"And you look for stupid things. Somebody materializing a Swiss-made watch – that is a miracle, and a rose is not a miracle. Somebody producing holy ash – that is a miracle, and the man who produces holy ash is nothing but an asshole! – and a cuckoo calling from the distance is not a miracle. You are blind, utterly blind and insane. You can only believe in childish things. You are not in search of the real magic of life; that's why stupid magicians can deceive you.

"Just to be is more than one can believe. To be able to breathe, to be able to see the rising sun, to be able to hear the chirping of the birds, to be able to feel love, prayer, gratitude, silence. This very moment – this is a miracle. The silence that encompasses you, the love that transpires between me and you, the communion, the satsang, with open hearts like lotuses – you are drinking me with such vulnerability, with such immense trust – what more miracles are needed to prove that existence is a mystery?

"It happened:

"A great mahatma – great because he used to walk on water – came to see Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Ramakrishna used to live in Dakshineshwar near Calcutta, on the bank of the Ganges. He was sitting under a banyan tree looking at the beautiful Ganges flowing by, and the mahatma came. And, of course, such people are on great ego trips. Because he could walk on water, of course he was great. His every vibe was saying 'holier than thou.'

"He stood in front of Ramakrishna and said, 'I have heard that people think you are a great mystic – but can you walk on water?'

"Ramakrishna said, 'No, I cannot walk on water. In fact, I cannot even swim! Can you?'

"And the man said, 'Yes, I can walk on water.'

"Ramakrishna asked, 'Sir, please tell me how long it took for you to learn the art?'

"The man said, 'I have devoted eighteen years to learning the art of walking on water.'

"And Ramakrishna started giggling like a small child, and he said, 'This is stupid, because whenever I want to go to the other shore the ferryman takes me, and he takes only one cent! Just for one cent I can go to the other side – and you wasted eighteen years? It is only worth one cent, not more than that."