Buddha's Zen

Buddha said: "I consider the positions of kings and rulers as
that of dust motes. I observe treasures of gold and gems as
so many bricks and pebbles. I look upon the finest silken robes
as tattered rags. I see myriad worlds of the universe as small
seeds of fruit, and the greatest lake in India as a drop of oil on
my foot. I perceive the teachings of the world to be the illusion
of magicians. I discern the highest conception of emancipation
as a golden brocade in a dream, and view the holy path of the
illuminated ones as flowers appearing in one's eyes. I see
meditation as a pillar of a mountain, Nirvana as a nightmare of
daytime. I look upon the judgment of right and wrong as the
serpentine dance of a dragon, and the rise and fall of beliefs as
but traces left by the four seasons."

Pg. 151
__________________

The Gateless Gate

If a reader is brave enough and goes straight forward in his
meditation, no delusions can disturb him. He will become
enlightened just as did the patriarchs in India and in China,
probably even better. But if he hesitates one moment, he is
as a person watching from a small window for a horseman to
pass by, and in a wink he has missed seeing.

The great path has no gates,
Thousands of roads enter it.
When one passes through this
gateless gate
He walks freely between heaven
and earth.

Pg. 162
__________________

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones (http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/ISBN/1-57062-063-6.cfm/xid,2059113/yid,46921367/userId,9A2A3547-C420-40EE-AF57D589342F52AE)

Thought there were actually going to be a 101 stories in this post. :bugeye:

Interesting translation, though, in the last part, that it says in a wink you have missed seeing, cos I thought winking was only with one eye? :p

But yes, wise words. :)

If you wink with both eyes at the same
time does it then become a blink? ;)

I think that last part is refering to
this koan from The Gateless Gate:

Dried Dung

A monk asked Ummon: "What is Buddha?"
Ummon answered him: "Dried dung."

Mumon's Comment: It seems to me Ummon
is so poor he cannot distinguish the taste of one
food from another, or else he is too busy to write
readable letters. Well, he tried to hold his school
with dried dung. And his teaching was just as
useless.

Lightning flashes,
Sparks shower.
In one blink of your eyes
You have missed seeing.

I have that book too. I've carried around Zen Flesh, Zen Bones so much that it started to fall apart.

-Xenu

I am on my second copy of Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.
The Dhammapada is another one that has seen a
better days.

we came we fell we acscended

Traveling this high
mountain trail, delighted
by violets
-Basho

The Stone Mind

Hogen, a Chinese Zen teacher, lived alone in a small temple in
the country. One day four traveling monks appeared and asked
if they might make a fire in his yard to warm themselves.
While they were building the fire, Hogen heard them arguing
about subjectivity and objectivity. He joined them and said:
"There is a big stone. Do you consider it to be inside or outside
your mind?"
One of the monks replied: "From the Buddhist viewpoint
everything is an objectification of mind, so I would say that the
stone is inside my mind."
"Your head must feel very heavy," observed Hogen, "if you are
carrying around a stone like that in your mind."

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Killing

Gasan instructed his adherents one day: "Those who speak
against killing and who desire to spare the lives of all conscious
beings are right. It is good to protect even animals and insects.
But what about those persons who kill time, what about those
who are destroying wealth, and those who destroy political
economy? We should not overlook them. Furthermore, what of
the one who preaches without enlightenment? He is killing
Buddhism."

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

A farmer got so old that he couldn't work the fields anymore. So
he would spend the day just sitting on the porch. His son, still
working the farm, would look up from time to time and see his
father sitting there. "He's of no use any more," the son thought
to himself, "he doesn't do anything!" One day the son got so
frustrated by this, that he built a wood coffin, dragged it over to
the porch, and told his father to get in. Without saying anything,
the father climbed inside. After closing the lid, the son dragged
the coffin to the edge of the farm where there was a high cliff. As
he approached the drop, he heard a light tapping on the lid from
inside the coffin. He opened it up. Still lying there peacefully, the
father looked up at his son. "I know you are going to throw me
over the cliff, but before you do, may I suggest something?"
"What is it?" replied the son. "Throw me over the cliff, if you like,"
said the father, "but save this good wood coffin. Your children
might need to use it."

Source:
Zen Stories To Tell Your Neighbors (http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/zenstory/zenstory.html)

There was once a holy man who lived in a state of ecstasy, but was regarded by everyone as insane. One day, having begged for food in the village, he sat by the roadside and began to eat when a dog came up and looked at him hungrily. The holy man then began to feed the dog; he himself would take a morsel, then give a morsel to the dog as though he and the dog were old friends. Soon a crowd gathered around the two of them to watch this extraordinary sight.

One of the men in the crowd jeered at the holy man. He said to the others, "What can you expect from someone so crazy that he is not able to distinguish between a human being and a dog?"

The holy man replied, "Why do you laugh? Do you not see Vishnu seated with Vishnu? Vishnu is being fed and Vishnu is doing the feeding. So why do you laugh, oh Vishnu?"

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, when two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep it was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. She fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as she could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at her to stop the pain and just die. She began jumping even harder and finally made it out. When she got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that she was deaf -- she thought they were encouraging her to jump out of the hole the entire time.

The warty frog and the prize goldfish met one summer afternoon in the temple pool.
"Don't you realize how beautiful I am?" bubbled the goldfish flashing her wispy tail.
The frog made no reply. "I can understand your silence," gloated the goldfish. "I am
not only graceful in my movements but I also enhance the golden rays of the sun."
Again, neither answer or movements from the frog. "Say something," demanded the
goldfish just as a waiting crane speared the sparkling fish and flew into the sky.
"Bye bye," croaked the frog.

Source: Zen Fables For Today

According to an ancient Indian fable, a mouse was in constant distress because of its fear of the cat. A magician took pity on it and turned it into a cat. But then it became afraid of the dog. So the magician turned it into a dog. Then it began to fear the panther. So the magician turned it into a panther. Whereupon it was full of fear for the hunter. At this point the magician gave up, and turned it into a mouse again saying, "Nothing I do for you is going to be of any help because you have the heart of a mouse."

In ancient India there was a King called Janaka, who was also a sage. One day Janaka was taking a nap on his flower-strewn bed with his servants fanning him and his soldiers standing guard outside his door. As he dozed off, he had a dream in which a neighboring King defeated him in battle, took him prisoner, and had him tortured. As soon as the torture began, Janaka woke with a start to find himself lying on his flower-strewn bed with his servants fanning him and his soldiers on guard.

Once again he dozed off and had the same dream. And once again he woke up to find himself safe and comfortable in his palace.

Now Janaka began to be disturbed by several thoughts: While he was asleep, the world of his dreams had seemed so real. Now that he was awake, the world of the senses seemed real. Which of these two worlds is the real one, he wanted to know.

None of the philosophers, scholars, and seers he consulted could give him an answer. And for many years he searched in vain, till one day a man called Ashtavakra knocked at the door of the palace. Now, Ashtavakra means "entirely deformed or crooked," and he got that name because that is exactly what his body had been from birth.

At first the King was not disposed to take this man seriously. "How can a misshapen man like you be the carrier of a wisdom denied to my seers and scholars?" he asked.

"Right from my childhood, all avenues have been closed to me -- so I avidly pursued the path of wisdom," was Ashtavakra's reply.

"Speak, then," said the King.

So this is what Ashtavakra said: "O King, neither the waking state nor the dream state is real. When you are awake, the world of dreams does not exist and when you dream the world of the senses does not exist. Therefore, neither is real."

"If both the waking and the dream states are unreal, then what is real?" asked the King.

"There is a state beyond these two. Discover that. It alone is real."

Not Far From Buddhahood

A university student while visiting Gasan asked him: "Have you
ever read the Christian Bible?" "No read it to me," said Gasan.
The student opened the Bible and read from St. Matthew: "And
why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field,
how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say
unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like
one of these. . . . Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for
the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself." Gasan
said: "Whoever uttered those words I consider an enlightened
man." The student continued reading: "Ask and it shall be given
you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto
you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh
findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." Gasan
remarked: "That is excellent. Whoever said that is not far from
Buddhahood."

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Socrates believed that the wise person would instinctively lead a frugal life. He himself would not even wear shoes; yet he constantly fell under the spell of the marketplace and would go there often to look at all the wares on display.

When one of his friends asked why, Socrates said, "I love to go there and discover how many things I am perfectly happy without."

There was a group of elderly gentlemen in Japan who would meet to exchange news and drink tea. One of their diversions was to search for costly varieties of tea and create new blends that would delight the palate.

When it was the turn of the oldest member of the group to entertain the others, he served tea with the greatest ceremony, measuring out the leaves from a golden container. Everyone had the highest praise for the tea and demanded to know by what particular combination he had arrived at this exquisite blend.

The old man smiled and said, "Gentlemen, the tea that you find so delightful is the one that is drunk by the peasants on my farm. The finest things in life are neither costly nor hard to find."

Nothing Exists

Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one
master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.

Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha,
and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of
phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion,
no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be
received."

Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he
whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth
quite angry.

"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger
come from?"

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Many centuries ago in Japan, an ex-warlord and his best friend were riding their horses down a dusty road when a light rain came, that quickly passed. Then they saw a beautiful rainbow appear in the sky, and eventually came to where one side of the colorful arc touched down on the ground. It was right beside the road, where a monk was sitting below a blossoming plum tree. The two pulled their horses to a halt, in order to ask the monk some questions about the local area, when they noticed that there were tears streaming down his face, and he was smiling.

The ex-warlord asked, "Why do you cry, friend?"

"Because you can finally see me," answered the monk.

Gettan used to say to his companions, "When you have a talking
mouth, you have no listening ears. When you have listening ears,
you have no talking mouth. Think about this carefully."

Source: Zen Antics

A computer genius was playing chess with a robot that
he had created to oppose him in his nightly chess game.
"I win again," said the inventor
"It's not fair," said the robot.
"What's not fair?"
"You always win!"
"Of course, I always win. That's why I created you."
"Isn't it a little presumptuous to play God?"
"Listen, my mechanical friend, I'm only doing to you what
life did to me."
"It's still not fair."
"Those are my sentiments exactly. Now let's play."

Source: Zen Fables For Today

The Most Valuable Thing in the World

Sozan, a Chinese Zen master, was asked by a student:
"What is the most valuable thing in the world?"
The master replied: "The head of a dead cat."
"Why is the head of a dead cat the most valuable thing
in the world?" inquired the student.
Sozan replied: "Because no one can name its price."

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Wise man say, "You don't realize how much your hair weighs until you shave it all off. You don't realize how much your fears weigh until you release them."

Notere Bisera was walking down the sidewalk in a business district when he encountered a little boy who was spinning around in circles and dancing very goofy and laughing. Notere smiled at him as he walked past, and the boy laughed with delight as he continued his dancing.

Later on down the same sidewalk, Notere came upon a middle-aged man who was spinning around in circles and dancing very goofy and laughing. Notere frowned at him, saying, "You look stupid and foolish doing that. You're not acting like you should." The dancer just continued dancing and laughing, and Notere walked on -- shaking his head and not understanding. And as he turned his back, he didn't see the other's reflection in the store window they were in front of -- it was of a little boy, spinning in circles and laughing.

While others strive for wealth, the enlightened, being content with what they have, possess it without striving. Being well content with little, they are rich as Kings. A King himself is a pauper when his kingdom does not suffice him.



A Quaker had this sign put up on a vacant piece of land next to his home: THIS LAND WILL BE GIVEN TO ANYONE WHO IS TRULY SATISFIED.

A wealthy farmer who was riding by stopped to read the sign and said to himself, "Since our friend the Quaker is so ready to part with this plot, I might as well claim it before someone else does. I am a rich man and have all I need, so I certainly qualify."

With that he went up to the door and explained what he was there for. "And are you truly satisfied?" the Quaker asked.

"I am indeed, for I have everything I need."

"Friend," said the Quaker, "if you are satisfied, what do you want the land for?"

The Buddhist nun called Ryonen was born in the year 1779. The famous Japanese warrior, Shingen, was her grandfather. She was considered one of the loveliest women in the whole of Japan and a poetess of no mean talent, so already at the age of seventeen she was chosen to serve at the royal court, where she developed a great fondness for Her Imperial Majesty the Empress. Now the Empress died a sudden death and Ryonen underwent a profound spiritual experience: she became acutely aware of the passing nature of all things. That was when she made up her mind to study Zen.

But her family wouldn't hear of it. They practically forced her into marriage but not before she had extracted from them and from her future husband the promise that after she had borne him three children she would be free to become a nun. This condition was fulfilled when she was twenty-five. Then neither the pleas of her husband nor anything else in the world could dissuade her from the task she had set her heart on. She shaved her head, took the name of Ryonen (which means "to understand clearly"), and set out on her quest.

She came to the city of Edo and asked the Master Tetsu-gyu to accept her as his disciple. He took one look at her and rejected her because she was too beautiful. So she went to another master, Hakuo. He rejected her for the same reason: her beauty, he said, would only be a source of trouble. So Ryonen branded her face with a red-hot iron, thereby destroying her physical beauty forever. When she came back into Hakuo's presence, he accepted her as a disciple.

Ryonen wrote a poem on the reverse side of a little mirror to commemorate the occasion:

As a handmaid of my Empress
I burnt incense
to give fragrance to my lovely clothes.
Now as a homeless beggar
I burn my face
to enter the world of Zen.


When she knew her time had come to depart this world, she wrote another poem:

Sixty-six times have these eyes beheld
the loveliness of Autumn...
Ask no more.
Only listen to the sound of the pines
when no wind stirs.

The great Buddhist saint Nagarjuna moved around naked except for a loincloth and, incongruously, a golden begging bowl gifted to him by the King, who was his disciple.

One night he was about to lie down to sleep among the ruins of an ancient monastery when he noticed a thief lurking behind one of the columns. "Here, take this," said Nagarjuna, holding out the begging bowl. "That way you won't disturb me once I have fallen asleep."

The thief eagerly grabbed the bowl and made off -- only to return next morning with the bowl and a request. He said, "When you gave away this bowl so freely last night, you made me feel very poor. Teach me how to acquire the riches that make this kind of light-hearted detachment possible."

Goso said: "When you meet a Zen master on the road you
cannot talk to him, you cannot face him with silence. What
are you going to do?"

Mumon's comment: In such a case, if you can answer him
intimately, your realization will be beautiful, but if you
cannot, you should look about without seeing anything.

Meeting a Zen master on the road,
Face him neither with words nor silence.
Give him an uppercut
And you will be called one who
understands Zen.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

"Oh boy! Oh boy!" cried the monk-on-probation who had just
cracked the Zen Master's favorite (and valuable) drinking cup.

The frightened youngster went to the Zen Master and asked,
"Why must there be death?"
The Master answered, "Death is natural. It comes to all persons
and things. We should not greet it with fear or meet death with
anger. Why do you ask?"
"Because, Master, death has come upon your cup."

Source: Zen Fables For Today

One spring the haiku poet Basho decided to take a trip to see the flowers in a
certain place famed for its scenery. Along the way he heard of a poor peasant
girl noted for devotion to her parents. Intrigued, Basho went looking for the girl.
When he found her, he gave her all the money he had brought for his travel
expenses. Then he returned home, without having seen the flowers. He said,
"This year I have seen something better than flowers."

