271. how not to spread #zen

the guru had an idea to spread #zen: he would travel to another village and teach there. even if only a few people appreciated his message, he would still increase his following.

so he journeyed through the woods, across the plains, and over the mountains, and finally he arrived in a new village. this village had its own guru, and when the guru began to teach, this other guru accused him of being a sophist and had him drummed out of town.

when the guru returned home, the villagers said, “he is too good for us, so he travels to other places to teach,” and many of his students quit, feeling that the guru had gotten too big for his own philosophy.