# Zen Stories



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

Love 'em. Got any you want to post?

(Got the idea from another thread to renew my interest in Zen Stories, so thought it might be a nice thing to start here at USMB).

Clarification..I WROTE NONE OF THESE. All found at the link at the bottom of this post. Others that I post are all found on the net. I post the ones that "tickle my ear", so to speak. 

http://data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAkGBxQTERQUEhQWFBQVFRQUFBQUFBQUFBUQFBQWFhQUFBUYHCggGBolHBQUITEhJSkrLi4uFx8zODMsNygtLiwBCgoKDg0OGhAQGywkHCQsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLv/AABEIALcBEwMBIgACEQEDEQH/xAAbAAACAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBQADBgIBB//EAEIQAAEDAgMEBwUFBQgDAQAAAAEAAgMEEQUhMRJBUWEGExRxgZGhFSKx0fAyQlLB0gdTcoLhM2JzkqKywuIWI6ND/8QAGQEAAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQF/8QAIxEAAgICAgMBAAMBAAAAAAAAAAECEQMhEjEEE0FRImGBI//aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8ABlo9rOyCnww3yT2eYWDQu6eK+mfJeYpxa2Y0ZzsLgvY4iCtRLS33ISohAGiWSKrQqA6eMogsUoo7o/qbarBioXOjXDGpg6K6qdDZJKwKNheuiVgCseEgK4ckTG9URNzVmwUADVTkCTndHVUJQzI1tBaANpZkWyp5pa5ltFIQSVLiiGxkZroqIIWlgzTqnp8lnJJDQvkYVQ5pCeOpkFUQpwkmJpi3buiYhZeNgRcUKc2kCQHIVU9iZupEPIxEEmULphkk9TFcrQVDMkAYLlaXXYCoMyXLBmmNRTEBL3ZI7WhGjwRq1VNTghY/A5cwtpSyZBcE07KRXLQg7kDU4TlotHCy4Xk0Sr1SqwaPnGIYaQUunpiAt5iFKEkmpclvDJKKoKMPIzMqLRyYZcnJRa+8KCBCHC4VtPEQuMNaQ6x0R07bG+5CaWiwqnsdUNimHbQuNURSPDu9HCQAZ6LLJJx6HVmeoqYjdnwRwg2tV32pocbKjbMjssuaEm9jVHstERohZICNU1m2gBpdUOftDNNS/BOIlcRfVe7BOiLdTNvkroaU8Fg5yT2JpC+BhGqPjjuF26lPBWxNW6kmiAV9PdBz01k6DULVRpxnQCh7VZSxZqx8SLw+I30UZJ/hLQ2oKHRNmQALylGQVsj1raooEmFkKYrqx8t3JhSwXWKjTHQq7JnoiYqZN+zBcugsqmrQULJIkOaW6YTMzXjFEW0gFc1FyVDaCy0GwhahtgplyewEtTSAhZesprPWrqZbLOYi/wB4Jwk7Ew7CodFqKMrM4bIn0E9knd2CH0L8la7RLYKi6OabhdakqGK69yVtOditBPS3SqopbG6x0xMBMSi9ddRKkFgtEGkG2oXXWbiqsMjsSqq33TdHJOOjREza7JXVVddtkL14IugZK0A2WmOUZRuXaEy+KJzjYea2GC4S0MuVncOmTunri0G3ksfIy5Nceio0L8afsybIOSBmkc3M+Y/NUVUpdKSUS29rOGS3UOKt9iuzyhmaXXWrpCwjcVhp6R0btoZtWlwVwe3LXeuHyYrIrTHHQ86hhQlRhYOYXEm01WRTlc0YZY7jtFWn2L5qYs5oCR11pHvBGaV1lCDmF0Y/I3U9GUsf1ADIQUxpaZDQMIOab0zV0zaoVFkYsFTVPNkUVVI26iFvSAUQNJcn1IhoKXeiWLqWKkCGDdFHMVMciLbmokUAVMSCjZYp1JGhnU6IqwYNuSrEHEJ2YbBLK6LJdCgiDJVtVmk9QSTdNsVpveuEvMeSxcUmRJntLUEJtBVkpMxiOpjYp6Js02GuzWip2LLYfKtDS1QXNPs2QyMaBqKdXmqFlTJUhTdFMENGOCiKEoUVcmKjIsjLSFzXw7QKZzxe8vJYrLHx8ibpmjRhJagtJHguqOl2nbRXmOR7Mp4FXUE2QXVFJMzY3p8skVck24pb1mab0f2guiSTVAmLpqYhy10WFh9Pz2UH2UOzTfBqnLYO7JZeTN8FRUVsylIPeMb9y5MboH7TfsovpVD1UrZBoTYr0TB7M94WCgsi5IbdDaiq2yC/miTTDULIxSmJ2Ry/JaShxIFYxUsTtdBaZzVssEofXEGxTvET7pIWPnqbvWzUMqJbaHkUm0mdOkdC9NWTLL1taRNhcjlUZVU+VUgrrxY6CxpBKLLiScAoAy2QdTPcLp5aFY8iqgSmMM6x1FKb5p7FLZc0oy7GpDvbXQSgVVkVDVXCmD2VZzXYlFHk5wB3jh3pPUYnG/7JXyfpFi0klRK597hxaRpaxtayXxYy5ujjv/r8CvWjiikXxR9YqIA/fbw/rzQvsDa0f/p/qsLQ9KnAWLzu1vbutwvdaGHpa3K7tq5OemfAjXeh4Mb7QvXEY1eBSMaXCzgMzbUDjbglZkTig6XNItcHhn6Ab1nxTuJXHnxRxtUZZIJdDGlriCmTcXsM0nipiqalpC59Mz2jRtx0W1UfiZOixYe/ayunFNHJbMKJ4ylIa+2SokkjDcqI4C5G9mbexQeIPsmDbEDuSzG4ssl5Hjz/AOiR1yWjKdJ6e42hu+CT4e8grTyxl7LFIWU+xJY6L2vhgw6NxvdNaKXNL3WC7pn+8njlcgNbTPs1Rj9lwcPFKpK0NapFWgjVXKn/ABZVj7G4BNCRyuO9ZCikLbtK0VJWXbZIa+O0ptvzXH49wyuD6KltWSZwIsUBT1zon2Om5WTkgoedwcM9V1SSbMLaZq4cTD2WJzss3Xx2eSN6DE5AyPchDXEnNRDx1GXKJbdo0FDUFMRMkGHzpvCbqp0iGgptQUZGbodsGSOpo8k45U9Akyp8aVyH3rJtUG2iQ1EtpFY2hxSQXsmhhsEDh0osEzqqxrI3PcLhg2iOIGdlaaehpCTEq9sQJe63xWZren4iv1cRfzJsPJZPpD0mNTO99rNLvcbnkAlT63jv+Gq64+Nj+mvFBXSTpU2qJc6kjD/3gMjXH+LZcNrxWXHWHT4FN5agX+