Source: Zen Antics

One day Hasan of Basra saw Rabi'a al Adawiya near the riverside. Casting his prayer mat on the water, he stepped on to it and said, "O Rabi'a, come let us pray together."

Rabi'a said, "O Hasan, why have you set yourself up like a salesman in the bazaar of this world? You do this because of your weakness."

With that she threw her prayer mat into the air, flew up on it, and said, "Come up here, Hasan, so that people may see us."

But that was more than Hasan could accomplish, so he was silent. Rabi'a, wishing to gain his heart, said, "O Hasan, a fish can do what you did and a fly can do what I did. The real work lies beyond both of these; that is what we must occupy ourselves with."

Buddha was once threatened with death by a bandit called Angulimal.

"Then be good enough to fulfill my dying wish," said Buddha. "Cut off the branch of that tree."

One slash of the sword, and it was done! "What now?" asked the bandit.

"Put it back again," said Buddha.

The bandit laughed. "You must be crazy to think that anyone can do that."

"On the contrary, it is you who are crazy to think that you are mighty because you can wound and destroy. That is the task of children. The mighty know how to create and heal."

There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation extended far and wide throughout the land and many students gathered to study under him.

One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the village. He was determined to be the first man to defeat the great master. Along with his strength, he had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then would strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the first move.

Much against the advice of his concerned students, the old master gladly accepted the young warrior's challenge. As the two squared off for battle, the young warrior began to hurl insults at the old master. He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult known to mankind. But the old warrior merely stood there motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself. Knowing he was defeated, he left feeling shamed.

Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the insolent youth, the students gathered around the old master and questioned him. "How could you endure such an indignity? How did you drive him away?"

"If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it," the master replied, "to whom does the gift belong?"

Source: Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors (http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/zenstory/insults.html)

"Tattoo inside your eyelids this reminder: 'you are the messenger, not the message. You are just like everyone else.' "

This was the advice given by a charismatic Zen teacher to a class of Zen teachers-in-training.

"What do you mean?" they asked her.

"I'll begin with a story about a besieged town that was surrounded by enemies who would slaughter all the inhabitants if help didn't arrive. Just when things looked hopeless, a messenger slipped through enemy lines with the message that the army of the Shogun would attack in the morning and drive off the invaders.

"The townspeople were so enraptured with this news that they treated the messenger like a hero. And after the Shogun's army left, they elected the messenger mayor. Though a pleasant fellow, the messenger turned out to be a thoroughly inept leader and was soon sent away in disgrace.

"The lesson here is never confuse the message--which is the precious gift of Buddha--with the messenger. You are only a messenger.

"When you stun an audience with the wisdom of a lecture, when your students cede to you the molding of their minds, when you are treated as someone special, focus on the message inside your eyelids:

You are the messenger, not the message.
You are just like everyone else."

Source: Zen Fables For Today

A farmer whose corn always took the first prize at the state fair had a habit of sharing his best corn seed with all the farmers in the neighborhood.

When asked why, he said, "It is really a matter of self-interest. The wind picks up the pollen and carries it from field to field. So if my neighbors grow inferior corn, the cross-pollination brings down the quality of my own corn. That is why I am concerned that they plant only the very best."

Temper

A Zen student came to Bankei and complained: "Master, I have
an ungovernable temper. How can I cure it?"

"You have something very strange," replied Bankei. "Let me see
what you have."

"Just now I cannot show it to you," replied the other.

"When can you show it to me?" asked Bankei.

"It arises unexpectedly," replied the student.

"Then," concluded Bankei, "it must not be your own true nature.
If it were, you could show it to me at any time. When you were
born you did not have it, and your parents did not give it to you.
Think that over."

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

A philosopher asked Buddha: "Without words,
without the wordless, will you tell me truth?"

The Buddha kept silence.

The philosopher bowed and thanked the Buddha,
saying: "With your loving kindness I have cleared
away my delusions and entered the true path."

After the philosopher had gone, Ananda asked the
Buddha what he had attained.

The Buddha replied, "A good horse runs even at the
shadow of the whip."

Mumon's Comment: Ananda was the disciple of the
Buddha. Even so, his opinion did not surpass that of
outsiders. I want to ask you monks: How much
difference is there between disciples and outsiders?

To tread the sharp edge of a sword
To run on smooth-frozen ice,
One needs no footsteps to follow.
Walk over the cliffs with hands free.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Once upon a time the members of the body were very annoyed with the stomach. They were resentful that they had to procure food and bring it to the stomach while the stomach itself did nothing but devour the fruit of their labor.

So they decided they would no longer bring the stomach food. The hands would not lift it to the mouth. The teeth would not chew it. The throat would not swallow it. That would force the stomach to do something.

But all they succeeded in doing was make the body weak to the point that they were all threatened with death. So it was finally they who learned the lesson that in helping one another they were really working for their own welfare.

The master at the school for archery was known to be a master of life just as much as of archery.

One day his brightest pupil scored three bull's-eyes in a row at a local contest. Everyone went wild with applause. Congratulations poured in for pupil -- and master.

The master, however, seemed unimpressed -- almost critical even.

When the pupil later asked him why, he said, "You have yet to learn that the target is not the target."

"Then what *is* the target?" the pupil demanded to know.

But the master would not say. This was something the boy would have to learn on his own someday, for it could not be communicated in words.

Traveler: "What kind of weather are we going to have today?"

Shepherd: "The kind of weather I like."

Traveler: "How do you know it will be the kind of weather you like?"

Shepherd: "Having found out, sir, that I cannot always get what I like, I have learned to always like what I get. So I am quite sure we will have the kind of weather I like."

Two monks were washing their bowls in the river when they noticed a scorpion that was drowning.
One monk immediately scooped it up and set it upon the bank. In the process he was stung. He
went back to washing his bowl and again the scorpion fell in. The monk saved the scorpion and
was again stung. The other monk asked him, "Friend, why do you continue to save the scorpion
when you know it's nature is to sting?"

"Because," the monk replied, "to save it is my nature."

Source: Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors (http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/zenstory/onesnature.html)

When the spiritual teacher and his disciples began their evening meditation, the cat who lived in
the monastery made such noise that it distracted them. So the teacher ordered that the cat be
tied up during the evening practice. Years later, when the teacher died, the cat continued to be
tied up during the meditation session. And when the cat eventually died, another cat was brought
to the monastery and tied up. Centuries later, learned descendants of the spiritual teacher wrote
scholarly treatises about the religious significance of tying up a cat for meditation practice.

Source: Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors

A group of college students begged novelist Sinclair Lewis to give them a lecture, explaining that all of them were to become writers themselves.

Lewis began with: "How many of you really intend to be writers?" All hands were raised.

"In that case, there is no point in my talking. My advice to you is: go home and write, write, write..."

With that, he returned his notes to his pocket and left the room.

"Thank God we took a mule with us on the picnic because when one of the boys was injured we used the mule to carry him back."

"How did he get injured?"

"The mule kicked him."

One day a young Buddhist on his journey home, came to the banks of a wide river.
Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on
just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit
to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The
young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get
to the other side of this river?" The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and
down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side."

Source: A Lighter Side of Buddhism (http://www.serve.com/cmtan/buddhism/Lighter/index.html)

It is said that soon after his enlightenment the Buddha
passed a man on the road who was struck by the Bud-
dha's extraordinary radiance and peaceful presence.
The man stopped and asked, "My friend, what are you?
Are you a celestial being or a god?"
"No," said the Buddha.
"Well, then, are you some kind of magician or wizard?"
Again the Buddha answered, "No."
"Are you a man?"
"No."
"Well, my friend, what then are you?" The Buddha re-
plied, "I am awake."

Source: The Teachings of the Buddha by Jack Kornfield

When an accident deprived the village headman of the use of his legs, he took to walking on crutches. He gradually developed the ability to move with speed -- even to dance and execute little pirouettes for the entertainment of his neighbors.

Then he took it into his head to train his children in the use of crutches. It soon became a status symbol in the village to walk on crutches, and before long everyone was doing so.

By the fourth generation no one in the village could walk without crutches. The village school included "Crutchery -- Theoretical -- Applied" in its curriculum and the village craftsmen became famous for the quality of the crutches they produced. There was even talk of developing an electronic, battery-operated set of crutches!

One day a young Turk presented himself before the village elders and demanded to know why everyone had to walk on crutches since they had been provided with legs to walk on. The village elders were amused that this upstart should think himself wiser than they so they decided to teach him a lesson. "Why don't you show us how?" they said.

"Agreed!" replied the young man.

A demonstration was fixed for the following Sunday at the village square. Everyone was there when the young man hobbled on his crutches to the middle of the square, stood upright, and dropped his crutches. A hush fell on the crowd as he took a bold step forward -- and fell flat on his face.

With that everyone was confirmed in their belief that it was quite impossible to walk without the help of crutches.

One day God took the form of a human male, in order to walk through the world and see how His/Her children were faring. He soon came upon an old ascetic who had spent his entire adult life in severe bodily mortification and forceful mental disciplines.

The ascetic had gained a certain degree of clarity of his senses from his prolonged practice and realized that the man casually walking by his cave was fully established in awareness of the inner Divine Self. Painfully unwinding his body from his rigid posture, the ascetic bowed before God and said, "Great-Souled One! I perceive you are an illumined master. Pray tell me, honorable sir, how long it will take me before I realize my inner Divine Nature?"

God smiled warmly and laughingly replied, "You are doing well! At your present rate of progress, you will realize your inner Divine Self with just one more lifetime of similar effort."

The ascetic, terrified, in shock, cried, "Another lifetime of this horror?! How can I endure this boredom, this agony, this pain for another day, let alone another lifetime! How horrible! You have cursed me this day! Begone from this place, you imposter! Never would I believe such as you."

God smiled lovingly at him and walked on, soon coming upon an idiot splashing in the river, laughing and singing. This woman's primary activity every day was to cry out, "God! How I love God! God! I love God! God!" This foolish one never took the slightest care for her physical needs, never cared if she were fed, clothed, housed. She never noticed if she were clean or dirty, hot or cold, wet or dry. She might have been locked up in a padded cell in our modern age, but in those days, people saw that she was harmless and therefore tolerated her and occasionally gave her a crust of bread or some old, half-rotten fruits or vegetables to eat.

This idiot was attracted by the radiance of this handsome stranger, came up out of the water, bowed before him and said, "How wonderful! God has sent by a Great-Souled One. I have been enjoying myself so much of late I had nearly forgotten I have a goal. I began my quest to realize enlightenment long ago but of late have become distracted by this constant joy welling up inside. Seeing you just now reminded me of my journey and I was wondering if you could tell me how long it will be before I realize my inner Divine Nature?"

God smiled warmly and laughingly replied, "You are doing well! At your present rate of progress, you will realize your inner Divine Self with just seventy more lifetimes of similar effort."

"Seventy lifetimes of similar effort!" cried the idiot with perfect joy. "How wonderful! What a flawless boon you have today bestowed upon me!"

The idiot was so filled with joy at the prospect of another seventy lifetimes of such bliss that the last doubt fled from her mind; her last question melted into the joy that was her life; her ignorance was irrevocably crushed; she attained the highest state of enlightenment instantly.

A martial arts student approached his teacher with a question. "I'd like to improve my knowledge of the martial arts.
In addition to learning from you, I'd like to study with another teacher in order to learn another style. What do you
think of this idea?"

"The hunter who chases two rabbits," answered the master, "catches neither one."

Source: Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors

Once upon a time, twins were conceived. Weeks passed and the twins developed. As their awareness grew, they laughed for joy: "Isn't it great that we were conceived? Isn't it great to be alive?"

Together the twins explored their worlds. When they found their mother's cord that gave them life, they sang for joy!

"How great our mother's love is, that she shares her own life with us!"

As weeks stretched into months, the twins noticed how much each was changing.

"What does it mean?" one asked.

"It means our stay in this world is drawing to an end," said the other.

"But I don't want to go," said one. "I want to stay here always."

"We have no choice," said the other. "But maybe there is life after birth."

"But how can there be? We will shed our life cord and how can life be possible without it? Besides, we have seen evidence that others were here before us, and none of them has returned to tell us there is life after birth. No, this is the end. Maybe there is no mother after all."

"But there has to be," protested the other. "How else did we get here?"

"How do we remain alive? Have you ever seen our mother?" said one. "Maybe she only lives in our minds. Maybe we made her up because the idea made us feel good."

So the last days in the womb were filled with deep questioning and fear. Finally, the moment of birth arrived. When the twins had passed from their world, they opened their eyes and cried for joy -- for what they saw exceeded their fondest dreams.

A Zen monk named Ichhi labored his whole life in the kitchen of the great monastery at Lake Hakkone. He deemed himself a failed monk because he had been assigned the koan of "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" since his earliest days in the congregation and had never been able to solve it. It was now fifty-five years of seeming failure, and he was nearing the end of his lifetime.

But as he lay dying he suddenly realized that he cradled a great peace in his soul. Gone was the striving for enlightenment, gone was the stridency of his loins, and gone was the haunting koan -- for he had found the stillness of no longer striving in this exquisite silence alone in the attic in the soft dark at the end of his life.

It was only then, when there remained no more questions nor need for answers (or even the need for breathing) that Ichhi heard at last the whooshing silence of one hand clapping.

Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. By nightfall
on the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out. The first monk said,
"Oh, no! The candle is out." The second monk said, "Aren't we not suppose to talk?"
The third monk said, "Why must you two break the silence?" The fourth monk laughed
and said, "Ha! I'm the only one who didn't speak."

Source: Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors

Buddha told a parable in a sutra:

A man traveling across a field encountered a tiger. He fled, the
tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root
of a wild vine and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger
sniffed at him from above. Trembling, the man looked down to
where, far below, another tiger was waiting to eat him. Only the
vine sustained him.

Two mice, one white and one black, little by little started to gnaw
away the vine. The man saw a luscious strawberry near him.
Grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with
the other. How sweet it tasted!

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire...

One day, he told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife, enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he felt he needed to retire. They could get by, he thought. Upon hearing the news, the contractor was sorry to see his good worker go. He asked the carpenter if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work any longer. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you!"

What a shock! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If only we had realized, then we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely! Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

A martial artist knelt before his master sensei in a ceremony to receive the hard-earned Black Belt. After years of relentless training, the student has finally reached a pinnacle of achievement in the discipline.

"Before granting you the belt, you must pass one more test," the sensei solemnly tells the young man.

"I'm ready," responds the student, expecting perhaps one more round of sparring.

"You must answer the essential question, 'What is the true meaning of the Black Belt?'"

"Why, the end of my journey," says the student. "A well-deserved reward for all of my hard work."

The master waits for more. Clearly, he is not satisfied. The sensei finally speaks: "You are not ready for the Black Belt. Return in one year."

As the student kneels before his master a year later, he is again asked the question, "What is the true meaning of the Black Belt?"

"A symbol of distinction and the highest achievement in our art," the young man responds.

Again the master waits for more. Still unsatisfied, he says once more: "You are not ready for the Black Belt. Return in one year."

A year later the student kneels before his sensei and hears the question, "What is the true meaning of the Black Belt?"

This time he answers, "The Black Belt represents not the end, but the beginning, the start of a never-ending journey of discipline, work and the pursuit of an ever-higher standard."

