"And the transformation of passion into compassion is the whole evolution of man into a Gautam Buddha. But you are right; it rarely happens. It could not even happen in the case of Gautam Buddha himself.

"Gautam Buddha renounced the world, his kingdom, his palace, his wife whom he thought he had loved so much. After twelve years he came back. Enlightened, he realized that he had not been human to his old father, to his loving wife, and to the one-day-old child. So as he became enlightened the first thing was to go back to his old kingdom and ask forgiveness.

"There is a beautiful story…

"The moment he initiated his cousin-brother, Ananda, into sannyas – Ananda was older than Gautam Buddha – Ananda said to him, 'After initiation I am no more. Your word is my life, your order is my way. Before initiation I am still your elder brother, hence I want three conditions to be promised now because later on I cannot ask anything from you, you will be the master.'

"Gautam Buddha said, 'What are those three things? I don't have anything to give – just this begging bowl.'

"Ananda said, 'I am not asking about things. I am asking about something else. The first condition is that you shall never send me anywhere away from you to spread the word, the message. Second, I will be with you the whole day, and even in the night I will sleep in the same room where you will be sleeping. And the third thing, if I ask any question or if I bring someone who wants to ask any question to you, you will not refuse, you will have to answer.'

"Gautam Buddha said, 'There is no problem in it. It is okay. You get initiated.'

"He had not realized that this was going to create many problems. But the worst problem happened when he came back after twelve years to his home. Ananda was with him just like a shadow.

"Gautam Buddha said, 'I know you have the right to be present with me wherever I go, but you can understand, you have that much intelligence: the woman I loved twelve years ago and left without even telling her that I was going away – obviously she must be very angry."