don't have any future, you don't have any possibility of victory, you have only this moment. Why not be total at least once in your life?

"'I know your man, the warrior: he will not leave you alone if he has said he will do it. But he has given you a chance, and I think it is a great opportunity.'

"The servant could not understand. He said, 'What opportunity is there? He will simply kill me! I don't know even how to hold the sword, and he is one of the champions."