May I be a guard for those who are protectorless, a guide for those who journey on the road. For those who wish to go across the water, may I be a boat, a raft, a bridge. May I be an isle for those who yearn for landfall, and a lamp for those who long for light; for those who need a resting place, a bed; for all who need a servant, may I be their slave. 

-- Shantideva