Short story: The professor has an audience with a Zen master, and is dismissed before he could ask his questions

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The old Zen master, Donkski Verbosla, was known throughout the land. He had a reputation amongst Zen students, and with the everyday man too. His eruditeness, his elucidation, and his clear explanation, that reached into you, and lifted you up to higher consciousness levels in his presence was sought after by many people then. One day, a Professor of Philosophy, went to the town, where his monastery was located, on its outskirts somewhere, and he tried to find the Zen master, and his monastery. He was walking through a park, when he saw an old man, seated on a bench. He went over to him to ask him for directions to the monastery. The man told him that that Zen master was very busy, with his students, and with laypeople coming in unannounced. In order to bring about some order to his day, if someone from outside the monastery comes to request an audience with him, they now had to book a time to see him with the monastery secretary. I expect that you will have to do the same. The Professor, huffed, and coughed, clearing his throat. "I am sure that he will make an exception for such an important person as I am, a professor of Philosophy, at Oxford University, no less." The man gave him directions, and he went on his way. He soon reached the monastery, and sure enough, he had to go through the secretary, to make an appointment to see the great Zen master. He remonstrated with her, and he told her just who he was. "Why people pay to come to hear my own talks on these types of subject matters too," he said. Hearing the ruckus from his room, the old Zen master then came out to see what the fuss was all about. The Philosopher was surprised. It was the man from the park. The Zen master said to him, "You have already had your audience with me for today. Book one for tomorrow, and I will see you again, then." And he went back into his room. The professor booked his appointmentt, and he spent the night in a nearby hotel, and then he fronted up at his appointed time the next day to ask his questions to the old Zen master. The old Zen master saw him, but before he could speak, the old Zen master said to him: "Philosophy never lives inside of Zen in the real world, but is lost always outside of Zen in the imaginary world of your mind." "Learn to love life, and not just think about it, and all your questions will disappear summarily into that love, and you will therefore have no more questions at all." "Ok, that's it. Take what I told you seriously, and you might get yourself out of that hole that you are in now, and where all philosophy always throws you into." Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com The Professor was a dandy, overdressed, and pompous, in manor.