t25EQVrBoPILdRSVIpCykwypkPut132yWiwnofM43kkFuFnfkQrqTGmNGWVuR1TGPpOBnnb07uaqkA7wzB4ohk0A6bQBv5uJPqnMELSQspH0sO1b5W/qjoukQcCCB3jIZrDL42OffZLijV9g5IOpwm6b4NPtwscdSD42JAPiACiZGBeBK4Sa/DNoQUeDAHRNxh4toiQQry4WW0ZWCSM9LQNuVETNINoqLSxUj49SYnPHnHKf5X/wDHX0TaPpjU6SO2/wCNufmsgxXNW0sUW7aKNxSdKA7JzLcwcvVSXEI3m4cPHJY1hKuEwFt5O75JetdEm3Dtq1s+7P4K6xZmQR3grGxYg+52Tsg7mk5DhfU95XbKk3vtG/G5KIRUAH9RXkqiLEiFVh0T6h4Y1oJ3ke7YcTu9E+m6AT2uxzXHUNPuk9x0SdWWscpK0jnDcRN+RTColDrFZmSCSB+xK0scNx38wdD4IuKrvvWUlUuRN1pjWsiuLpPVZBOKeUObZLaticntNEsVdeQbHRTfdSpaq4ShzYkw2if7y09DIszR6p9RyALDJJsaZooDdFbkojqQFd2xZ43sdllW7JZiuedu4TiqqrpZJZejDohyGeGVWQR9VVtcwtdmHAgjiCLELLh+zoVzLVkqZ/0NSMNj/RiaBznRAyxXuHNG05o4PaB6jLuWZdOdDqNeXJfacLmILjcDZFzcgX5C+pSPGOkVNK4tkggeQbbT42vIPI6rrwZckltf6bQbaPlzplW2XPVP8Ro2SuOwyKMXy6tpabc7myph6LF33x4WK60aCls/NdtqjxWlg6C7Q/tT/pTOh6FuZoIn/wCJEHfAooDFxTuJsMydABcnuGq1/Rvo7USEOmvFFvDspHDg1v3e827itRQ0kkPu9TEz/CGx/p/qrZJiubLklHVUZTk0aGCuawNa3JrQAANwAsAiXYmLLKQ7V0TI02XkywtuzHkManGQN6qGMmyRdje9/JaahwgW0VLHxBNsUyYsblRNJMHFzkotLQUz4uwq1oQEcyJjmC6pRaNAu6Z9G6FkonfJkGRuIzt71sjl9ZpYxoNrHVTDKggPaPvZZ+F/gUR1tgFROs23HX8guguWNVuzxCzEaj9nsgE8h1cInOaOJbu9QkM1U90hkc4l5Ny+52r8juVmB1vUTsk3A2dzYcnenwV3SCg6moc1ubHe/GRoYn5tt3aeCza2d/iTTjQ1pOkkjx1dSBURZDZeAHNAyBY8C7T5qrFcN6tnXwOMlOTYkj34nH7koGnJ2hSmAJ1g2IuiflYtcNl7HZtew6tcN4Wd7N82CORf2D4ZiFijKicZoPpFhIhLZ4LmnkOV8zFJvid+R3hLxV3Vcb6PIyRcHxYTUuug2OUfOvYLFXx0ZjGj1TqEZJVRps3Rc042BJJrLntiHqkKGm+qrHjCw41KHfUKxkWSCmYuhMVHM9auqaa5QsVE+SRrGC7nGwHxPIK6pLYTs32nDXgO7lzWkMTn0WoN9DKrwgVERYXlh1DxuPMbwsRinRSSG56+nLdxMojcT/C7L1TeaoL73OWgBOfoqvZ0bsnNBB1z3ea68eKUfpvGLj9MbNKWGxI/lc1477tJC9ixUt0PmtU7oxC45Xb4/NVDobGb+96hb0XYng6RvbpbzNvimFJ0xlBAvfdpn6I+DoRCTmT5prQ9DKZpzZfmSSfLRFAV4djFRKfsFoOrn5ZcQDmStHAwFcU2GMYLMaAOLbD4IyOAgZ3I78