A Zen Teacher saw five of his students return from the market, riding their bicycles. When they had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, “Why are you riding your bicycles?”
The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!” The teacher praised the student, saying, “You are a smart boy. When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over, as I do.”
The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path.” The teacher commended the student, “Your eyes are open and you see the world.”
The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant, nam myoho renge kyo.” The teacher gave praise to the third student, “Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel.”
The fourth student answered, “Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all beings.” The teacher was pleased and said, “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.”
The fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.” The teacher went and sat at the feet of the fifth student, and said, “I am your disciple.”
Source | Unknown
PONDER AND CONSIDER
And you, why do you ride your bicycle? Why do you do what you do?
WISDOM STORIES TO LIVE BY 
I have observed some things: that when I am truly, sincerely trying to change/better myself, it is a nearly impossible task; and that I can not change other people, either. I can’t do much to change events, either, and sometimes I wonder if I am really deciding to have chicken instead of pasta for dinner, or if it’s an ‘optical illusion’ that I seem to be making a choice and that it’s really energy moving through me that is doing this act of seeming free will. Overall everything, every person, seems to me at times to be an expression of the overall flow of energy, or God. That is why riding the bike to be riding the bike is the truest possible expression and experience of the occurence of bike-riding, imo.
LikeLike