The riverbanks are obstructions, but they are necessary for keeping the river on track and flowing

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Saturday, May 25, 2013:

 

The Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore compares the function of evil to the banks of a river. The riverbanks are obstructions, but they are necessary for keeping the river on track and flowing steadily forward. Without banks, the river would overflow, causing destruction instead of creating value.