xwWOTDKf0iUWwykpQiTQXQUcrmnLMd3BOKSuaR7wtz3eKxfjyRn66KqXDwE4poAAqiQNFw+u2VzZYDQQ+EXUQfbwouYD5n0t6JUjXf+ppjJ3NcS3/K69vBZKowQNHuuNxpfQ94/O/grqvGqt5G3Ntn/Dj/ACCCrMSlu33m5D7rW583ZnP6yXXghOMFGUrY3d6KTBI3VpPNufwVcU1nZb/iro8XkB3eStkxYPFpI2u52F/A7lq0/wADYVTVXNFitdxSDbbqxxGZ91w0GVrOGup4aImGUkaty5210zNh6qHBktDjrwdQPgn2HvbVQinJtNHc07iftN1dCT6hYwVNjb4EEeYyV0VXYgg2IzBGRBGhChxKxzcJWh+ICMiDcZEbwRyXTSQU7wHFIayzZbMqLfa0E1t/8fLenL+j/JYODs9aGVSVoX4FO14dBLnFMNh39133XjmDZYrFKZ9PM+J/2o3Fp58CORFj4r6JHgttB5JT+0Kha6WGQ6viAeeLmZX9Vcf49nJ5cOS5GIjkJTGlYuYqMD7N1expG4q3JHn0FRPsj46pKSHcFZG8jd5rKUfwVMZvddckIPtztNkHxXEle4/cHmU4phTGUcq5AuUmdUu12T9eCgxpzB/ZOP1xsrUWKmH4058cTnx3BAzI1DDqQscyvN7k3PE3T+Xpfs607uef/VZbE62B5Lo4pISc7BwLCf4bZeBC7MNpU0dELSDTiZ3L1mMG3D6CzjpioKnkug0o0rMYN9fUqz2uR964WX7WFBVDimBrY8dcN/5K89IDxy3G+fjxWNFSOKhqRxRYG5Z0jItmT42RVP0rtkbmy+e9p5hQVNt6LA+rUvS5txtDzt9b02pukMJ1Nvr0XxmnqHEgNBcToGgknwC0GGYLUvI90xNNrufcZcdkZnuUyyKPbCz6j0ZxnrpaiICwjLSDe4IdfMeV0xrWHcleAOpaVhAe9z3Bu29zXXds3tYaNGZy+KaO6Q0trlzj3MK48klJmT2wcROUXjul9IDbZlP8rf1KLPiiaPibplRI5DdYvRLa/MW9b/kuhQo0PHuuuSVLZa+G9cKwLA5dxyEaKmy9sihUEMdfu4fNM6Z40IB70lYio5bb1lKImhyImaglh5G+fELY9Hum0kXu1B69m5zgdsd/4h6r52Kg8fVddpPFZcGOMnF2j7rBj0DpmiJrpA+32ASLkXAvx1y5LJ9PcSDpI8hazyB94Da2SCN2YPklH7OMe6p8rXbZ/wDW90RByZM5uxcgm2dxzuAu/wBpdMG9mqG3vK17ZMwQJGkFo5Xa69jwV+pON/TWeSUo7Fr8RvqTfiTfIaLgVp/Es72hTtKz9ZhRpBWn8Q9FeKxts7FZbtSnayj1hRrDXNIAJyF7C+QvmbZ5LrtTbafXmsgatdCtKPWKjUdovw78/grA9umWycjc8wcgeYCynbSoK8o9YUastjdra3f8Ql1VhUJ4JS3EnLo1zlSTQUy1+BxnT5LwYMwPjHEs+IVfbSvPaN3x56FvHcb/ABWsHIuN2M2dDGyRMkDgL+6RwLcvyQr+hfMea7ocZcIWgne8775uv+a7GKnj8U5yaegbdgp6Gnj6qf8AhZ4oz2ofor1uLHj9eSz9k/0LYKOhXNEx9BOeXerBjB+iu/a+e8EbwbHzU+yf6K2G0PQdgIJOY33N1o6bCGx2ALj/ADPIFuOqy4x92852tcZX5kDK/NQ9IDxPmpdvsDZPpxut/wDX9KClpXcW+cv