Thursday, May 19, 2011

the koan

"The koan* is like a pebble in the mouth of a man
who walks in the desert.
It does not quench existing thirst,
but it stimulates the means of quenching it.
-C. Humphreys, Buddhism

*koan - n. A puzzling, often paradoxical statement,story, or parable,
used in Zen Buddhism as an aid to meditation and
as a means of gaining spiritual awakening.

I know the photo distracts from the beauty of the quote - but really,
how often do you see a man walking with a cheetah in the desert?
That's a koan worth pondering!

Taking a stroll: A Nomadic tribesman walks side by side
in the company of a cheetah that he has helped to tame.
More cool photos of the man with the cheetah from here

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