One day, before he began his meditation, the Great Master placed a bowl before his mat and poured into it a measure of salt and ground pepper. Knowing that the Great Master did nothing without purpose, his disciples wondered aloud what hidden meaning the condiments might possess.
�Perhaps the Great Master seeks to tell us of man�s nature,� suggested the first. �The bowl is the soul, and the spices within are the good and evil, inseparable and intertwined.�
�Nay,� said the second. �The bowl is the world, and each grain of salt a person, each fleck of pepper an aspect of existence�each with it�s own character. Unique, yet among many.�
�You are both wrong,� insisted the third. �The bowl is the path we follow�every imperfection, every fleck of pepper must be removed before the purity of the salt may be made plain.�
They argued amongst themselves for a time, coming to no agreement. Finally, they turned to the Great Master, meditating before the bowl. �What does it mean, Master?� they asked as one.
The Great Master opened his eyes. �It means,� he said irritably, �that the rice was fucking bland last night.�
Enlightenment
One morning the Great Master said to his disciples, �Knowing the ways of one�s self is the first step on the path to enlightenment.�
His disciples pondered this long into the night. When morning came, they returned to the Great Master with their questions.
�Master,� asked the first, �Must one also learn the ways of one�s family to follow the path of enlightenment?�
To which the Master replied, �Yes, my pupil; for in knowing thus, the man becomes as the lizard, warming himself in the warmth and glory of family. Such is the second step along The Path to enlightenment.� Satisfied, the first disciple bowed and turned away.
�Master,� asked the second, encouraged by his peer�s success, �if a man knows the ways of self, and the ways of his family, can he not also proceed along The Path by knowing the ways of his friends and allies?�
To which the Master replied, �Indeed, second of my pupils, for such a man is as the noble Mallard, sailing in regal splendor upon the boundary between the interests of the self and family, and the interests of others. Such is the third step upon The Path to enlightenment.� Also satisfied, the second disciple bowed and turned away.
The third disciple had pondered longest and hardest of all. Eagerly, he pressed forward. �Master, if a man knows the ways of self, the ways of family, and the ways of allies, can he not also proceed along The Path by knowing the ways of his enemies?�
�No,� said the Great Master.
�No?� repeated the third disciple, startled. �Why not?�
�Well,� the Great Master snapped, �if you had a strange duck asking probing questions about your philosophy, wouldn�t you eat it?�
