Zen Koan & Mystik – Cookies of Zen – No. 15 – Man Hanging Over A Poisonous Snake Pit by Only a Slender Vine

A man was walking in a vast field when suddenly a wild elephant came chasing after him. Feeling great danger, he fled. Shortly, he came upon a pit in the valley floor, over which hung a strong vine. Without thinking, he held the vine and swung into the deep pit, where poisonous snake darted about from four directions and a huge crocodile waited with open mouth. Above the pit appeared a small black and white mouse who began to gnaw on the vine. If the vine were severed, he would drop into the crocodile's mouth and die. There was no choice for him but to hold onto the vine in a last hope.

While looking up, he saw a beehive that dripped honey. It dripped into his mouth, and as he tasted it, he momentarily forgot the dangerous situation and fell into the ecstasy of the sweetness.

Behold

Venerable Master Yong-Song, while staying a Mangwol-Sa in Tobong Mountain, asked this Koan of the Good-and-Wise Ones, "While the man hung by the vine and tasted the honey, how could he possibly survive?" Master Go-Bong replied, "Ouch, ouch!" Master Jon-Kang replied, "Sweet, sweet!"

If one, however, fell into that situation of either truly painful or truly delectable, then how could he possibly raise the thought, and say, "It is really painful or really sweet?" Not at all. It is impossible. When one says, "Ouch!" or "Sweet!", he has already entered the crocodile's mouth.

Zen Master Hye-Am

If someone asked me, I would say, "While tasting the honey-drop, I would point out the crocodile's mouth with my finger," or I would comment, "The one who asked, lost his body ans extinguished his life."