There is no forward - Samyutta Nikaya 1.1

When the Buddha Gotama was staying in Jeta's Grove at Anathapindika's monastery, a devata, in the latest watch of the night, approached Gotama. Her radiance lit up the entirety of the grove. Upon arriving before him, she bowed down to him, and politely stood to his side. "Tell me, dear Sir, how you crossed the flood?"

Gotama said, "I crossed the flood without pushing forward, and without staying in place."

"But how is that possible?" asked the devata.

"When I pushed forward, I was whirled about. When I stayed in place, I sank. And so I crossed over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place."

The devada exclaimed, "now at last I see - a brahman, totally free, knowing no forward, no backward, no staying in place, may cross over the world, with all its floods and entanglements! For one who understands, there is no pushing forward, no staying in place; for one who does not understand, and pushes forward, or stays in place, they sink!" Gotama smiled in approval. She understood this approval, and bowing again to him, circumambulated him (keeping him to her right), and vanished right there.