22-3-2011 Zen stories - Scorpions 毒蝎

I found this article somewhere in my files. This is about 5years old.
Haha! I like it very much then & still do. Enjoy!!!

Realisation: The Nature to Sting Vs the Nature to Save

One who greatly helps another despite being greatly harmed is a great fool or a great Bodhisattva. - stonepeace

Here is a wonderful Zen story to share... Two monks were washing their bowls by a river, when they spotted a scorpion about to drown. Without hesitation, one scooped it up with his hand and laid it on the land, getting stung while doing so. When he resumed washing his bowl, the scorpion fell in again. The same monk again saved the scorpion, and was again stung.
The other monk asked in great surprise, "Why continue saving it when its nature is to sting?" The first monk replied, "Because it's my nature to save." Whenever this story is told, listeners are usually either touched by the first monk's relentless and unconditional compassion, or baffled by his "unrepentant stupidity". How does it affect you?

Is the first monk with great compassion but lacking in wisdom? Well, to prevent being bitten, he could have used his bowl to scoop the scorpion? And he could have placed the scorpion further away from the river? That would be utilising appropriate skilful means to "better save" the scorpion. When one means is proven faulty, another means should be used.
Is the second monk with some wisdom but lacking in compassion? Perhaps he was considering his safety too selfishly to think of risking a small selfless act?
Thus should compassion and wisdom go hand in hand on the Bodhisattva path of helping other beings. True wisdom is knowing how to be compassionate effectively, and true compassion is to be wise effectively. 悲智双运!


Though a suddenly 'provoked' scorpion might sting, it does not always sting, doing so only when it thinks it is being harmed instead of helped.
Thus, its nature to sting is actually impermanent, as the scorpion is "empty" of any fixed traits.
The scorpion also refers to the unthankful people we help.
Mindful that no one is permanently of the nature to 'sting', why not carry on helping?

It is undying compassion that cannot bear to see others in pain, that never gives up lending a hand, that eventually touches and transforms the ungrateful.

Even if it fails to, the joy from being kind is a reward!
When we practise compassion despite it often being a thankless "job", without expecting any gratitude, while even open to the possibility of being harmed, then surely, this is true compassion in action.

But remember to apply true wisdom too! - Shen Shi'an[Writer of this statement is well versed in Buddhist Philosophy and he is editor and author for many interesting and easy to digest articles on philosophy of life = Buddhist philosophy]

Amituofo
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TBS
Pure Karma Vihara