5hZn/AMhdxPmvR0jdx9UuKYDYkbxn/EPkvUjfjdzcgE8SASoo4S/QMOCvbpo2On339fku2R0/P1+S7uRQpUTplPT/AEf6JjHgcZFwxxHG5t/tS5AZW69utV7Git9hwHM2/JdMwKImwY4ka2II8wEuYGUBXQctRNgkTftNc3x/6qnsVLz8/wCiOQjPbS92loBh9P8ATx8lYcOpuDvO/wDxRYHPQt57Q5rbFtmvfcXOxG9uY7tq5tuC337XKV/ZrCLZigfG9rwPdIdeNw2hqQXDXNYnD+qglbLFdr23sbjQggjTgSFtakl0M1LUsc0CklluXX654cx0Dh3e93+C0i1xaGj5BtqbSedih+iPkrBhkFr524gj5LMRntpebSfmjpOL/Q/kp2Sk/E70/SnYGfuvdpPXUtJuLvMfpXJoqb8R8x+lFgI9pTaTo0dN+I+nyXPZab8R9PkmApEnNTb5psKKnP3/AILv2dT/ALz4fNAxLtrwye9c55py7Dqf956N/UqpcOp/3p8h+pUqGhPG+wCtbMnctBD1bQHtdnnuNrHSx5nyQraCm023/wCUfJDpg6AOvXvXow4ZDukPi3P4rn2bCdJCfAfNLigBuvK97QjPZMX7w/5R+petwaM6S+Yb+pLihAXaSue0Hij34Qwf/pfwy87r0YVFb+1IPDZy89pKkAD2krw1BRbsIF8n3HFcnCP73x+SdIYL2k81ET7J/vf7vkoikB7HSb7K7sNrZf1XYJRDSbZlJ2RYMykF94RjYMhYuH8x45KRsurmxhQ2KwZ1LfMuce8lX9S4i224DgCV2WjdddtSthYOcL33v3r04bzRWZXQaUuTCwVlAdxsu/Zw3nnmi2NKtCXJhZTQ0G0QMu7ktx2ciJz3PcLQlvG1shmdwF8lnsAYOtFzwHiXD5LV9KJRFC5n4jYEZA63W8H/ABbKR85qqDaOWY0vs2ujsLqn0/uj7IJuAG38yFc2Yi1t2i4MhN7i/wA1isjQhqzH2tbkz3s73awi545LJYpTOmeX2a3+Fob52TLaK62jyVe1/QsQeyCuDhZT5wK7ZAn7RWZx2HFeezSeK1TYl2IuSXuHbMn7NPNQYYVrhCp1A5I9wbMiMM5rw4Vc6rXOpGql1ILjLgqWWxqzMMwokaoiHDANbeV1o4qE7INtb+hUFAeCbmPZn5aL8Itz037raKj2f9WWmdQHgqjRFHsQGfZhd94HevPZxH3mrQdgKns8p+xCsRNpiDrffbO111Ph7ntytlfINDTnxI+14p0/DyqTSOGiOYWZx9C4ZXI8SuDSO+in8kDt4KpdCeCrkO2JOyFRN+pPBRHIdnQpVYKZeKLi5szIIFY2nUUT5MC1lMrOoUUS5MRSWFXQROOiiipy0AQIDvXYgUUSTYD3ozhge54/uOI/iaLgpl0ygJMTNzWA+eX5FeKLdusVlfDNGkIK9FHdeqLmjJsk57CvDAoom2B0KZddnUUWbkxnIiXeyooqTYHoCpkkUUVIZT1y9D8weFlFE7opFvbHBoF9L+q4FaeKiid2JlgrFO0r1RCGTr1OvUUQB1169EgUUQBLjgoWN4KKJ2wo86lvBeqKI5MKP//Z http://data:image/jpeg;base64,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 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





