Doken was told to go on a long journey to another
monastery. He was much upset, because he felt that this trip would
interrupt his studies for many months. So he said to his friend,
the advanced student Sogen:

"Please ask permission to come with me on the trip. There are so
many things I do not know; but if you come along we can discuss
them - in this way I can learn as we travel."

"All right," said Sogen. "But let me ask you a question: If you
are hungry, what satisfaction to you if I eat rice? If your feet
are lame, what comfort to you if I go on merrily? If your bladder
is full, what relief to you if I piss?"

I like the way this koan reminds me that spiritual pursuits have much more to do with direct experience than with the accumulation of knowledge. Wonder why I have trouble remembering this?

I get the point, but it's not a very good example. If BOTH pairs of feet are lame, then seeing one's friend go on merrily would make a great role-model for me. Happens all the time. Role-models are very important to me. Most important is certainly when you have your own insights and not just think, "Oh, I would like to do that, too," but the greatest role-model for me is one who can help others find the path themselves. "Give someone a potato, and they'll eat for a day... teach someone to grow crops, and they'll eat for a year!"