"Yes," says the master. "You are now ready to receive the Black Belt and begin your work."

A great festival was to be held in a village and each villager was asked to contribute by pouring a bottle of wine into a giant barrel. One of the villagers had this thought: "If I pour a bottle of water in that giant barrel, no one will notice the difference." But it didn't occur to him that everyone else in the village might have the same thought. When the banquet began and the barrel was tapped, what came out was pure water.

Lykan,

I don't want to interupt the flow of the stories but I wanted
to tell you how much I enjoy the ones you post. Thank you
for all the interesting food for thought. :)

Lykwise, EvilPoet. :D Or would ZenPoet actually be more accurate? Thank you for the stories you share too.

Once upon a time there was a stonecutter. Each day he went up to the mountains to cut stones. And while he worked he sang, for though he was a poor man, he desired no more than he had, so he had not a care in the world.

One day he was called to work on the mansion of a nobleman. When he saw the magnificence of the mansion, he experienced the pain of desire for the first time in his life and he said with a sigh, "If only I were rich! Then I would not have to earn my living in sweat and toil as I do now."

Imagine his astonishment when he heard a voice say, "Your wish has been granted. Henceforth, anything you desire will be given to you." He did not know what to make of the words till he returned to his hut that evening and found in its place a mansion as magnificent as the one he had been working on. So the stonecutter gave up cutting stones and began to enjoy the life of the rich.

One day when the afternoon was hot and humid, he happened to look out his window and saw the King go by with a large retinue of noblemen and slaves. He thought, "How I wish I were a King myself, sitting in the cool of the royal carriage!" His wish was promptly carried out and he found himself reclining in the comfort of the royal carriage. But the carriage turned out to be warmer than he had assumed it to be. He looked out of the carriage window and began to marvel at the power of the sun, whose heat could penetrate even the thick walls of the carriage. "I wish I were the sun," he said to himself. Once again his wish was granted and he found himself sending out waves of light and heat into the universe.

All went well for a while. Then on a rainy day, he attempted to pierce through a thick bank of clouds and could not. So he got himself changed into a cloud and glorified in his power to keep the sun away -- till he turned into rain and found, to his annoyance, a mighty rock that blocked his path so he was obliged to flow around it.

"What?" he cried. "A mere rock more powerful than I? Well, then I wish to be a rock." So there he was standing tall upon a mountainside. He barely had time to rejoice in his fine figure, however, when he heard strange clipping sounds proceeding from his feet. He looked down and, to his dismay, found a tiny human being sitting there engaged in cutting chunks of stone from his feet.

"What?" he shouted. "A puny creature like that more powerful than an imposing rock like me? I want to be a man!" So he found he was once again a stonecutter going up into the mountain to cut stone, earning his living in sweat and toil but with a song in his heart because he was content to be what he was and to live by what he had.

Once a group of beggars afflicted with leprosy came to the assembly of Zen master Bankei, a great-hearted
teacher of the masses. Bankei admitted them to his company, and when he initiated them, he even washed
and shaved their heads with his own hands.

Now as it happened, there was a certain gentleman present, the representative of a baron who had faith in
Bankei and had already built a temple in his province where the teacher could train disciples and lecture to
the people.

Revolted by the sight of the Zen master shaving the heads of untouchables, the gentleman hurriedly brought
a basin of water for Bankei to wash his hands. But the master refused, remarking, "Your disgust is filthier than
their sores."

Source: Zen Antics

Mind studies was a lay self-improvement movement influenced by Zen. One day a follower of Mind studies came to Zen master Shosan to ask about the essentials of Buddhism. The Zen master said, "Buddhism is not a matter of using your discursive intellect to govern your body. It is a matter of using the moment of the immediate present purely, not wasting it, without thinking about past or future. "This is why the ancients exhorted people first of all to be careful of time: this means guarding the mind strictly, sweeping away all things, whether good or bad, and detaching from the ego.

"Furthermore," Zen master continued, "for the reformation of mind it is good to observe the principle of cause and effect. For example, even if others hate us, we should not resent them; we should criticize ourselves, thinking why people should hate us for no reason, assuming that there must be a causal factor in us, and even that there must be other as yet unknown casual factors in us.

"Maintaining that all things are effects of causes, we should not make judgments based on subjective ideas. On the whole, things do not happen in accord with subjective ideas; they happen in accord with the laws of Nature. If you maintain awareness of this, your mind will become very clear."

Source: Zen Antics

An old man says he complained only once in all his life -- when his feet were bare and he had no money to buy shoes.

Then he saw a happy man who had no feet. And he never complained again.

Settan once wrote a set of guidlines for Zen monasteries:

"An ancient said that Zen study requires three essentials. One is a great root of faith. The second is a great
feeling of wonder. The third is great determination. If one of these is lacking, you are like a tripod missing a
leg. "Here I have no special stipulations. I only require that you clearly recognize that everyone has an essential
nature that can be perceived, and that there is an essential truth that everyone can penetrate; only then will
your determination continue. And there are sayings at which to wonder. If people go off half aware and half
awakened, they cannot really succed in Zen. It is imperative to be careful and thoroughgoing."

Source: Zen Antics

A wise Zen frog was explaining to the younger frogs the balance of nature:
"Do you see how that fly eats a gnat? And now (with a bite) I eat the fly. It
is all part of the great scheme of things."
"Isn't it bad to kill in order to live?" asked the thoughtful frog.
"It depends . . ." answered the wise frog just as a snake swallowed the Zen
frog in one chomp before the frog finished his sentence.
"Depends on what?" shouted the students.
"Depends on whether you're looking at things from the inside or outside,"
came the muffled response from inside the snake.

Source: Zen Fables For Today

Raven took his perch on the Assembly Oak and addressed
a special meeting of the Tallspruce community, saying, "It's
time for me to be moving on."
Porcupine asked, "Where will you be going?"
Raven said, "Where cedar roots stand bare in the creek."
A hush fell over the circle. Grouse could be heard sniffling.
At last Porcupine asked, "Do you have any last words for us?"
Raven said, "Trust."

Source: Zen Master Raven

Tajima no Kami was fencing master to the Shogun.

One of the Shogun's bodyguards came to him one day asking to be trained in swordsmanship.

"I have watched you carefully," said Tajima no Kami, "and you seem to be a master in the art yourself. Before taking you on as a pupil, I request you to tell me what master you studied under."

The bodyguard replied, "I have never studied the art under anyone."

"You cannot fool me," said the teacher. "I have a discerning eye and it never fails."

"I do not mean to contradict your excellency," said the guard, "but I really do not know a thing about fencing."

The teacher engaged the man in swordplay for a few minutes then stopped and said, "Since you say you have never learned the art, I take your word for it. But you are some kind of master. Tell me about yourself."

"There is one thing," said the guard. "When I was a child I was told by a samurai that a man should never fear death. I therefore faced the question of death till it ceased to cause me the slightest anxiety."

"So that's what it is," said Tajima no Kami. "The ultimate secret of swordsmanship lies in being free from the fear of death. You need no training. You are a master in your own right."

A Zen master named Gettan lived in the latter part of the Tokugawa era. He used to say:
"There are three kinds of disciples: those who impart Zen to others, those who maintain
the temples and shrines, and then there are the rice bags and the clothes-hangers."

Gasan expressed the same idea. When he was studying under Tekisui, his teacher was very
severe. Sometimes he even beat him. Other pupils would not stand this kind of teaching and
quit. Gasan remained, saying: "A poor disciple utilizes a teacher's influence. A fair disciple
admires a teacher's kindness. A good disciple grows strong under a teacher's discipline."

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

One day Chuang Tzu and a friend were walking by a river. "Look
at the fish swimming about," said Chuang Tzu, "They are really
enjoying themselves."

"You are not a fish," replied the friend, "So you can't truly know
that they are enjoying themselves."

"You are not me," said Chuang Tzu. "So how do you know that I
do not know that the fish are enjoying themselves?"

Source: Zen Stories To Tell Your Neighbors

"I am going to pose a question," King Milinda
said to Venerable Nagasena. "Can you answer?"
Nagasena said, "Please ask your question."
The king said, "I have already asked."
Nagasena said, "I have already answered."
The king said, "What did you answer?"
Nagasena said, "What did you ask?"
The king said, "I asked nothing."
Nagasena said, "I answered nothing."

Source: The Little Zen Companion

My apologies for the interuption...

yes, talking and listening...

I forgot how bad I needed my Zen fix

Thanks

An Aesop Fable

An astronomer used to walk around outside every night to watch stars. One time,
as he was wandering on the outskirts of the city and gazing at the stars, he fell
into a well. After hollering and crying for help, someone ran up to the well, and after
listening to his story, remarked, "My good man, while you are trying to pry into the
mysteries of heaven, you overlook the common objects that are under your feet."

________________________

stray dog: You are welcome. :)

There was once a huge dragon in China who went from village to village killing cattle and dogs and chicken and people indiscriminately. So the villagers called upon a wizard to help them in their distress. The wizard said, "I cannot slay the dragon myself, for magician though I am, I am too afraid. But I shall find you the one who will."

With that he transformed himself into a dragon and took up position on a bridge so everyone who did not know it was the wizard was afraid to pass. One day, however, a traveler came up to the bridge, calmly climbed over the dragon, and walked on.

The wizard promptly took on human shape again and called to the person, "Come back, my friend -- I have been standing here for weeks waiting for you!"

It is impossible to make slaves of the enlightened, for they are just as happy in a state of slavery as in a state of freedom.


When the Greek philosopher Diogenes was captured and taken to be sold in the slave market, it is said that he mounted the auctioneer's platform and loudly said, "A master has come here to be sold. Is there some slave among you who is desirous of purchasing him?"

Daiju visited the master Baso in China.
Baso asked: "What do you seek?"
"Enlightenment," replied Daiju.
"You have your own treasure house.
Why do you search outside?" Baso asked.
Daiju inquired: "Where is my treasure
house?"
Baso answered: "What you are asking
is your treasure house."
Daiju was delighted! Ever after he
urged his friends: "Open your own trea-
sure house and use those treasures."

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Most people are so afraid to die that, from their efforts to avoid death, they never truly live.


A merchant in Baghdad sent his servant on an errand to the bazaar and the man came back white with fear and trembling. "Master," he said, "while I was in the marketplace, I walked into a stranger. When I looked him in the face, I found that it was Death. He made a threatening gesture at me and walked away. Now I am afraid. Please give me a horse so that I can ride at once to Samarra and put as great a distance as possible between Death and me."

The merchant -- in his anxiety for the man -- gave him his swiftest steed. The servant was on it and away in a trice.

Later in the day the merchant himself went down to the bazaar and saw Death loitering there in the crowd. So he went up to him and said, "You made a threatening gesture at my poor servant this morning. What did it mean?"

"That was no threatening gesture, sir," said Death. "It was a start of surprise at seeing him here in Baghdad."

"Why would he not be in Baghdad? This is where the man lives."

"Well, I had been given to understand that he would join me in Samarra tonight, you see..."

One day there was an earthquake that shook the entire Zen
temple. Parts of it even collapsed! Many of the monks were
terrified.

When the earthquake stopped the teacher said, "Now you have
had the opportunity to see how a Zen man behaves in a crisis
situation. You may have noticed that I did not panic. I was quite
aware of what was happening and what to do. I led you all to
the kitchen, the strongest part of the temple. It was a good
decision, because you see we have all survived without any
injuries. However, despite my self-control and composure, I did
feel a little bit tense-which you may have deduced from the fact
that I drank a large glass of water, something I never do under
ordinary circumstances."

One of the monks smiled, but didn't say anything.

"What are you laughing at? asked the teacher.

"That wasn't water," the monk replied, "it was a large glass of
soy sauce."

Source: Zen Stories To Tell Your Neighbors (http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/zenstory/selfcontrol.html)

Zen Man. Sounds like a super hero. Is it a bird? Is it a plain? No, it's Zen Man.

Thanks for all the stories Lykan and Evil Poet. :)

"Monks, I will teach you the parable of the raft---for getting across, not for retaining. It is like a man who going on a journey sees a great stretch of water, the near bank with dangers and fears, the farther bank secure and without fears, but there is neither a boat for crossing over, nor a bridge across. It occurs to him that to cross over from the perils of this bank to the security of the farther bank, he should fashion a raft out of sticks and branches and depending on the raft, cross over to safety. When he has done this it occurs to him that the raft has been very useful and he wonders
if he ought to take it with him on his head and shoulders. What do you think, monks? That the man is doing what should be done to the raft?"
"No, lord."
"What should that man do, monks? When he has crossed over to the beyond he must leave the raft and proceed on his journey. Monks, a man doing this would be doing what should be done to the raft. In this way I have taught you Dharma, like the parable of the raft, for getting across, not for retaining. You, monks, by understanding the parable of the raft, must not cling to right states of mind and, all the more, to wrong states of mind."

Source: Teachings of the Buddha by Jack Kornfield

A monk was driving in India when suddenly a dog crosses the road.
The car hit and killed the dog. The monk looked around and seeing
a temple, went to knock on the door. A monk opened the door. The
first monk said: "I'm terribly sorry, but my karma ran over your
dogma."

Source: Funny Short Stories on Buddhism (http://www.serve.com/cmtan/buddhism/Lighter/shortstories.html)

_________________________________
A4Ever: You are welcome. The Adventures of
Zen Man and his dog Mu would make a cool
comic/cartoon imo. ;)

The disciples asked the master to speak to them of death: "What will it be like?"

"It will be as if a veil is ripped apart and you will say in wonder, 'So it was You all along!'"

A famous teacher took his pupils into a clearing in the forest that was known as a home for wild monkeys.
There he took a hollow gourd with a small hole and inserted sweetened rice (a favorite of monkeys). Then
he chained the gourd to a stake and waited with his class. Soon a very large monkey approached, sniffed
the rice, inserted his paw, and screeched in frustration when he was unable to withdraw his paw (now a
fist) through the narrow opening.

Just then a leopard approached and hearing the monkey screeching decided to have monkey for his dinner.
"Let go of the rice. Run!" screamed the pupils, but to no avail because the monkey in his hunger for the rice,
refused to let go and was as a consequence caught and eaten by the leopard.

"What was the trap that killed the monkey?" asked the master. "Rice," said one student. "The ground," said
another. "No," replied the wise teacher. "The trap was greed."

Source: Zen Fables For Today

A lion was taken into captivity and thrown into a concentration camp where, to his amazement, he found other lions who had been there for years, some of them all their lives, for they had been born there. He soon became acquainted with the social activities of the camp lions. They banded themselves into groups. One group consisted of the socializers; another was into show business; another was cultural, for its purpose was to carefully preserve the customs, the tradition, and the history of the times when lions were free; other groups were religious -- they gathered mostly to sing moving songs about a future jungle where there would be no fences; some groups attracted those who were literary and artistic by nature; others still were revolutionary, and they met to plot against their captors or against other revolutionary groups. Every now and then a revolution would break out, one particular group would be wiped out by another, or the guards would all be killed and replaced by another set of guards.

As he looked around, the newcomer observed one lion who always seemed deep in thought, a loner who belonged to no group and mostly kept away from everyone. There was something strange about him that commanded everyone's admiration and everyone's hostility, for his presence aroused fear and self-doubt. He said to the newcomer, "Join no group. These poor fools are busy with everything except what is essential."

