Waves in the ocean are like societal norms. You got to stick to your lane!
This is a quote from the video of two men who rode 6 hours across the sea on a water bike in China. Purportedly, they ran out of cash to buy ferry tickets. Thus the journey from mainland China to the Hainan island below.
Source: Google map.
Source: YouTube
The journey was arduous to say the least. They could die from from drowning anytime given the vastness of the sea. Challenging would be an understatement.
They relied on navigational tool such as their GPS on their phone. They also followed the bigger ship's direction. Finding the direction was not a major problem. They know where they are heading. Half way through the journey they saw the destination, Hainan Island from afar, and that gave them greater motivation to peddle forward.
The biggest difficulty was that they had to keep peddling and could not afford rest, because if they did the waves will take them in a different direction away from their destination. It would make it harder to reach their destination and they had to re-navigate.
Eventually, after six hours, they made it to Hainan, safe and sound.
They live to tell the inspirational story. Their takeaway for the world from this 'expedition' is that Waves in the ocean are like societal norms. You got to stick to your lane!
Had they not stuck to the path to their destination, they would be thrown left, right and center by the waves. They liken it to the disturbance from the societal norms that always present the challenge to our personal goals and wishes. Taking the path less travelled is always hard, but one definitely always can stay truer to oneself with that. Instead of following others' path.
Actually that is one that makes a nice simile for spiritual practice in general.
The same goes with the Buddhist path of recitation of Buddha name, which you can find more explanation here.
Here are some consolidation of points that can be made with reference to the expedition and the Amitahba name recitation practice.
The destination, the other shore, is like Amitabha's Pureland. One where can find safety and all things wholesome.
The use of navigational tools on one's smart phone is like seeking for direction as a novice seeker. Plenty of personal effort in search of the path to the destination.
Seeing the destination is like a revelation that the Amitabha's Pureland exist. This gives the seeker a direction from afar.
Staying the course is important if one wants to get there. Staying the course with Amitahba name recitation, rather than using other approaches, is staying the course.
The bigger ship is like the effortless Amithaba's vow which will take one across the shore. If one is on the ship, one can just simply be carried over without much effort.
Now, suppose the actual distance between the two shores is million times more (and they are running out of food), and it is clear that personal effort is not going to be useful for bringing one across, what can the seeker do?
Suppose a ship is nearby, but at a distance.
What can the seeker do?
The seeker can use the limited energy they have to navigate and peddle near the ship. And then ask for help, so that the ship can take them onboard to take them across.
They just need to shout for help.
As the ship has an obligation to save distress individuals in waters, they would take them in.
Recitation of A-MI-TUO-FO is like shouting for help now that you finally found it. Once you commit to the practice, stick to the lane, stay the course and keep reciting the Buddha's name... you will be taken to the other shore on the ship.
May you be well.
And no, even the duo who peddled across said its a bad idea to do so. Best to take the ship.