Three Zen koans

A Zen master was painting a portrait of the Buddha, when a student approached and asked ‘is that the Buddha?’. The master gave him a stiff blow, then returned to his palette.

A Zen master was giving a stiff blow to a student, when the student asked for mercy. The Zen master agreed to give the student mercy, but only after giving him another stiff blow.

A student was convalescing in hospital when a Zen master popped by and asked how he was. ‘Look what you did to me, you maniac!’ the student said. The Master replied that inner peace could not be achieved in such a state of consciousness, so he pulled the plug.

Time to kill. again

again.

The wheeling of the world is the real merciless one. Could it just give us a break for a moment or two? So I'm pushed forward, like everyone else.

My secret pleasure? Disappointment. Each time I’m disappointed , I experience full body rapture. It’s a most peculiar condition, although not without precedent, I’m told. You know who told me? ‘Cause I sure don’t. I don’t give a hoot.

Time again to kill. To kill time, to kill sime – Sime Nugent. Was that why God put me upon this earth? Only God knows the answer to that question and only he knows on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But I suspect not. After all, who among us can coherently define, nay, yea, believe in purpose?

Come to me. I desire to be come to.