"And what do you think is most essential?" asked the newcomer.

"Studying the nature of the fence."

A man approached the Blessed One and wanted to have all his philosophical questions answered before he
would practice. In response, the Buddha said, "It is as if a man had been wounded by a poisoned arrow and
when attended to by a physician were to say, 'I will not allow you to remove this arrow until I have learned
the caste, the age, the occupation, the birthplace, and the motivation of the person who wounded me.' That
man would die before having learned all this. In exactly the same way, anyone who should say, 'I will not
follow the teaching of the Blessed One until the Blessed One has explained all the multiform truths of the
world'---that person would die before the Buddha had explained all this."

Source: The Teachings of the Buddha by Jack Kornfield

"If a person's mind becomes pure, their surroundings will also become pure." - Buddha


A great and foolish King complained that the rough ground hurt his feet, so he ordered the whole country to be carpeted with cowhide.

The court jester laughed when the King told him of his order. "What an absolutely crazy idea, Your Majesty," he smiled. "Why all the needless expense? Just cut out two small pads to protect your feet!"

Originally posted by Lykan
"If a person's mind becomes pure, their surroundings will also become pure." - Buddha


A great and foolish King complained that the rough ground hurt his feet, so he ordered the whole country to be carpeted with cowhide.

The court jester laughed when the King told him of his order. "What an absolutely crazy idea, Your Majesty," he smiled. "Why all the needless expense? Just cut out two small pads to protect your feet!"
I like this format the best - that way I can read the saying and dwell on it for a bit, before reading the explanatory story. Could you post others like this? :)

Originally posted by Firefly
I like this format the best - that way I can read the saying and dwell on it for a bit, before reading the explanatory story. Could you post others like this? :)

I like that format too, but i was the one who matched that quote and that story up with each other, and of the parables that i've collected here and there over the years, that's one of the few that i've done it for. Or rather, that's one of the few that i've had it occur to me that a quote and parable were compatible enough with each other to share together like that. So, you may not end up seeing it too often.

Once there was a monk who was an expert on the Diamond Sutra, and as books were very valuable in his day, he carried the only copy in his part of the world on his back. He was widely sought after for his readings and insight into the Diamond Sutra, and very successful at propounding its profundities to not only monks and masters but to the lay people as well.

Thus the people of that region came to know of the Diamond Sutra, and as the monk was traveling on a mountain road, he came upon an old woman selling tea and cakes. The hungry monk would have loved to refresh himself, but alas, he had no money. He told the old woman, "I have upon my back a treasure beyond knowing -- the Diamond Sutra. If you will give me some tea and cakes, I will tell you of this great treasure of knowledge."

The old woman knew something of the Diamond Sutra herself, and proposed her own bargain. She said, "Oh learned monk, if you will answer a simple question, I will give you tea and cakes." To this the monk readily agreed. The woman then said, "When you eat these cakes, are you eating with the mind of the past, the mind of the present or the mind of the future?"

No answer occurred to the monk, so he took the pack from his back and got out the text of the Diamond Sutra, hoping he could find the answer. As he studied and pondered, the day grew late and the old woman packed up her things to go home for the day.

"You are a foolish monk indeed," said the old woman as she left the hungry monk in his quandary. "You eat the tea and cakes with your mouth."

Source: A lighter side of Buddhism (http://www.serve.com/cmtan/buddhism/Lighter/index.html)

____________________________________________
Firefly: Regarding the format of the stories - although you
addressed your request to Lykan, I wanted to let you know
that I will keep your request in mind the next time I post
a story. :)

One day a man approached Ikkyu and asked: "Master, will please write for me some maxims of the highest wisdom?"

Ikkyu took his brush and wrote: "Attention."
"Is that all?" asked the man.
Ikkyu then wrote: "Attention, Attention."
"Well," said the man, "I really don't see much depth in what you have written."
The Ikkyu wrote the same word three times: "Attention, Attention, Attention."
Half-angered, the man demanded: "What does that word 'Attention' mean, anyway?"
Ikkyu gently responded, Attention means attention."

Source <u>The Little Zen Companion</u>

Dave the Druid

Originally posted by Lykan
i was the one who matched that quote and that story up with each other
Well done, I so have problems understanding those quotes. :confused: :)

Where do you get the quotes from?

Are you asking me or someone else?

Anyone who has really short cryptic quotes like "If a person's mind becomes pure, their surroundings will also become pure." - Buddha

Firefly,
I think any decent book store will have a number of Zen resources.
Consider the concepts of 'being' and 'nothingness' as being completely related and totaly seperate.
Dave the Druid

I was hoping for online links, I'm not that devoted to by a book... :o :)

if it's a web site you are after
http://www.classicaldressage.com/zen/zq/
Dave The Druid

Originally posted by Dave the Druid
if it's a web site you are after
http://www.classicaldressage.com/zen/zq/
Wow, thanks, cool site. :) Though I never understand the little saying, which is why I thought it so good when EvilPoet explained them with a story.

Hey, if I post one here every some time, would you be up to the challenge?

Two Zen debaters, reputedly the best in all of Japan, were to meet in verbal combat in Edo at the great celebration honoring the birth of Buddha. For this event scholars flocked from as far away as Hokkaido to marvel at the brilliance of these teachers.

During the competition, first one master would prevail on one day and on the next day the other master would counter, until by the end of the fourth day they were even.

Each of these masters traveled with retinues of supporters, who cheered their champions and pampered them like minor princes.

During the night of the fifth and final debate the two great adversaries parried and thrust at each other, to the delight and cheers of their separate retinues. As each master would score a telling point, he would puff himself up and walk in a circle to the applause of his supporters.

All of which was fine until a great explosion ripped through the hall, an explosion so great that all the lanterns and candles were blown out. When order and light were restored, it was discovered that both of the masters had exploded -- making a huge mess over the altar and ceiling and even those sitting in the front rows.

A gifted young painter of extraordinary talent had been apprenticed to a renowned painter, who when he recognized the boy's gifts became intensely jealous.

"No, that is not the way to do it!" he would shout. "You will do better painting houses than pictures."

Slowly the boy's confidence ebbed. No matter how hard he tried, the painter found fault and humiliated the boy in front of the other students.

One day the painting assignment was goldfish. The boy closed his eyes and called up a splendid fat fish from his uncle's pond. This he painted.

"No. No. No!" screamed the teacher and threw the boy's picture into the water, where to everyone's amazement the painted fish proceeded to swim away.

lol :)

See, I like these stories, but I just don't understand what they're trying to say. :(

Firefly,

I know you addressed this question to Dave the Druid but curiosity has gotten the better of me - what challenge are you referring to?

"See, I like these stories, but I just don't understand what they're trying to say."

"Zen stories - The Zen tradition has thousands of short, illustrative stories about how earlier masters gained insight. Many are in the form of dialogues, usually between a master and a student. They are like "cases" or "precedents" in the study of law or business. They are intended to point out the way, like a finger pointing out at the moon. Some of these stories are quite beautiful, while many others seem to involve pointless or incomprehensible behavior. In fact they can always be explained, and they always have a point. However, in explaining them, something vital is lost, just as when one explains a joke. In Rinzai, some of these stories are distilled into koans, and used as focal points for meditation."

Source: Learning Guide to Buddhism (http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/Guy_Newland/REL%20320/Learning%20Guide%20Folder/learning_guide.htm)

Well, I understand that the stories are pointing 'the way' or have a hidden message or something, but I don't understand what.

Like, for example, this:
A great and foolish King complained that the rough ground hurt his feet, so he ordered the whole country to be carpeted with cowhide.

The court jester laughed when the King told him of his order. "What an absolutely crazy idea, Your Majesty," he smiled. "Why all the needless expense? Just cut out two small pads to protect your feet!"

Is trying to say "If a person's mind becomes pure, their surroundings will also become pure." but unless someone makes the link, and tells me what the story is saying, then to me I just don't see the relevance or applicability (or even the philosophy) of the story.

Why should the king have the whole country carpeted
with cowhide when pads on the bottom of his feet will
do exactly the same thing?

One night, under the starry sky, the circle was quiet and members
seemed pensive. Badger broke the silence and said, "You know, I
can't visualize myself expiring completely."
Raven said, "A ghost."
Badger said, "Even ghosts are not impermanent, though, are they?"
Raven said, "Take care of your miseries now, and they won't abide."

Source: Zen Master Raven

During a great storm at sea a band of terrified pilgrims huddled in a circle around their Zen master as the vessel pitched and the bulkheads groaned.

"We shall all die," lamented one.

"I wish I had been better to my wife and children," moaned another.

"I had hoped to marry after the pilgrimage," said a young woman. "It is your fault, Master; you led us on this vessel and now we will perish with so many regrets and so many blighted futures."

"Look at this," said the patient master. He took two wooden triangles and placed them with just the tips barely touching.

"This bottom triangle is the past. Nothing can bring it back or change it. This top triangle is the future. It is equally futile to predict it. And, this tiny intersecting speck is the present, which changes with each beat of your heart."

"So..?" the pilgrims said.

"So it's useless to agonize over what is gone or pine for what might be. Live now in the only moment of the world available to you."

"What is that?"

"The present."

"How do we do that?"

"Let's eat," said the master.

Originally posted by Firefly
Well, I understand that the stories are pointing 'the way' or have a hidden message or something, but I don't understand what.


Your brain may not understand, but a deeper part of you does understand what is being said with each story. And this will end up benefiting you in one way or another anyway. It's like planting some magical seeds within your psyche -- eventually the seeds will sprout and thrive and grow fruit, though by the time it happens you may have forgotten about anything having been planted in that spot within you.

:m:

If consciously understanding what is being said is that important to you however, then i would suggest you spend 30 minutes sitting in a chair and pondering the story, and asking yourself what messages it might be conveying. It helps to kinda clear your mind as you do this though, instead of intellectualizing.

---

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meji era (1868 - 1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"

"Like this cup", Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

"Mother, what is water?" asked the baby fish of the mother fish.

"Water is what you swim in. Water is what you're mostly made of."

"But where is it?"

"All around you."

"But I can't see it," said the baby.

"Of course you can."

"Where?"

"Everywhere."

"And I'm made of water?"

"Mostly."

"And after I die..?"

"You go back to being water," said the mother.

Soyen Shaku, the first Zen teacher to come to America, said: "My heart burns like fire but my eyes are as cold as dead ashes." He made the following rules which he practiced every day of his life.

In the morning before dressing, light incense and meditate.

Retire at a regular hour. Partake of food at regular intervals. Eat with moderation and never to the point of satisfaction.

Receive a guest with the same attitude you have when alone. When alone, maintain the same attitude you have in receiving guests.

Watch what you say, and whatever you say, practice it.

When an opportunity comes do not let it pass you by, yet always think twice before acting.

Do not regret the past. Look to the future.

Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of a child.

Upon retiring, sleep as if you had entered your last sleep. Upon awakening, leave your bed behind you instantly as if you had cast away a pair of old shoes.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Tanzan and Ekido were once travelling together down a muddy
road. A heavy rain was still falling. Coming around a bend, they
met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the
intersection. "Come on, girl," said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in
his arms, he carried her over the mud.

Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a
lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. "We
monks don't do near females," he told Tanzan, "especially not
young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?"

"I left the girl there," said Tanzan. "Are you still carrying her?"

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

The master sculptor surveyed the different blocks of marble at the quarry. In his lifetime he had learned that there existed a "suchness" to every piece of stone. Finding that suchness and releasing it to its true life had been the secret of the sculptor's success.

"Ah-ha," he would say. "There is a heroic figure locked in that piece and a saint trapped inside that other one. But where will I find the stone from which I will sculpt my masterwork, a glorious statue of the Buddha?"

He had been searching for what he called the "Buddha block" for over forty years and now he felt his energies waning. He had traveled to the great quarries of the world: Italy where Michelangelo had mined his stone, Vermont where the stone glowed with light, and to obscure regions of the mountains of China. Nowhere could he find that one perfect slab from which he knew he could release the most perfect likeness of Buddha.

He consulted experts from around the world. He hired a specialist to scour obscure areas. No success. In search of consolation, he sought out a local Zen priest, who headed a small temple just at the end of his street. When he explained his fruitless search, the priest smiled and said, "No problem."

"Do you mean you can tell me where I might find the perfect material from which I can release the Buddha of my dreams??" said the excited sculptor.

"Of course."

"Where?"

"Over there," said the priest, pointing to a stone well in the courtyard.

The excited sculptor ran to the well and looked down. There he saw his own image looking back at him.

Originally posted by Lykan
i would suggest you spend 30 minutes sitting in a chair and pondering the story, and asking yourself what messages it might be conveying. It helps to kinda clear your mind as you do this though, instead of intellectualizing.
OK, thanks, I'll try. btw, what effect do these stories have on you? do you always understand the deeper moral? Do you have to think about it? Are you a buddhist?

Evilpoet,
Well put. I may be too far in my understanding of the Koans et,c. Thanks for your input as well. I think Firefly, the best path toward understanding the short quotes and storeys is to listen to as many voices as you can and glean whatever truth you see fit to grasp. With the path to enlightenment often the closer we are to it the farther we are. If you want me to be of assistance I will reply as often as I can but there are other excellent people to listen to.
Dave the Druid

After Bankei had passed away, a blind man who lived near the master's temple told a friend:
"Since I am blind, I cannot watch a person's face, so I must judge his character by the sound
of his voice. Ordinarily when I hear someone congratulate another upon his happiness or
success, I also hear a secret tone of envy. When condolence is expressed for the misfortune
of another, I hear pleasure and satisfaction, as if the one condoling was really glad there was
something left to gain in his own world.

"In all my experience, however, Bankei's voice was always sincere. Whenever he expressed
happiness, I heard nothing but happiness, and whenever he expressed sorrow, sorrow was all
I heard."

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Dave: Thanks. Got anymore stories? I liked the
one you added. :)

I was thinking about this earlier, would creating
an new thread for disscusion of the koans, etc.
be helpful? What do you guys think?

Originally posted by Firefly
OK, thanks, I'll try. btw, what effect do these stories have on you? do you always understand the deeper moral? Do you have to think about it? Are you a buddhist?

No, i'm not a Buddhist. I'm not really anything, in those terms. Somewhere in the middle. :D I am spiritual, though i'm not religious. (my own definition of those words is that religion is "organized spirituality," and almost always comes with dogma, rituals, and limiting beliefs of various sorts -- which i'm not interested in)

What effect do these stories have on me? They offer me another perspective of viewing things, that i often find insightful and apply to how i live my life as best i can. Sometimes the effect of a parable has been very powerful for me, and other times it hasn't been very apparent.

Do i always understand the deeper moral? To think that i did would be making a huge assumption, and i do my best not to make assumptions. I think that there is more than one way to view most parables -- kinda like how you can interpret dreams differently. But do i always have an insightful meaning occur to me with them? In retrospect, usually. And sometimes when i read the same parable again later on, something else will occur to me that i hadn't realized before.

Do i have to think about it? Sometimes a meaning has seemed obvious to me, and other times i've had to internally open myself more for one to occur.