*Worse than a Clown 
There was a young monk in China who was a very serious practitioner of the Dharma. 
Once, this monk came across something he did not understand, so he went to ask the master. When the master heard the question, he kept laughing. The master then stood up and walked away, still laughing. 
The young monk was very disturbed by the master's reaction. For the next 3 days, he could not eat, sleep nor think properly. At the end of 3 days, he went back to the master and told the master how disturbed he had felt. 
When the master heard this, he said, "Monk, do u know what your problem is? Your problem is that YOU ARE WORSE THAN A CLOWN!" 
The monk was shocked to hear that, "Venerable Sir, how can you say such a thing?! How can I be worse than a clown?" 
The master explained, "A clown enjoys seeing people laugh. You? You feel disturbed because another person laughed. Tell me, are u not worse than a clown?" 
When the monk heard this, he began to laugh. He was enlightened.*

zen


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*A Wishing Tree 
There is a parable about a poor man walking through the woods reflecting upon his many troubles. He stopped to rest against a tree, a magical tree that would instantly grant the wishes of anyone who came in contact with it. He realized he was thirsty and wished for a drink. Instantly a cup of cool water was in his hand. Shocked, he looked at the water, he decided it was safe and drank it. He then realized he was hungry and wished he had something to eat. A meal appeared before him. "My wishes are being granted," he thought in disbelief. "Well, then I wish for a beautiful home of my own," he said out loud. The home appeared in the meadow before him. A huge smile crossed his face as he wished for servants to take care of the house. When they appeared he realized he had somehow been blessed with an incredible power and he wished for a beautiful, loving, intelligent woman to share his good fortune. "Wait a minute, this is ridiculous," said the man to the woman. "I'm not this lucky. This can't happen to me." As he spoke...everything disappeared. He shook his head and said, "I knew it," then walked away thinking about his many troubles.*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*Gratitude 
Fred: "Why must we bow at the end of a meditation period?" 
Ho Chi Zen: "To thank God it's over."*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*Blind man with lantern 
An old Zen master always told this fable to unserious students: Late one night a blind man was about to go home after visiting a friend. "Please," he said to his friend, "may I take your lantern with me?" "Why carry a lantern?" asked his friend. "You won't see any better with it." "No," said the blind one, "perhaps not. But others will see me better, and not bump into me." So his friend gave the blind man the lantern, which was made of paper on bamboo strips, with a candle inside. Off went the blind man with the lantern, and before he had gone more than a few yards, "Crack!" -- a traveler walked right into him. The blind man was very angry. "Why don't you look out?" he stormed. "Why don't you see this lantern?" 
"Why don't you light the candle?" asked the traveler.*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*It will pass 
A student went to his meditation teacher and said, "My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I'm constantly falling asleep. It's just horrible!" 
"It will pass," the teacher said matter-of-factly. 
A week later, the student came back to his teacher. "My meditation is wonderful! I feel so aware, so peaceful, so alive! It's just wonderful!' 
"It will pass," the teacher replied matter-of-factly.*


----------



## Billy_Kinetta (Nov 7, 2015)

*"Tie two birds together.  Though they have four wings, they cannot fly."*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*A cup of tea 
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?"*
*



*


----------



## Pogo (Nov 7, 2015)

Gracie, you're a gem.  This thread is a stream of spiritual oasis.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*The returned gift 
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?"*
*



*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

Pogo said:


> Gracie, you're a gem.  This thread is a stream of spiritual oasis.


I did this same thing somewhere else and got hassled for it.
I am pleased it will be appreciated here and I hope to see others join in.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*In Your Hands 
A young man caught a small bird, and held it behind his back. He then asked, "Master, is the bird I hold in my hands alive or dead." The boy thought this was a grand opportunity to play a trick on the old man. If the master answered "dead", it would be let loose into the air. If the master answered "alive", he would simply wring its neck. The master spoke, "The answer is in your hands".*
*



*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*Accomodating the water 
A Taoist story tells of an old man who accidentally fell into the river rapids leading to a high and dangerous waterfall. Onlookers feared for his life. Miraculously, he came out alive and unharmed downstream at the bottom of the falls. People asked him how he managed to survive. "I accommodated myself to the water, not the water to me. Without thinking, I allowed myself to be shaped by it. Plunging into the swirl, I came out with the swirl. This is how I survived."*
*



*


----------



## Pogo (Nov 7, 2015)

Gracie said:


> *Accomodating the water
> A Taoist story tells of an old man who accidentally fell into the river rapids leading to a high and dangerous waterfall. Onlookers feared for his life. Miraculously, he came out alive and unharmed downstream at the bottom of the falls. People asked him how he managed to survive. "I accommodated myself to the water, not the water to me. Without thinking, I allowed myself to be shaped by it. Plunging into the swirl, I came out with the swirl. This is how I survived."
> 
> 
> ...



Absolutely no pun intended but that's really deep.  The whole essence of the Tao right there.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

Oh, this one is GOOD.

*Holy Man 
Word spread across the countryside about the wise Holy Man who lived in a small house atop the mountain. A man from the village decided to make the long and difficult journey to visit him. When he arrived at the house, he saw an old servant inside who greeting him at the door. "I would like to see the wise Holy Man," he said to the servant. The servant smiled and led him inside. As they walked through the house, the man from the village looked eagerly around the house, anticipating his encounter with the Holy Man. Before he knew it, he had been led to the back door and escorted outside. He stopped and turned to the servant, 
"But I want to see the Holy Man!" 
"You already have," said the old man. "Everyone you may meet in life, even if they appear plain and insignificant... see each of them as a wise Holy Man. If you do this, then whatever problem you brought here today will be solved."




