To: alt.zen From: Juanita GilaMonster Subj: Bike Koan (9407.bikkoan.jg) Date: 499407xx A master approached a young student who was in the process of locking his bicycle to the temple gate. "Why are you locking your bicycle to the temple gate?" asked the master. "Because I don't want it to get stolen," replied the student. "Who is it that you do not trust? Is it I?" asked the master. "Surely not," replied the student. "Is it Yona, over there?" asked the master, pointing to another student on the other side of the temple. "Surely not Yona," replied the student. "I do not know who it is that I do not trust." "In that case," concluded the master, "there is no reason in locking up your bicycle." The student followed the master's advice, and left his bicycle unlocked. At the end of the day, when he returned to the temple gate, he discovered that it had been stolen. "Master!" he cried, and the master came to his call. "Master! I did as you advised, leaving the bicycle unlocked, because I did not know who it was that I do not trust, and look now. It has been stolen!" "Ah," replied the master. "Then it is your own judgement that you did not trust. Your mind is changed too easily, son." And the student was enlightened. -- | M.C. Jost, Future Skeleton | mandaj@titan.ucs.umass.edu | | Department of Unspeakable Acts | | | UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS | "You mean... you mean this is IT???" | | Amherst, MA (413) 253-5339 | "Yep." |