set koans

by eidolon, 2017-12-19

I

​ One day, the Master passed by the Student while he was playing Set. The Student said: "Master, I have been staring at this table for two hours, and I have not seen a set."

The Master asked, "What do you see?"

"I see no set," replied the Student.

The Master said: "Then close your eyes!"

At that moment, the Student found a set.

II

The Master and the Student were playing Set on a table in the garden. They sat in silence for several minutes, then the Master spoke. "There is a set here," he said.

"Where is it?" asked the Student.

The Master answered, "It is right there on the table".

"Then why can't I see it?" asked the Student.

"Because you are thinking of yourself," said the Master.

The student said: "Can you yourself see the set?"

"Why do you talk of 'you' and 'I'?" said the Master.

"Without 'you' or 'I', who can see the set?"

"Without 'you' or 'I', who needs to see the set?"

III

A Student came to the Master one day and said, "Please teach me to find sets like you do."

So the Master brought the Student to his own table, on which was laid out twelve cards. He told the Student, "Do what I do, and you will find the sets I find."

The Student sat in silence, observing the Master. When the Master looked at a card, he looked at that card. When the Master touched a card, he touched the card. But still the Student didn't see a set.

After half an hour, the tea gong sounded, and the yerba mate was brought, in a teapot on a little tray with a tea-strainer and two cups. At length the Master took the tea-strainer, and poured the tea into his cup. Then the Student took the tea-strainer, and poured tea into his own cup. The Master took a sip of tea. The Student also took a sip of tea.

"There is no set," said the Student.