If i was in your shoes, i think that i would print these parables out -- so that i could read them in later years and see what new insight and meaning i might find in them. ;) Oh, and i would suggest that you always question with an open mind any ready answers that people offer you on your path. Ask yourself if it feels right to you, deep down inside.

There is a mountain, far beyond the plains and hills, whose great summit overlooks the dark valley and the open seas.
Neither cloud nor deep mists ever hide its calm face. It is above the shadows of day and night.
From the vast plain, no man can behold it. Some have seen it but there be few that have reached its feet.
One in many thousand years gathers his strength and gains that abode of eternity.
I speak of that mountain top, serene, infinite, beyond thought.
I shout for joy!


One day, a man beheld through the opening of a cloud, the calm face of the mountain. He stopped every passer-by, that would stay to give an answer, and inquired of the way that would lead him beyond the mists. Some said take this path, and others said take that path. After many days of confusion and toil, he arrived among the hills.

A man, full in years, wise in the ways of the hills, said, "I know the way. You cannot reach the mountain, O friend, unless you are strengthened by the power that comes from the adoration of the image in yonder shrine."

Many days passed in peaceful worship.

Tired of worship, he asked of men that seemed great with understanding.

"Yea," said one, "I know the way. But if you would gain the fulfillment of your desire, carry this on you. It will uphold you in your weariness." He gave him the symbol of his struggle.

Another cried, "Yea, I know the way. But many days of contemplation must be passed in the seclusion of a sanctuary, with my picture of eternity."

"I know the way," said another, "But you must perform these rites, understand these hidden laws, you must enter the association of the elect and hold fast to the knowledge that we shall give you."

"Be loud in the song of praise of the reflection that you seek," said another.

"Come, follow me, obeying all things I say. I know the way," cried another.

Eventually, the calm face of the mountain was utterly forgotten. Now he wanders from hill to hill, crying aloud, "Yes, I know the way, but..."


There is a mountain far beyond the plains and hills whose summit overlooks the dark valley and the open seas.
Neither cloud nor deep mists ever hide its calm face. It is above the shadows of day and night.
One in many thousand years gathers his strength and gains that abode of eternity.
I speak of that mountain top, serene, infinite, beyond thought.
I shout for joy!

- J. Krishnamurti

A certain lord who studied Zen from Bankei was young
and fond of martial arts. One day he decided to test the
master's "gut" by suddenly attacking him with a lance as
he sat quietly.
The Zen master calmly deflected the trust with his rosary.
Then he said to the lord, "You technique is still immature,
your mind moved first."

Source: Zen Antics

Evilpoet,
If you want, a new thread on the koans would be acceptable. I don't think that limiting the discussion would pose a problem, but I am concerned about loosing the broad appeal that this thread has. Consider Firefly who is learning.
Thanks for your kind words on my story. It is one of my absolute favorites operating on so may levels.
Dave The Druid

Dave,

Perhaps my post wasn't clear enough (very, very possible). I don't want to limit disscussion, quite the opposite, I want to encourage it. The new thread I suggested was meant to be in addition to the 101 Zen Stories thread not in place of it. That way the flow of the stories/koans doesn't get interupted by discussion and discussion doesn't get interrupted by the stories/koans. Upon further reflection, I think that maybe my thought to do this is one of those Winnie-the-Pooh thoughts that I have quite often. :D

"When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things,
you sometimes find that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside
you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other
people looking at it."

New thread,
Let me read back what you are suggesting, youwant to start a new thread that is limited to the koans and stories but not interrupted by discussion. Correct? If so that would be a great resource for looking at the stories but it would be limiting in so much as I feel that discussion at the time of posting encourages a wider reading of the stories. Still, I'm up for either or as a way to learn and share more of the zen teachings.
dave the Druid

A farmer requested a Tendai priest to recite sutras for his wife,
who had died. After the recitation was over the farmer asked:
"Do you think my wife will gain merit from this?"

"Not only your wife, but all sentient beings will benefit from the
recitation of sutras," answered the priest.

"If you say all sentient beings will benefit," said the farmer, "my
wife may be very weak and others will take advantage of her,
getting the benefit she should have. So please recite sutras just
for her."

The priest explained that it was the desire of a Buddhist to offer
blessings and wish merit for every living being.

"That is a fine teaching," concluded the farmer, "but please make
one exception. I have a neighbor who is rough and mean to me.
Just exclude him from all those sentient beings."

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Originally posted by Dave the Druid
New thread, Let me read back what you are suggesting,
youwant to start a new thread that is limited to the koans
and stories but not interrupted by discussion. Correct?
No - other way around. This thread stays and a new one for discussion is created. Does that make more sense? Like I said, this might be a case of Pooh thoughts on my end. In any case, I will create a new thread for it and see what happens. Give me a few to collect my thoughts and then I will post it. I really didn't intend this to be a big deal or confusing, I apologize. :(

Why can't we have discussion in this thread too?

You can, it doesn't matter imo. I just thought separate threads would be less
confusing. It appears that my thought is the thing that is confusing not the
thread. Again, I apologize. Like I said before, Pooh thoughts. ;)

Evilpoet,
No need to apollogize! Go ahead and post the new thread.I guess my take on it is this, limiting a thread to stories, koans or just sayings limits the broad scope of zen to single entities and to certian extent quashes the learning. A story is as good as a koan as good as a saying. All carry equal weight and validation.
If I am still reading this wrong let me know. I am willing to share what I understand and learn from others.

Chop wood, carry water - Zen Saying

Dave the Druid

In modern times a great deal of nonsense is talked about masters and disciples, and about the inheritance of a master's teaching by favorite pupils, entitling them to pass the truth on to their adherents. Of course Zen should be imparted in this way, from heart to heart, and in the past it was really accomplished. Silence and humility reigned rather than profession and assertion. The one who received such a teaching kept the matter hidden even after twenty years. Not until another discovered through his own need that a real master was at hand was it learned that the teching had been imparted, and even then the occasion arose quite naturally and the teaching made its way in its own right. Under no circumstance did the teacher even claim "I am the successor of So-and-so." Such a claim would prove quite the contrary.

The Zen master Mu-nan had only one successor. His name was Shoju. After Shoju had completed his study of Zen, Mu-nan called him into his room. "I am getting old," he said, "and as far as I know, Shoju, you are the only one who will carry on this teaching. Here is a book. It has been passed down from master to master for seven generations. I have also added many points according to my understanding. The book is very valuable, and I am giving it to you to represent your successorhip."

"If the book is such an important thing, you had better keep it," Shoju replied. "I received your Zen without writing and am satisfied with it as it is."
"I know that," said Mu-nan. "Even so, this work has been carried from master to master for seven generations, so you may keep it as a symbol of having received the teaching. Here."

They happened to be talking before a brazier. The instant Shoju felt the book in his hands he thrust it into the flaming coals. He had no lust for possessions. Mu-nan, who never had been angry before, yelled: "What are you doing!" Shoju shouted back: "What are you saying!"

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones
_______________________________________
Please note: If you want to discuss this story you
can post in this thread or over here in this thread (http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15924).
The obstacle is the path- Zen proverb

"The purpose of a fishtrap is to catch fish, and when the fish are caught, the trap is forgotten.
The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits. When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten.
The purpose of words is to convey ideas. When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten.
Where can I find a man who has forgotten words? He is the one I would like to talk to."
-Chuang-Tsu

The Dead Man's Answer

When Mamiya, who later became a well-known preacher, went to
a teacher for personal guidance, he was asked to explain the
sound of one hand. Mamiya concentrated upon what the sound
of one hand might be.

"You are not working hard enough," his teacher told him. "You
are too attached to food, wealth, things, and that sound. It
would be better if you died. That would solve the problem."


The next time Mamiya appeared before his teacher he was again
asked what he had to show regarding the sound of one hand.
Mamiya at once fell over as if he were dead.

"You are dead all right," observed the teacher, "But how about
that sound?" "I haven't solved that yet," replied Mamiya, looking
up. "Dead men do not speak," said the teacher. "Get out!"

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

________________________________________
Please note: If you want to discuss this story or any
other story, you can post in this thread or over here
in this thread (http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15924). The obstacle is the path- Zen proverb

Precision has it's place in spirituality as it does in math and science.

Rabbi Isadore was a wise teacher. A student asked, "How is one to know the precise time when night ends and day begins?"

One student volunteered, "It is when one can distinguish between a dog and a sheep in the far distance, that is when day begins."

Another said, "It is when you can tell the difference between a fig tree and a date tree, then night is fully gone."

"No, it is neither of those things," said the Rabbi. "It is when you can see your brother or sister in the face of a stranger. Until then, night is still with us."

My formal training has included chemistry and astrophysics amongst other hard sciences.

The great Taoist master Chuang Tzu once dreamt that he was a butterfly fluttering here and there. In the dream he had no awareness of his individuality as a person. He was only a butterfly. Suddenly, he awoke and found himself laying there, a person once again. But then he thought to himself, "Was I before a man who dreamt about being a butterfly, or am I now a butterfly who dreams about being a man?"

Source: Zen Stories To Tell Your Neighbors (http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/zenstory/dreaming.html)

Evilpoet,
I like that storey. It makes lying on a grassy hillside in summer a bit more meaningful.
Dave the Druid
:)

Dave,

Glad you liked the story. Have you ever read Jonathan
Livingston Seagull? If not, I recommend it highly. After
I first read it I never looked at seagulls the same way
again. Very cool imo. :D

Eve, ;D
I've read all of those books and it's not just sea gulls that deserve to be looked at differently
Dave the Druid
:)

Dave,

"it's not just sea gulls that deserve to be looked at differently"

I agree 100%.

On that note, I really need to get my rear in gear
and get some stuff done around here. Thanks for
all the food for thought. Have a very zenny rest of
your day! Cya later. :cool:

During the Kamakura period, Shinkan studied Tendai six years and then studied Zen seven years; then he went to China and contemplated Zen for thirteen years more.

When he returned to Japan many desired to interview him and asked obscure questions. But when Shinkan received visitors, which was infrequently, he seldom answered their questions.

One day a fifty-year-old student of enlightenment said to Shinkan: "I have studied the Tendai school of thought since I was a little boy, but one thing in it I cannot understand. Tendai claims that even the grass and trees will become enlightened. To me this seems very strange."

"Of what use is it to discuss how grass and trees become enlightened?" asked Shinkan. "The question is how you yourself can become so. Did you even consider that?"

"I never thought of it that way," marveled the old man.

"Then go home and think it over," finished Shinkan.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones
_________________________________________
Please note: If you want to discuss this story or any
other story, you can post in this thread or over here
in this thread (http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15924). The obstacle is the path- Zen proverb

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer's heart went out to the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt sad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Good one Evilpoet!
There is a Druid tenet that holds that the trees have great wisdom. I can't say that there is a connection but the toughts are similar.
Dave the Druid
:)

From the pine tree
Learn of the pine tree.
And from the bamboo
of the bamboo.
-Basho


There is opportunity to learn from everthing,
For we are as much a part of everything as we are alone

Dave the Druid

"I once saw a child coming towards me with a lit torch in his hand. 'Where have you brought the light from?' I asked him. He immediately blew it out and said to me, 'Oh Hasan, tell me where it has gone and I will tell you whence I fetched it.'" - Hasan Basri

Kansan left home when he was nine years old. He had a brilliant mind and studied both Buddhist and Confucian classics. Inspired by one of the books he read, for a time Kansan devoted himself to the study and practice of esoteric Buddhism in western Japan. Later he went to the capatal city of Edo, where he perused the massive Buddhist canon.

After nearly two decades of these studies, Kansan finally went to see a Zen teacher. Well versed in Buddhist practices, Kansan mastered the Zen teachings in two years of intensive work.

Subsequently Kansan was sent to take over the abbacy of a temple in southern Japan. When he arrived, he found that drinking and carousing were so common in the area that the temple itself was accustomed to supplying visitors with wine, as if it were a lounge.

On the day that Kansan formally took over the abbacy of the temple, he destroyed every single wine jar, ashtray, and serving table. After that, guests were treated with a single cup of plain tea.

Three years later, Kansan retired. He disappeared into the mountains, putting a sign over the door of his hut that simply said, "Content."

Source: Zen Antics

A little bear cub was confused about how to walk. "What do I do first?" he asked his mother. "Do I start with my right foot or my left? Or both front feet and then my back feet? Or do I move both feet on one side and then both feet on the other?"

His mother answered, "Just quit thinking and start walking."

Tanzan wrote sixty postal cards on the last day
of his life, and asked an attendant to mail them.
Then he passed away.

The cards read:

I am departing from this world.
This is my last announcement.

Tanzan
July 27, 1892

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Grey Wolf attended meetings sporadically, and when she came she usually sat silent during the question period. However, she came to hear Brown Bear and spoke up, saying, "We dedicate our sutras to the enlightenment of bushes and grasses. This doesn't seem so likely somehow." Brown Bear chuckled and said, "They are very patient."

Source: Zen Master Raven

There was an ancient mysterious wall which stood at the edge of a village, and whenever anyone climbed the wall to look onto the other side, instead of coming back he or she smiled and would jump to the other side, never to return. The inhabitants of the village became curious as to what could draw these people to the other side of the wall. After all, their village had all the necessities of living a comfortable life.

They made an arrangement to where they would tie a person's feet, so that when he or she looked over and wished to jump, they could be pulled back.

The next time someone tried to climb the wall to see what was on the other side, they chained her feet so that she could not go over. She looked on the other side and was delighted at what she saw, and smiled. Those standing below grew curious to question her and pulled her back, but to their great disappointment she had lost the power of speech.



"Those who have Seen cannot say. That which has been Seen cannot be painted, cannot be reduced to words. But still each one has to give a try -- and the world goes on becoming more and more beautiful because of these efforts." - Osho

Joshu went to a place where a monk had retired to meditate and asked him: "What is, is what?"

The monk raised his fist.

Joshu replied: "Ships cannot remain where the water is too shallow." And he left.

A few days later Joshu went again to visit the monk and asked the same question.

The monk answered the same way.

Joshu said: "Well given, well taken, well killed, well saved." And he bowed to the monk.

Mumon's comment: The raised fist was the same both times. Why is it Joshu did not admit the first and approved the second one? Where is the fault? Whoever answers this knows that Joshu's tongue has no bone so he can use it freely. Yet perhaps Joshu is wrong. Or, through that monk, he may have discovered his mistake. If anyone thinks that the one's insight exceeds the other's, he has no eyes.

The light of the eyes is as a comet,
And Zen's activity is as lightening.
The sword that kills the man
Is the sword that saves the man.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served Tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"

"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

Start with no expectations and the path becomes clear.

Dave the Druid

Originally posted by Dave the Druid
"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"
See, I like this part, it explains the point or moral of the koan to me. (Or do they all have that paragraph, just sometimes I don't see it? :confused: )

I think there might be some confusion over the terms story and koan. For instance, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones is really four books in one: 101 Zen Stories, The Gateless Gate, 10 Bulls, and Centering.

101 Zen Stories is collection of stories that recount actual experiences of Chinese and Zen teachers, The Gateless Gate is a collection of problems called koan that Zen teachers use in guiding their students toward release, 10 Bulls is a commentary upon the stages of awareness leading to enlightenment, and Centering is a transcription of ancient Sanskrit manuscripts. The story that Dave the Druid posted (A Cup Of Tea) is from 101 Zen Stories. The one I posted (Joshu Examines A Monk In Meditation) is from The Gateless Gate.

