Mondo

A Zen monk who had lived in a monastery high on Mt. Meru decided to come down from the mountain and experience what the world was like.
“Enough is enough,” he said, “I will go down the mountain today.” And down he went.
As he was going down the mountain he met a young lady selling flowers. “Would you like to buy some pretty flowers, Honorable Sir?” she asked.
“Thank you, young lady, but I am but a poor monk and have no money for such luxuries.”
“They’re only flowers, Sir, and hardly a luxury. Besides, they will make you feel good,” the young girl insisted.
“No thanks,” the Zen monk said and on he went. Soon he came upon another monk who was going up the mountain.
The two greeted each other and the monk going up the mountain asked the other, “Say, you didn’t happen to see a young girl selling flowers, did you?”
“Why, yes I did about half way up the mountain,” the down-monk replied.
“Did you buy any of her flowers?”
“No, I am only a poor monk and have no money.”
“Those flowers guarantee enlightenment to anyone who holds them.”
“I have no need for flowers, nor holding, nor enlightenment,” The monk said and went on his way.
About a fourth of the way down the mountain, the monk met a man selling shoes.
"Venerable Sir, would you care to buy a pair of my nice shoes?” the man asked.
“No thank you sir, I have no need for shoes and anyway, I am but a poor monk and have no money,” and the monk proceeded down the mountain. A little way further, he met a fellow monk going up the mountain.
“Say, did you happen to see a man selling shoes?” the monk asked.
“Why, yes I did about a fourth of the way up the mountain,” the monk answered.
“And did you happen to buy a pair of his fine shoes?” the monk questioned.
“No, I am only a poor monk and have no money, and besides, I have no need of shoes.”
“Too bad,” the other monk said, shaking his head, “Those shoes guaranteed the path to Nirvana.”
“I have no need for shoes, nor path, nor Nirvana,” said the monk and he continued on down the mountain toward town.
When the monk came to the edge of town, he ducked behind a big rock and pulled out a satchel. Acting quickly, he changed from his monks clothes into the clothes of a well-off traveler. He had a new suit of clothes, new shoes, and a bouquet of fresh flowers. He made straightaway for the first tavern he could find. There, he gave the bouquet of flowers to the proprietress and engaged in several days of drinking wine, carousing with women, and won a small fortune in gambling at dice. Then, when he had had enough, he left out the back door and headed out of town. When he got to the big rock, he changed back into his monk’s habit and headed up the mountain to the monastery. When he got to the gates of the monastery, he was greeted by all of the monks who resided there.
“Master,” they called out, “We are very glad to see you have returned safely from town. What did you find there?”
The old monk walked past them with head bowed down. “Nirvana,” he said.