ZEN STORY FROM A TAOIST

Raymond Smullyan, Taoist philosopher, author, educator, mathematician, concert pianist, logician, and magician, offers this delightful Zen story:

This is the story of a man who was standing on top of a hill. Some people below were wondering why he was standing there. One of them suggested that he was looking for his dog. Another suggested that he was looking for a friend. Another suggested that maybe he was standing there just to enjoy the fresh air.

Well, they went up to him and one of them asked him whether he was looking for his dog. He replied that he wasn't. Another asked him whether he was looking for a friend. He replied, “No.” Another said, “Then I guess you are standing there just to enjoy the fresh air.” He replied, “No.” Finally, he was asked, “Then why are you standing there?” He replied, “I'm just standing here.”