The above might not help make the stories or koans any easier to understand but I thought it important to note that there was a difference between the two. :)

This is a storey not a koan; and not all have the explanation part. Perhaps storeys with an illustrative end would be a greater help?
Dave the Druid
:)

Dave,

Do you mean something like this (http://www.buddhanet.net/comics.htm)? :)

That's a good one!
I consider some of the instructive text funny and a little more approachable.
Dave the Druid

I agree, I love that part of the site. I also still
love the comics section of the paper, so there
ya go. ;)

Evilpoet,
Thanks for sharing that one!
Dave the Druid
;)

We are conditioned to regulate our behavior based on imagining how others will react in response to our choices.



The student approached the master and queried, "Master? When I was young, I desired for my family and loved ones to be proud of me. Were you ever the same way?"

"Yes," the master answered.

"Why did you desire this?" the student asked.

"So that they would feel they had more reason to love and accept me," said the master. "And the reason I desired this was so that I in turn would feel I had sufficient reason to love and accept myself. That was what was at the root of it. But then one day, I woke up and realized, 'What if I bypass all of that and learn to unconditionally love and accept myself, without requiring anyone else's love, acceptance or approval in order to feel good about myself? Then my happiness will no longer be dependent on outer circumstances, but will be as constant as my own heartbeat resounding strongly within my chest.' Thus began my quest for Self-realization."

"And you never desired them to be proud of you after that?" asked the student.

"My ego did, but I no longer completely identified myself with my ego as I had. And I no longer cared what others thought in the same way. I respected it, and honored it, but no longer gave it so much weight or paid so much attention to it," the master replied, smiling. "And never had I felt so free, as when I finally released myself in this way..."

Torio Tokuan said, "Do not consider yourself elevated in comparision to ordinary people. Those who are commonplace just rise and fall on the road of fame and profit, without practicing the Way or following the Way.

"They are only to be pitied, not despised or resented. Do not give rise to judgemental thoughts by comparing yourself to them: do not give rise to ideas of higher and lower.

"This is the attitude needed to enter the Way of the sages and saints, buddhas and bodhisattvas. Therefore we place ourselves in the state of ordinary people, assimilating to the ordinary, while our will is on the Way, and we investigate its wonders."

Source: Zen Antics

Zen Master Tenkei used to admonish his followers, "You should be genuine in all things. Nothing that is genuine in the world is not genuine in Buddhism, and nothing that is not genuine in Buddhism is genuine in the world."

He would also say, "See with your eyes, hear with your ears. Nothing in the world is hidden; what would you have me say?"

Source: Zen Antics

While walking beside a dancing stream in the forest, Notere Bisera came upon a monk who had silently sat za-zen upon a rock for 25 years. As he stood there looking at him, a little boy ran up, pulled his knickers down and began peeing into the stream while grinning at him. Notere was so surprised that he farted, causing the boy to laugh uncontrollably and fall into the stream. In that moment Notere was enlightened.

"Meditation is a state of mind which looks at
everything with complete attention, totally,
not just parts." -J Krishnamurti, Meditations

Objectivity

The Zen Master Tenkei considered one of the eight greatest Buddhist adepts of his time. Master of all schools, Tenkei helped revive Zen in the early 1700s through his many enlightened disciples and his many written works in classical and contemporary modes. Once Tenkei quoted a famous poem of National Teacher Daito and offered one of his own:

When one sits in meditation,
one sees the people
coming and going
just as they are.

Source: Zen Antics

Originally posted by EvilPoet
Zen Master Tenkei used to admonish his followers, "You should be genuine in all things. Nothing that is genuine in the world is not genuine in Buddhism, and nothing that is not genuine in Buddhism is genuine in the world."

He would also say, "See with your eyes, hear with your ears. Nothing in the world is hidden; what would you have me say?"

Source: Zen Antics
Isn't this like, the definiaitn of Buddhism? Trying to find the true nature of the World?

Many centuries ago, there was an old Native American who was called Dancing Bear, who belonged to a tribe now known as the Sioux. He had lived a life with much enjoyment of the little things, and as the years passed he began to feel pulled to go to a tall mountain that his tribe would pass by in their travels once a year. He found himself wondering what it would be like to climb to the top of that snow-capped mountain, and to be so very close to the golden sun, the vast sky and the moon.

And so the next time his tribe traveled by the mountain, he told his family that he was going on a vision quest. When asked if they would be physically seeing him again, he said probably not -- that he felt ready to enter the spirit world, and they were accepting and respectful of it.

And so he left on a cloudless morning when the sun had just peeked over the horizon, enjoying the solitude and the beauty of nature all around him. Sometimes he chanted softly, or said a prayer, or stopped to look at something.

That evening he came to the base of the mountain where he found a cluster of tall oak trees, and he sat below one as the stars shimmered overhead... and after enjoying the sights and sounds and smells of nighttime for a while, he quickly went to sleep.

He dreamed of the sun and the moon becoming one.

The next morning as the sun bathed him he started the arduous journey uphill, feeling the air get cooler and cooler, and was glad that he had wore his furs. Then he reached where the snow began, and the wind became extremely chilly. Though he began feeling very tired he was determined to reach the top, and so on and on he went.

Finally he walked up a knee-deep snow-drift that was near the crest, when he stumbled, and rolled down the steep slope for quite some distance. When he finally reached the bottom where the slope evened off his body ached, he had snow down his furs, and could no longer feel his fingers or feet due to the numbing cold.

As he sat there catching his breath he watched two large wolves emerge from a nearby group of trees and cautiously approach him. His heart leaped and his instincts screamed at him to run, but instead he laughed and said, "So are you two the ones who are to deliver me to the spirit world? I am ready." And as he smiled and laughed the wolves sensed his lack of fear, and the friendly sound in his voice, and though they were very hungry and didn't completely understand why, they sensed that he was a friend. And so they walked close to him sniffing and then rubbed up against him, letting him pet their fur that had never before been petted by human hands. And again he laughed, as the sun overhead grew brighter and brighter until it was all-consuming.

Firefly,
Here is one of the storeys that ends in "And at that he was enlightened."
There was the one-finger Zen of Chu-chih. One time an outsider asked Chu-chih's attendant what kind of Zen his Master preached. The boy held up just one finger, as did his masterwhen he was asked a question. On hearing of this, Chu-chih cut off the boy's finger with a knife. The boy began to run from the room, screaming with pain. Chu-chih called to him. The boy turned around. Chu-chih held up one finger. At that the boy was enlightened.

I know there are others but this is the first I found.
Dave the Druid

Hmm. As in, once you become as your master, you will be enlightened? (Though if that's right, I'd kinda thought mentally or psychologically, not physically :confused: )

Firefly,
A fair assumption. Masterhood implies enlightenment, but I think there are differing levels of enlightenment. Consider that "light bulb' going on feeling when you understand something new. It's much like that.

Dave the Druid

This is another good one for a laugh. I go for the comics first too!


http://www.serve.com/cmtan/buddhism/Lighter/funny.qna.html

Dave the Druid

;)

I'm lost but This link for meditating is both instructive and humourus. (I'm not sure where it should go thread wise)
http://www.do-not-zzz.com/

Dave the Druid

Firefly,

:) I think this snippet sums it up quite nicely:

"Buddhism is a system designed to bring a technical knowledge inseparable from its technique of practice, an organized practical understanding of the true nature of things or what is what. If you keep this definition in mind, you should have no difficulty understanding Buddhism."
[click here to read more (http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/bs-s07a.htm)]

I'm not trying to step on any toes here, if it appears that way my apologies. Firefly, here is a different version of the story (see below for source) that Dave the Druid posted - is it any clearer? Remember, this is a koan so it is like a puzzle or riddle (sorta kinda). ;)

Gutei's Finger

Gutei raised his finger whenever he was asked a question about Zen. A boy attendant began to imitate him in this way. When anyone asked the boy what his master had preached about, the boy would raise his finger. Gutei heard about the boy's mischief. He siezed him and cut off his finger. The boy cried and and ran away. Gutei called and stopped him. When the boy turned his head to Gutei, Gutei raised up his own finger. In that instant the boy was enlightened.

When Gutei was about to pass from this world he gathered his monks around him. "I attained my finger-zen," he said, "from my teacher Tenryu, and in my whole life I could not exhaust it. " Then he passed away.

Mumon's comment: Enlightenment, which Gutei and the boy attained, has nothing to do with a finger. If anyone clings to a finger, Tenryu will be so disappointed that he will annihilate Gutei, the boy, and the clinger of all things.

Gutei cheapens the teaching of Tenryu,
Emancipating the boy with a knife.
Compared to the Chinese god who
pushed aside a mountain with one
hand
Old Gutei is a poor imitator.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, The Gateless Gate

Well done.

Thanks for the link. :D

Dave,

Well, seeing as I have no idea what source you used,
I don't think I am in the position to make comment. I
guess I will just have to take your word for it. ;)

Speaking of laughter ...

Emptiness

At a Tallspruce party, Porcupine cornered Raven and
said, "I wanted to tell you that I've found that there
is no basis for emptiness." Raven looked startled,
then he and Porcupine burst into laughter.

Source: Zen Master Raven

Hoan said: "The past and future Buddhas, both are his
servants. Who is he?"

Mumon's comment: If you realize clearly who he is, it is as if
you met your own father on a busy street. There is no need
to ask anyone whether or not your recognition is true.

Do not fight with another's bow and
arrow.
Do not ride another's horse.
Do not discuss another's faults.
Do not interfere with another's work.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

_______________________________________
Please note: If you want to discuss this story you
can post in this thread or over here in this thread (http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15924).
The obstacle is the path- Zen proverb

Originally posted by EvilPoet
"I wanted to tell you that I've found that there
is no basis for emptiness."
Hmm, this is really interesting, I feel like I'm on the verge of understanding it. From where does emptiness spring? :confused: :confused:

Firefly,
The emptiness comes from clearing your mind of all distraction, your physical being from all want and then realizing that all that you perceive is and that which you don't is not.

Sorry I wasn't clearer, I may be too far in. Perhaps Evilpoet can clarify what I said.

Dave the Druid:)

Firefly,

So close yet so far away, eh? ;)

Some food for thought ...

Stepping Back

"You should step back and investigate. How do you step back? It is not a matter of sitting there ignoring everything, stiffly repressing the body and mind so that they are like earth and wood---that will never do any good. When you want to step back, if there are any sayings you do not understand, or stories you do not comprehend, they are then right before you. Step back and see for yourself why you do not understand." -Zen Master Foyan, Zen Essence

Question: What is the name of the best Zen teacher?

Answer: M.T. Ness

"I wanted to tell you that I've found that there
is no basis for emptiness."
I think you're looking too far into my remark. :p I just meant, when he says there's no basis, I thought, well, I hadn't realised that - what did I think the basis was? :confused: And then realised I don't actually know!

Firefly,
Perhaps not knowing is the begining of the path for you. Sorry if I read too deep into your remarks.

Dave the Druid
:)

I Don't Know

The emperor, who was a devout Buddhist, invited a great
Zen master to the Palace in order to ask him questions
about Buddhism. "What is the highest truth of the holy
Buddhist doctrine?" the emperor inquired.

"Vast emptiness... and not a trace of holiness," the master
replied.

"If there is no holiness," the emperor said, "then who or
what are you?"

"I do not know," the master replied.

Source: Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors

Evilpoet, ;)
I read a similar discourse but the monk replied 'nothing' and the emporer aked 'what did I ask?'

At least I seem to remeber it that way.

Dave the Druid

:D

A Chinese emperor known for his foul temper entered the bedroom of his soon-to-be-bride, who was one of the most beautiful women in all of China. She was being made to marry him against her will, as her parents were forcing her into it. Little did the emperor know however that she had also been taught by wise sages as a child. She sat expressionless, staring at the wall.

"Hello, pretty," he said to her, but she didn't respond.

"I said hello to you, and you will respond when I address you, do you understand me??" he snarled. But still, she didn't reply.

Most people would have answered him by now, so despite himself he grew curious, and gruffly asked, "What is it you are thinking?"

Finally she answered him. "Two things. One, that I do not wish to marry you because you are so callous and mean-spirited. And the other thing, is that I was wondering if you have it within your power to have a certain something changed."

"What?!" the emperor exclaimed with outrage. "You bitch! How dare you question my authority! ... But ... I admit I'm curious. Since I have it within my power to snap my fingers and whatever I command within my kingdom will be obeyed, what is it you are wondering if I could change?"

"Your attitude," she replied. And with that she got up and walked out of the room, leaving him in stunned silence.

Choices

We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our
thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the
world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws
the cart.

We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our
thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the
world.
Speak and act with a pure mind
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unshakable.

-Dhammapada, The Sayings of the Buddha

Two Nazi soldiers were standing and talking in the concentration camp in Auchwitz, when a Jew walked up to them and said, "I'm not going to follow your orders anymore." One of the soldiers promptly pulled out his pistol and shot the man until he was dead.

"Why did you do that?" asked the other soldier.

"It's routine," he replied.

A Zen master named Gisan asked a young student to bring him
a pail of water to cool his bath.

The student brought the water and, after cooling the bath,
threw on to the ground the little that was left over.

"You dunce!" the master scolded him. "Why didn't you give the
rest of the water to the plants? What right have you to waste
even one drop of water in this temple?"

The young student attained Zen in that instant. He changed his
name to Tekisui, which means a drop of water.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Someone please expalin that last one to me? :confused: :(

Hi Firefly!

This a good one to note the universal nature of being. (sorry if it sounds heavy).

""You dunce!" the master scolded him. "Why didn't you give the
rest of the water to the plants? What right have you to waste
even one drop of water in this temple?"

The young student attained Zen in that instant. He changed his
name to Tekisui, which means a drop of water."

You have no right to waste even one drop of water.

Student response:The young student attained Zen in that instant. He changed his
name to Tekisui, which means a drop of water."

Not waste even one drop of water.

Does this help?

Dave the Druid

Originally posted by Dave the Druid
Student response:The young student attained Zen in that instant. He changed his
name to Tekisui, which means a drop of water."

Not waste even one drop of water.
Well, firstly I thought, but the bath may have been a waste? And now I'm thinking he changed his name so that it somehow wouldn't waste water, but how it would be not wasting water I can't quite grasp?

In my name I have become water, as water I have charge over my destiny
Better?

Evilpoet, any help?

Dave the Druid

I was thinking about how the guy could be not wasting water by taking it as his name... Should I be thinking about the guy and his destiny??? :confused:

Firefly,

What, in your opinion, would be some of the reasons someone would change their name?

Some food for thought ...

"Buddhism tirelessly advocates the virtues of non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion in all human pursuits. Greed breeds sorrow and unhealthy consequences. Contentment is a much praised virtue in Buddhism. The person leading a simple life with few wants is upheld and appreciated as an exemplary character. Miserliness and wastefulness are equally deplored in Buddhism as two degenerate extremes."

