Kindness Stings

A Zen Koan

Two monks were washing their bowls in the river when they noticed a scorpion that was drowning.

One monk immediately scooped it up and set it upon the bank.

In the process he was stung.

He went back to washing his bowl, and again the scorpion fell in.

The monk saved the scorpion and was again stung. The other monk asked him, — "Friend, why do you continue to save the scorpion when you know its nature is to sting?"

"Because," — the monk replied — "to save it is my nature."