*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*The monastery 
There once was a monastery that was very strict. Following a vow of silence, no one was allowed to speak at all. But there was one exception to this rule. Every ten years, the monks were permitted to speak just two words. After spending his first ten years at the monastery, one monk went to the head monk. "It has been ten years," said the head monk. 
"What are the two words you would like to speak?" 
"Bed... hard..." said the monk. 
"I see," replied the head monk. 
Ten years later, the monk returned to the head monk's office. "It has been ten more years," said the head monk. "What are the twowords you would like to speak?" 
"Food... stinks..." said the monk. 
"I see," replied the head monk. 
Yet another ten years passed and the monk once again met with the head monk who asked, 
"What are your two words now, after these 
ten years?" 
"I... quit!" said the monk. 
"Well, I can see why," replied the head monk. "All you ever do is complain."*
*
*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*Dreams 
Chuang Tzu, ancient Chinese Taoist, once experienced a dream in which he was a butterfly fluttering to & fro. In the dream he had no awareness of his individuality as a person; he was simply a butterfly. Suddenly, he awoke and found that once again he was a human laying in bed. 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?"*
*



*


----------



## Pogo (Nov 7, 2015)

Gracie said:


> *The monastery
> There once was a monastery that was very strict. Following a vow of silence, no one was allowed to speak at all. But there was one exception to this rule. Every ten years, the monks were permitted to speak just two words. After spending his first ten years at the monastery, one monk went to the head monk. "It has been ten years," said the head monk.
> "What are the two words you would like to speak?"
> "Bed... hard..." said the monk.
> ...



Heard this before but funneh.  Reminds me of the story of Calvin Coolidge ("Silent Cal") at a social event.  Some matron walks up and says to the notoriously pithy POTUS, "oh Mister President, my friend made a bet with me -- she said I wouldn't be able to get three words out of you this evening."

Coolidge smiled and said, "You lose".


Cal's a particularly Zenny figure.  His wife must have provided a nice Dao-ry ....


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

I love this one, too.

*Nature of things 
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."*
*



*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*Enlightenment after death 
The Emperor asked Master Gudo, "What happens to a man of enlightenment after death?" 
"How should I know?" replied Gudo. 
"Because you are a master," answered the Emperor. 
"Yes sir," said Gudo, "but not a dead one."*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*Carrying in the mind 

Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young woman. Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported her across the water, and put her down on the other bank. She thanked him and departed. As the monks continued on their way, the one was brooding and preoccupied. Unable to hold his silence, he spoke out. "Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulders and carried her!" 
"Brother," the second monk replied, "I set her down on the other side, while you are still carrying her."*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

Oh..this can to pertain to many things here in many threads. lol.

*Speak Not 

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."*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*

The old farmer 

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."*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*Time To Learn 
A young but earnest Zen student approached his teacher, and asked the Zen Master: 
"If I work very hard and diligent how long will it take for me to find Zen." 
The Master thought about this, then replied, "Ten years." 
The student then said, "But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast -- How long then ?" 
Replied the Master, "Well, twenty years." 
"But, if I really, really work at it. How long then ?" asked the student. 
"Thirty years," replied the Master. 
"But, I do not understand," said the disappointed student. "At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that ?" 
Replied the Master," When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path." *
*




*


----------



## Hossfly (Nov 7, 2015)

Sorta like Zen.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*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."*
*



*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*Roshi Kapleau agreed to educate a group of psychoanalysts about Zen. After being introduced to the group by the director of the analytic institute, the Roshi quietly sat down upon a cushion placed on the floor. A student entered, prostrated before the master, and then seated himself on another cushion a few feet away, facing his teacher. "What is Zen?" the student asked. The Roshi produced a banana, peeled it, and started eating. "Is that all? Can't you show me anything else?" the student said. "Come closer, please," the master replied. The student moved in and the Roshi waved the remaining portion of the banana before the student's face. The student prostrated, and left. 
A second student rose to address the audience. "Do you all understand?" When there was no response, the student added, "You have just witnessed a first-rate demonstration of Zen. Are there any questions?" After a long silence, someone spoke up. "Roshi, I am not satisfied with your demonstration. You have shown us something that I am not sure I understand. It must be possible to TELL us what Zen is."*

*"If you must insist on words," the Roshi replied, "then Zen is an elephant copulating with a flea."




