South of Savatthi was a great river, on the banks of which a small settlement of about five hundred houses was located. One day, the Buddha sat down under a tree, and began to preach to the villagers. When he had left Savatthi, Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s disciples, felt a desire to hear him preach. So, he decided to cross the river to meet the Buddha. Coming to the river where the water was deep and the current strong, he said, “This stream shall not prevent me.” He stepped on the water which was as firm under his feet as a slab of granite. The people of the village were astonished to see Sariputta, and they asked how he could cross the stream. Sariputta replied, “I lived in ignorance till I heard the voice of the Buddha. I crossed the river and I walked over its troubled waters because I have saddha (faith) now.”
Moral: Everything is possible with strong determination and faith.