"Natures beauty is appreciated by Buddhists because it is recognised as valued by those of high spiritual attainment. The Buddha and his disciples regarded natural beauty as a source of great joy and aesthetic satisfaction. In various ways the Buddha has stressed the need for close contact with nature and pointed out how advancement of mind leads to a greater appreciation of nature. By default one could say that the misuse of nature tends to indicate low spiritual attainment."

Source: BuddhaNet (http://www.buddhanet.net/mag_eco.htm)

Originally posted by EvilPoet
Firefly,

What, in your opinion, would be some of the reasons someone would change their name?
I don't know. :( The obvious one is vanity. :rolleyes: To reflect himself?

Though considering your last paragraph, by changing his name to that, the guy was doing the opposite of "wasting" or not appreciating nature???

What is the opposite of disrespect? :)

Neither 'dis' or 're'
Dave The Druid
;)

Don't disrespect and lack of respect mean the same thing?
I thought the opposite of disrespect was respect? :confused:

Hi Evilpoet ;)
Semantically there are differences.
REspect=having respect for something
DISrespect=Not respecting something, pajorative
LACK of respect= Neither having RE or DIS, the lack of feelings to be Buddha like, without feeling

Dave the Druid

:D

Dave,

I think I see what you are saying now. Like a zombie (http://www.u.arizona.edu/~chalmers/zombies.html) - there but not?

Hi Evilpoet ;)
I guess I don't feel that the loss of 'feelings' in the zen tradition is zombie like. It is refered to as enlightenment, a disconnection from the world of feeling, need and physicality. A transcendant state.

Dave the Druid

:D

Dave,

I am running really behind and need to get going, would you
mind if I pondered this a bit more before I give you a reply? :)

Evilpoet, ;)

Not a problem! Good luck.
Dave the Druid

:D

Dave,

Thanks, I appreciate it. :D

Have a good one.

Cya later,
EvilPoet

Dave,

First I should say, I am having a lot of trouble wrapping my brain around this one, so please bear with me. The story to me has more to do with being aware of one's actions rather than one's feelings, I will give my POV from that perspective.

What the young student did was wasteful imo. He didn't even give a thought to where the rest of the water might be used, he just threw it on the ground. He acted mindlessly, much like a zombie, which is why I made that reference. Gisan's immediate reaction 'shocked' him into realizing what he had done. I think the young student changed his name for reasons of respect and to remain mindful that even the smallest of things have a use and should not be wasted. At least that is my take on it. :)

How does this fit in with your line of thinking?

Evilpoet, ;)
I like your read on it but I think you take the masters perspective. Perhaps it is wasteful, I can't say, I wasn't there; but to become water or to become like water has long been one of the goals of Zen. Fluid, soft, hard, purposeful, lazy, deep shallow all aspects of Zen and all apects of water.

What do you think?

Dave the Druid

:D

In the early days of the Meiji era there lived a well-known wrestler called O-nami, Great Waves.

O-nami was immensely strong and knew the art of wrestling. In his private bouts he defeated even his teacher, but in public he was so bashful that his own pupils threw him.

O-nami felt he should go to a Zen master for help. Hakuju, a wandering teacher, was stopping in a little temple nearby, so O-nami went to see him and told him of his trouble.

"Great Waves is your name," the teacher advised, "so stay in this temple tonight, Imagine that you are those billows. You are no longer a wrestler who is afraid. You are those huge waves sweeping everything before them, swallowing in all their path. Do this and you will be the greatest wrestler in the land."

The teacher retired. O-nami sat in meditation trying to imagine himself as waves. He thought of many different things. Then gradually he turned more and more to the feeling of the waves. As the night advanced the waves became larger and larger. They swept away the flowers in their vases. Even the Buddha in the shrine was inundated. Before dawn the temple was nothing but the ebb and flow of an immense sea.

In the morning the teacher found O-nami meditating, a faint smile on his face. He patted the wrestler's shoulder. "Now nothing can disturb you," he said. "You are those waves. You will sweep everything before you."

The same day O-nami entered the wrestling contests and won. After that, no one in Japan was able to defeat him.

Lycan,
Great storey! and possibly clearer than the one I posted.

Dave the Druid

Hi Dave :)

What do I think? I think I'm confused again.
I thought Zen was all about awakening? :confused:

Hi Evilpoet!;)

No are not confused. Enlightenment is the ultimate goal. But there is something in the back of my mind that equates enlightenment with being water like. (mmmmm thinking) yes thats it, I just have to find the source. Japenese I think...

Sorry didn't mean to confuse

Dave the Druid


:D

Originally posted by Dave the Druid
but to become water or to become like water has long been one of the goals of Zen. Fluid, soft, hard, purposeful, lazy, deep shallow all aspects of Zen and all apects of water.
So ... you don't think wastefullness was the central theme?

What you are talking about sounds familiar to me as well.
If you do find the source could you please post it? :)

Gladly!;)

Gladly!;)

Firefly,
no I don't think wastefulness was the theme. I always look for the mechanism that causes enlightenment. The waste may have been one cause but it wasn't the only one, or primary reason imo for enlightenment. Waste is a major theme currently world wide, in the storey I feel it is just is grounds for a rebuke not a reason for enlightement.

Dave the Druid

Very good point! :) Found the source of what made you think enlightenment was linked to water?

I am still looking and haven't found it yet. :(

The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.

In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In business, be competent.
In action, watch timing.

No fight: no blame.

-Tao Te Ching

Thank you Evilpoet! ;)

I think that's exactly it. Be like water.

Dave the Druid


:D

You're very welcome. Here are some more thoughts
on water. As they say, just go with the flow. ;)

The Zen River

"The river of Zen is quiet, even in the waves;
the water of stability is clear, even in the
waves." -Zen Master Xuedou

Originally posted by EvilPoet
Xuedou
How would you pronounce that?

Firefly,

To be perfectly honest with you, I don't know. When I try to
pronounce that word I make a horrible mess of it, if you know
what I mean. I suspect this has something to do with the fact
that I don't know any Chinese. ;)

XeuDou

jew' do ;Instead of a hard j make a j sound like ch. It's the closest I can get without getting a sound file.

Dave the Druid

lol EvilPoet, thanks Dave.

The Zen Master Hoshin lived in China many years. Then he returned to the northeastern part of Japan, where he taught his disciples. When he was getting very old, he told them a story he had heard in China. This is the story:

One year on the twenty-fifth of December, Tokufu, who was very old, said to his disciples: "I am not going to be alive next year so you fellows should treat me well this year."

The pupils thought he was joking, but since he was a great-hearted teacher each of them in turn treated him to a feast on succeeding days of the departing year.

On the eve of the new year, Tokufu concluded: "You have been good to me. I shall leave tomorrow afternoon when the snow has stopped."

The disciples laughed, thinking he was aging and talking nonsense since the night was clear and without snow. But at midnight snow began to fall, and the next day they did not find their teacher about. They went to the meditation hall. There he had passed on.

Hoshin, who related this story, told his disciples: "It is not necessary for a Zen master to predict his passing, but if he really wishes to do so, he can."

"Can you?" someone asked.

"Yes," answered Hoshin. "I will show you what I can do seven days from now."

None of the disciples believed him, and most of them had even forgotten the conversation when Hoshin called them together.

"Seven days ago," he remarked, "I said I was going to leave you. It is customary to write a farewell poem, but I am neither a poet or a calligrapher. Let one of you inscribe my last words."

His followers thought he was joking, but one of them started to write.

"Are you ready?" Hoshin asked.

"Yes sir," replied the writer.

The Hoshin dictated:

I came from brilliancy
And return to brilliancy.
What is this?

This line was written one line short of the customary four, so the disciple said: "Master, we are one line short."

Hoshin, with the roar of a conquering lion, shouted "Kaa!" and was gone.

Wealthy patrons invited Ikkyu to a banquet. Ikkyu arrived dressed in his beggar's robes. The host, not recognizing him, chased him away.

Ikkyu went home, changed into his ceremonial robe of purple brocade, and returned.

With great respect, he was received into the banquet room. There, he put his robe on the cushion, saying, "Evidently you invited the robe since you showed me away a little while ago," and left.

An aging Hindu master grew tired of his apprentice complaining, and so, one morning, he sent him for some salt. When the apprentice returned, the master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it.

"How does it taste?" the master asked.

"Bitter," spit the apprentice.

The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake, and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water, the old man said, "Now drink from the lake."

As the water dripped down the young man's chin, the master asked, "How does it taste?"

"Much fresher," remarked the apprentice.

"Do you taste the salt?" asked the master.

"No," said the young man.

At this, the master sat beside the young man who so reminded him of himself and took his hands, offering, "The pain of life is pure salt, no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put the pain in. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things... Stop being a glass. Become a lake."

One day Zen master Shosan said of a certain individual, "So-and-so is a great practioner, is he not? He says that no matter what kind of plague he may die from, he wants to die as calmly as if he were taking a walk in the neighborhood."

One of his students in the group said, "He just thinks that way---he's not the kind of man to do Zen practice."

The master said, "Even if that is so, still he is a man with the seed of great Zen practice."

Source: Zen Antics

A long time ago in China there were two friends, one who played the harp skilfully and one who listen skillfully. When the one played or sang about a mountain, the other would say: "I can see the mountain before us." When the one played about water, the listener would exclaim: "Here is the running stream!"

But the listener fell sick and died. The first friend cut the strings of his harp and never played again. Since that time the cutting of harp strings has always been a sign of intimate friendship.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

"Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness." - Chuang Tzu


There is a story told about a cat who discovered that happiness was in her tail.

She kept trying over and over to get it, but all she could do was run around in circles.

Exhausted and frustrated with this endless pursuit, she eventually stopped.

And then, she discovered that if she'd just go on about her life then it would follow her wherever she went.

The Art of Art

Zen master Tetsuo was so famous for his brush painting that many people came to him just to study art. He always used to tell prospective students, "You must remember the saying, 'If you want to avoid depending on society, don't let critism and praise disturb your heart.' When you can cultivate your art without leaving any mundanity at all in your chest, then mind and technique will naturally mature, and you will eventually be able to arrive at the subtleties. This is the way out of darkness into light."

Once a distinguished Confucian scholar and statesman came to visit Tetsuo. Observing the Zen master executing a painting, the scholar noted that every move of the master's arm and brush was in conformity with classical principals of calligraphy.

When he remarked upon this, the Zen master explained, "In terms of correctness of mind, calligraphy and painting are one. When I make a painting. If so much as one cane of bamboo or one leaf on a tree is even slightly off from the way the stroke should be, I tear the whole thing up and throw it away, then put aside my brush, sit quietly, and clarify mind.

Source: Zen Antics

Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river.

The current of the river swept silently over them all -- young and old, rich and poor, compassionate and cruel -- the current going its own way, knowing only its own crystal self.

Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resisting the current what each had learned from birth.

But one creature said at last, "I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust that the current knows where it is going. I shall let go, and let it take me where it will. Clinging, I shall die of boredom."

The other creatures laughed and said, "Fool! Let go, and that current will throw you tumbled and smashed across the rocks, and you will die quicker than boredom!"

But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go, and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks.

Yet in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, "See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the Messiah, come to save us all!"

And the one carried in the current said, "I am no more Messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure."

But they cried the more, "Savior!" all the while clinging to the rocks, and when they looked again he was gone, and they were left alone, and began making legends of a Savior.

Seung Sahn would say, "When you eat, just eat. When you read
the newspaper, just read the newspaper. Don't do anything
other than what you are doing."

One day a student saw him reading the newspaper while he was
eating. The student asked if this did not contradict his teachings.
Seung Sahn said, "When you eat and read the newspaper, just
eat and read the newspaper."

Source: Essential Zen

Every-Minute Zen

Zen students are with their masters at least ten years before they presume to teach others. Nan-in was visited by Tenno, who, having passed his apprenticeship, had become a teacher. The day happened to be rainy, so Tenno wore wooden clogs and carried an umbrella. After greeting him Nan-in remarked: "I suppose you left your wodden clogs in the vestibule. I want to know if your umbrella is on the right or left side of the clogs."

Tenno, confused, had no instant answer. He realized that he was unable to carry his Zen every minute. He became Nan-in's pupil, and he studied six more years to accomplish his every-minute Zen

Dave the Druid
:D

Anyone care to share their interpretation of this? And what does 'carrying ones Zen' mean?

Hi Firefly!
To carry one's Zen is to have it at all times.

Dave the Druid :)

Hot sun. Salty air. Rhythmic waves. A little boy is on the beach. On his knees he scoops and packs the sand with plastic shovels into a bright red bucket. Then he upends the bucket on the surface and lifts it. And, to the delight of the little architect, a castle tower is created.

All afternoon he will work. Spooning out the moat. Packing the walls. Bottle tops will be sentries. Popsicle stix will be bridges. A sandcastle will be built.

Big city. Busy streets. Rumbling traffic.

A man is in his office. At his desk he shuffles papers into stacks and delegates assignments. He cradles the phone on his shoulder and punches the keyboard with his fingers. Numbers are juggled and contracts are signed and much to the delight of the man, a profit is made.

All his life he will work. Formulating the plans. Forecasting the future. Annuities will be sentries. Capital gains will be bridges. An empire will be built.

Two builders of two castles. They have much in common. They shape granules into grandeurs. They see nothing and make something. They are diligent and determined. And for both the tide will rise and the end will come.

Yet that is where the similarities cease. For the boy sees the end while the man ignores it. Watch the boy as the dusk approaches.

As the waves near, the wise child jumps to his feet and begins to clap. There is no sorrow. No fear. No regret. He knew this would happen. He is not surprised. And when the great breaker crashes into his castle and his masterpiece is sucked into the sea, he smiles. He smiles, picks up his tools, takes his father's hand, and goes home.

The grownup, however, is not so wise. As the wave of years collapses on his castle he is terrified. He hovers over the sandy monument to protect it. He blocks the waves from the walls he has made. Salt-water soaked and shivering he snarls at the incoming tide.

"It's my castle," he defies.

The ocean need not respond. Both know to whom the sand belongs...

I don't know much about sandcastles, but children do. Watch them and learn. Go ahead and build, but build with a child's heart. When the sun sets and the tides take -- applaud. Salute the process of life and go home.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dave the Druid
To carry one's Zen is to have it at all times.[QUOTE]
Heya. But Zen is a state of mind, isn't it, how can you not have it at all times? (Or attain it pretty quick if you don't)

Heya Firefly,
It should be with one all the time but other concerns can creep in. As in the storey the student was preparing to pass a test of sorts and lost his zen when confronted by his teacher. Consider it like test anxiety, you may know the information back to front but under pressure you can forget and not carry it with you.

Dave the Druid

:D

OK, thanks. But why does the ,master ask abt which side the umbrella is? Knowing that doesn't = Zen, does it?

Being Zen is being aware at all times of all things, Not knowing where the umbrella was showed a lack of awareness(Zen) at that moment. Remeber my favorite storey about 'Aware, Aware,Aware'? Same idea just a practical demonstration.

Dave the Druid

:)

There once lived a samurai who was plagued by a large and clever rat who had the run of the house. This annoyed the samurai to no end so he went to the village to but a cat. A street vender sold him a cat that he said would catch the rat, and indeed the cat looked trim and fit. But the rat was even quicker than the cat and after a week with no success the samurai returned the cat. This time the vender pulled out a large and grizzled cat and guaranteed that no rat could escape this master mouser.

