A Buddhist pilgrim goes on a pilgrimage to a sacred mountain. Walking alone along a remote trail, suddenly he is confronted by a giant ferocious-looking tiger. Seeing there is nowhere to hide, and no trees nearby which he can climb, the fearful pilgrim drops to his knees: "Oh the merciful Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, save me from the jaws of that fierce beast!" As the pilgrim begins to wail and cry for deliverance, he is astonished when the tiger spoke to him in a human voice: "Fear not, pilgrim, for although I am a tiger, I am also a student of Buddha and follow faithfully his Dharma..."

Overjoyed, and wishing to ingratiate himself with the tiger, the pilgrim interrupted: "I too, am a faithful follower of Buddha. I have never departed from his teachings, and never in my entire life have I tasted flesh."

"I'm sorry, but I shall have to eat you then." The tiger replied apologetically. "You see, I keep a strictly vegetarian diet..."

Labels: jokes