The rat knew enough to stay clear of this tough alley cat, but when the cat slept, the rat ran about. Half the day the rat would hide, but the other half he again had run of the place. The samurai brought the cat back to the vender who shook his head in despair saying he had given the samurai his best cat and there was nothing more he could do.

Returning home with his money, the samurai happened upon a monk and sought his advise. After hearing the samurai's story the monk offered him the services of the cat that lived in the temple. The cat was old and fat and he scarcely seemed to notice when he was carried away by the doubtful samurai.

For two weeks the cat did little more than sleep all day and night. The samurai wanted to give the cat back to the temple but the monk insisted he keep him a while longer assuring him the rat's days were close to an end. The rat became accustomed to the presence of the lazy old cat and was soon up to his old tricks even, on occasion, brazenly dancing around the old cat as he slept.

Then one day, as the rat went about his business without any concern, he passed close by the cat who swiftly struck out his paw and pinned the rat to the floor. The rat died instantly.

Source: The Thirty-Six Strategies of Ancient China

"When enlightened Zen masters set up teachings for a spiritual
path, the only concern is to clarify the mind to arrive at its source.
It is complete in everyone, yet people turn away from this basic
mind because of their illusions." -Zen Master Yuanwu

"Why must I meditate in order to acheive enlightenment?"
demanded the prince of his teacher. "I can study. I can pray.
I can think on issues clearly. Why this silly emptying of the
mind?"

"I will show you," said the teacher, taking a bucket of water
into the garden under the full moon. "Now I stir the surface
and what do you see?"

"Ribbons of light," answered the prince.

"Now wait," said the teacher setting the bucket down.

Both teacher and boy watched the calming surface of the
water in the bamboo bucket for many minutes. "Now what
do you see?" asked the teacher.

"The moon," replied the prince.

"So, too, young master, the only way to grasp
enlightenment is through a calm and settled
mind"

Source: Zen Fables for Today

In a Zen hospice in the Castro district of San Francisco
on the wall of one of the rooms reside two pieces of
graffiti:

Life is taxing, death is relaxing.
--Zhliangzi

Death is not the extinguishing of the
light, but merely the turning down of
the lamp now that the dawn has come.
--Tagore

Both quotes remain despite two repaintings, where the
workers repainted the whole room but let those two
quote stand.

Source: Zen Fables for Today

"On a certain night Jim, Mike, Ron and Dave died. Shortly thereafter they all found themselves walking on a beaten path. It seemed right to follow the path. Finally they came to a dividing point. One path veered to the left; the other to the right. They stood a moment pondering what to do when suddenly a man in white appeared and gave them instructions.

"Welcome, my friends," he said. "You are approaching your new home and I am here to instruct you as much as is permitted. You notice that there are two paths before you. One of them takes you to Heaven, a place more beautiful than you can imagine. The other takes you to Hell, a land full of darkness, despair and wretched individuals. All I can tell you at this point is that you are to choose a path, but once you reach your destination you cannot turn back. Once you get to Heaven you will stay there or once you get to Hell you will stay there. One more word I can say. Do not be frightened for that reward which you get in the end will be that which you deserve. Go forth confident that if you have led a just life that you will reap as you have sowed. You must proceed one at a time and each walk the path alone."

After saying this the man disappeared. The four were astonished at this somewhat random method of reaching heaven or hell. Finally, they decided that they must go forward and drew straws to determine who would go first.

Jim got the first opportunity and chose the path on the right. He thought that perhaps this would lead to heaven because the "right" is always associated with "good." But as he proceeded he heard the fierce sound of wild animals, clouds seemed to hide the sun and the earth seemed to shake.

He became very frightened and thought, "Maybe I have chosen the wrong path." He turned around and went back to the beginning and told the others of his experience. Then he decided to try the left hand path instead. As he ventured forth on it he saw more ominous signs. He kept wondering how far he could go before he could not turn back and with each step he became more and more frightened until he was forced to retreat back to the beginning.

Seeing that Jim could not make a firm decision as to which path to take Ron and Dave suggested to Mike that he now take his turn. Mike, however, was paralyzed with fear for, according to Jim's story, neither path sounded very heavenly. "I'm going to think about it awhile," he said. "Someone else can take a turn."

It was now Ron's turn and he said, "I'm picking the right-hand path and not turning back." He followed through with his decision and went past the sound of wild animals and through the darkness and storm clouds until he eventually found himself in a place of unspeakable beauty and peace. He assumed he was in Heaven and rested there.

It was now Dave's turn to move onward. Jim said he thought he heard a wild animal eating Ron and a chill of concern spread through them all. Dave was not sure he was making the right decision, for he chose the path to the left. He thought within himself: "No matter what happens I'll go forward on this path and make the best of it."

As he proceeded things went from bad to worse. There were horrific shrieks from wild animals and storm clouds with fierce thunderbolts were everywhere. Still he proceeded until he reached a sign that said "Hell." Behind him the path disappeared and there was no retreat. Before him was a depressing place dark and stormy, full of inhabitants living in run down shacks. The people lived in constant fear of attacks from the animals and also roaming gangs that stole whatever they could get their hands on.

Everywhere he went he was told that this was a land cursed by the devil and that things are going to get worse for all eternity.

Dave thought long and hard within himself. "I promised myself that I would not retreat from this path and would make the best of it. I refuse to listen to these voices of doom. Within myself there is no hell and my conscience is clear. So why should there be Hell on the outside?"

From that point on Dave went forth in confidence and taught the people that they did not have to live in the run down shacks and that they could change their circumstances so they would not have to live in fear. He also questioned their belief that the land was cursed by the devil. A handful of people took hope and listened, but the rest were afraid and even looked upon Dave as an enemy fearing he would make things even worse than they were.

Dave gathered the people who would listen. They refused to accept the slum they were given as a final resting place and made blueprints of new beautiful homes. The best land they could find was an uninhabited swamp. They drained it and built their homes and a beautiful city with teeming gardens and landscapes. The gangs did not bother them for the inhabitants supported and protected each other. The wild animals became friends for the people nurtured them. Even the dark clouds and storms began to subside and bright sunny days became a common sight.

The people who were against Dave saw what had been accomplished and they took courage and one by one other parts of Hell became transformed into beautiful cities and landscapes. After a period of time there was nothing but beauty and peace as far as the eye could see.

Dave surveyed the now beautiful land and came to the realization: One more thing needs to be done. He walked over to the original entrance and found that old sign which said "Hell" and tore it down and replaced it with one that said "Heaven." As he did so another path with a fork in it appeared and so did the man in white. His look caught Dave's eye and he said, "I think you know what you must do."

Dave looked back and said, "I see I must choose again."

"Correct," said the man.

"Before I proceed, can you tell me the fate of the other three?"

The man answered: "Ron is in the city that resembles the place that you have created. He has one regret and that is he wishes that he had a part in creating it. When the desire becomes strong enough he will be given another path to choose and will wind up in a place called 'Hell' as you did, and be given an opportunity to build Heaven."

Jim and Mike are still paralyzed with fear, afraid to make a decision. They are the ones who are truly in Hell, yet sooner or later they must proceed onward.

"And what lies ahead for me?" asked Dave.

"The unknown," said the man.

Dave felt a twinge of fear at the statement, yet was glad at the same time. And with no hesitation, he proceeded down the path leading to the right.

Originally posted by Dave the Druid
Being Zen is being aware at all times of all things, Not knowing where the umbrella was showed a lack of awareness(Zen) at that moment. Remeber my favorite storey about 'Aware, Aware,Aware'? Same idea just a practical demonstration.

Dave the Druid

:)
That seems to imply that someone with a photographic memory will also have attained Zen?

Hi Firefly,
A good take, but not quite. To 'merely' have a photographic memory is to dismiss other equally deep parts of Zen. For instance, understanding the dual nature of being and not being. There is so much more but that is my short exemplar.

Dave the Druid

:D

Two panicky city dwellers found themselves lost in the high
timber. After wandering for a day and a night, they came
upon an old hermit.

"How do we find our way back to civilization?" they asked
the hermit.

"I could tell you but you'd still get lost," replied the hermit

"What should we do?" they asked.

"Go with the flow."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Go with the flow. You see that stream over there. Just follow
it. Streams go into creeks and creeks go into rivers and rivers
go through towns. Also along the way you'll have water to
drink and berries to eat."

"Is that what Zen people mean when they say 'go with the
flow'?"

"Yes and no," replied the Hermit proceeding along his way.

Source: Zen Fables for today

Kakushin went to China in the middle of the thirteenth century to study Zen. There he met a famous Zen master who asked him, "What is your name?" Kakushin told the Zen master his name.

Noting that the name Kakushin means "Awakening the Mind." or "Awake mind," the master wrote a verse for the pilgrim:

Mind is Buddha,
Buddha is mind:
Mind and Buddha,
being such, are there
throughout all time.

After Kakushun's return to Japan, Emperor Kameyama heard of his Zen mastery and summoned him to teach in one of the imperial temples. Later the emperor also invited the master to the palace to ask him about Zen. The master's profound discourse, immense intelligence, and uninhibited eloquence impressed Emperor Kameyama beyond anything he had ever known. Realizing the exceptional quality of Zen Buddism, the emperor converted the imperial residence into a Zen sanctuary.

The next emperor, Go-Uta, also invited Kakushin to a special imperial villa to teach Zen. The master said, "The Buddhas understand mind; ordinary people misunderstand mind. The source of all Buddhas is one; the realms of misunderstanding and understanding divide. Without depending on another power, you can know by inherent capacity. If you want to arrive at Buddhahood, you must look into your own mind."

Source: Zen Antics

One day a fisherman was laying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the hope of catching a fish.

About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working hard to make a living for himself and his family.

"You're not going to catch many fish that way," said the businessman, "You should be working harder rather than laying on the beach!"

The fisherman looked up, smiled and replied, "And what will my reward be?"

"Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!" was the businessman's answer.

"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman, still smiling.

The businessman replied, "You will make money and you'll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!"

"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman again.

The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman's questions. "You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!" he said.

"And then what will my reward be?"

The businessman was getting angry. "Don't you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let your employees catch fish for you!"

Once again the fisherman asked, "And then what will my reward be?"

The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, "Don't you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won't have a care in the world!"

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "And what do you think I'm doing right now?"

There was once a general of war who had spent his entire life fighting in campaigns for many kings. Now at the end of his career, he became tired of fighting. He had spent a lifetime perfecting his skill in all the arts of war and his skill was famous, but he was weary and had but one wish: to spend the rest of his days studying archery, the one art of war he had not mastered.

The general did not want to learn archery in order to be a better fighter, but rather to study and reflect. He had heard of Master archers, living in distant monasteries, who spend a lifetime doing nothing else but perfecting their skill. Their life appealed to him, and so he retired from fighting and began to search for the Master archers.

After a long journey the general found a monastery where the monks were devoted to archery. He entered the monastery and begged to join them and pass the remainder of his days on this earth studying archery. For 10 years that is what he did.

Then, when he had perfected his skill as an archer, the abbot of the monastery came to the general and said, "It is time to leave." The general was shocked and he protested, saying that his life in the world outside the monastery was over. His only desire was to remain within the monastery walls and continue to meditate on the bow, the arrow, the target.

The general argued and pleaded with the abbot, but the abbot was resolute. He insisted that the general must leave. To advance his skill, it was necessary for the general to go out into the world and teach what he had learned.

And so he left the monastery. Once outside, the general had nowhere to go; he decided to return to the village of his birth.

It was a long journey over many lands, but finally he neared the village. As he walked through the surrounding forest he noticed a bull's-eye on a tree, with an arrow in the exact center. The general was surprised by this and even more so when he noticed more trees with bull's-eyes and arrows in the center.

Soon he came to the farmlands and there saw many barns and homes with bull's-eyes and arrows dead center. He became agitated and walked quickly into the village center. There, on every wall of every building was a bull's-eye with an arrow right in the center.

The peace he had gained from his years of monastic life was gone. He was indignant to find that after 10 years of study and reflection there lived an archer more skilled that he. Quickly, he approached the elders of the town and demanded that the archer responsible for this perfection meet him at the edge of town by the mill, in one hour.

The general waited by the mill, but as the hour approached no one came. There was, however, a young girl playing by the river. The girl noticed him and came over.

"Are you waiting for someone?" she asked, looking up at the general.

"Go away," he said, irritated.

"No, no," said the girl, "you look like you're waiting for someone and I was told to come and meet someone here."

The general looked unbelievingly at the little girl and said, "I'm waiting for the Master archer responsible for the hundreds of perfect shots I have seen."

"Well, that's me then," said the girl.

The general, feeling more indignant still, looked skeptically at the girl. Finally, he said, "If you are telling the truth, then explain to me how you can get a perfect shot every single time you shoot your arrow."

"That's easy," said the girl, brightening. "I take my arrow and I draw it back very tight in the bow. Then I point it very, very straight and let it go. Wherever it lands I draw a bull's-eye."

Shoichi was a one-eyed teacher of Zen, sparkling with
enlightenment. He taught his disciples in Tofuku temple.

Day and night the whole temple stood in silence. There

was no sound at all.

Even the reciting of sutras was abolished by the teacher.

His pupils had nothing to do but meditate.

When the master passed away, an old neighbor heard the
ringing of bells and the recitation of sutras. Then she knew
Shoichi had gone.

Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

There is a story of a farmer whose horse ran away. That evening the neighbors gathered to commiserate with him since this was such bad luck. He said, "May be."

The next day the horse returned, but brought with it six wild horses, and the neighbors came exclaiming at his good fortune. He said, "May be."

And then, the following day, his son tried to saddle and ride one of the wild horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. Again the neighbors came to offer their sympathy for the misfortune. He said, "May be."

The day after that, conscription officers came to the village to seize young men for the army, but because of the broken leg the farmer's son was rejected. When the neighbors came to say how fortunately everything had turned out, he said, "May be."

Dongshan asked Yunju, "What are you doing?"

Yunju said, "I am making soy paste."

Dongshan, "Are you using some salt?"

Yunju said, "I turn some in."

Dongshan asked, "How does it taste."

Yunju said, "Done."

Source: Essential Zen

"Tell me the weight of a snowflake," a coal-mouse asked a wild dove.

"Nothing more than nothing," was the answer.

"In that case, I must tell you a marvelous story," the coal-mouse said.

"I sat on the branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow -- not heavily, not in a raging blizzard -- no, just like a dream, without a sound and without any violence. Since I did not have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3,741,952. When the 3,741,953rd dropped onto the branch, nothing more than nothing, as you say -- the branch broke off."

Having said that, the coal-mouse flew away.

An aged monk, who had lived a long and active life, was assigned a chaplain's role at an academy for girls. In discussion groups he often found that the subject of love became a central topic.

This comprised his warning to the young women: "Understand the danger of anything-too-much in your lives. Too much anger in combat can lead to recklessness and death. Too much ador in religious beliefs can lead to closemindedness and persecution. Too much passion in love creates dream images of the beloved---images that ultimately prove false and generate anger.

"To love too much is to lick honey from the point of a knife."

"But as a celebate monk," asked one young womean, "how can you know of love between a man and a woman?"

"Sometime, dear children," replied the old teacher, "I will tell you why I became a monk."

Source: Zen Fables For Today