*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*Enlightened*

*One day the Master announced that a young monk had reached an advanced state of enlightment. The news caused some stir. Some of the monks went to see the young monk. "We heard you are enlightened. Is that true?" they asked.
"It is," he replied.*

*"And how do you feel?"*

*"As miserable as ever," said the monk*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*A puzzled monk once said to Fuketsu: "You say truth can be expressed without speaking, and without keeping silent. How can this be?" 
Fuketsu answered, "In Southern China in the Spring, when I was only a lad, ah! how birds sang among the blossoms!"*
*



*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

*While Bankei was preaching quietly to his followers, his talk was interrupted by a Shinsu priest who believed in miracles, and thought salvation came from repeating holy words. 
Bankei was unable to go on with his talk, and asked the priest what he wanted to say. 
'The founder of my religion," boasted the priest, "stood on one shore of a river with a writing brush in his hand. His disciple stood on the other shore holding a sheet of paper. And the founder wrote the holy name of Amida onto the paper across the river through air! Can you do anything so miraculous?" 
"No," said Bankei, "I can do only little miracles. Like: when I am hungry, I eat. When I am thirsty, I drink. When I am insulted, I forgive."*


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

That's it for now. Enjoy!


----------



## Pogo (Nov 7, 2015)

Gracie said:


> That's it for now. Enjoy!



It's been a feast, Gracie.  

I feel like Jeremiah walking into a holey babble factory.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 7, 2015)

I will do more, with pics. Just like I did on my old blog. Seeing pics with the story helps, yes?

Anyway..I enjoyed doing it (again). Been a long time. But now I am off to browse and I hope to see others post some zen stories too. With pics. Its very.....zen. Calming. Peaceful.


----------



## Pogo (Nov 7, 2015)




----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

There is a Buddhist teaching that says that when you get hurt, say, by an arrow, that is pain. The arrow hitting your arm, it hurts. Pain. However, there is a second arrow, which is your reaction to the arrow, the getting angry, the planning revenge, that is beyond pain, that is suffering.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

The Taoists have a famous teaching about an empty boat that rams into your boat in the middle of a river. While you probably wouldn’t be angry at an empty boat, you might well become enraged if someone were at its helm.

The point of the story is that the parents who didn’t see you, the other kids who teased you as a child, the driver who aggressively tailgated you yesterday – are all in fact empty, rudderless boats. They were compulsively driven to act as they did by their own unexamined wounds, therefore they did not know what they were doing and had little control over it.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

A Zen Master observing students at archery practice notices one of them who is consistently missing the mark, and says: “It is his desire to win that drains him of power.”


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

Upon meeting a Zen master at a social event, a psychiatrist decided to ask him a question that had been on his mind. “Exactly how do you help people?” he asked.
“I get them where they can’t ask any more questions,” the Master answered.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

There was a person coming to a new village, relocating, and he was wondering if he would like it there, so he went to the zen master and asked: do you think I will like it in this village? Are the people nice?

The master asked back: How were the people on the town where you come from? “They were nasty and greedy, they were angry and lived for cheating and stealing,” said the newcomer.

Those are exactly the type of people we have in this village, said the master.






Another newcomer to the village visited the master and asked the same question, to which the master asked: How were the people in the town where you come from? “They were sweet and lived in harmony, they cared for one another and for the land, they respected each other and they were seekers of spirit,” he replied.

Those are exactly the type of people we have in this village, said the master.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

*



*

The Zen teacher’s dog loved his evening romp with his master. The dog would bound ahead to fetch a stick, then run back, wag his tail, and wait for the next game. On this particular evening, the teacher invited one of his brightest students to join him – a boy so intelligent that he became troubled by the contradictions in Buddhist doctrine.
“You must understand,” said the teacher, “that words are only guideposts. Never let the words or symbols get in the way of truth. Here, I’ll show you.”
With that the teacher called his happy dog.
“Fetch me the moon,” he said to his dog and pointed to the full moon.
“Where is my dog looking?” asked the teacher of the bright pupil.
“He’s looking at your finger.”
“Exactly. Don’t be like my dog. Don’t confuse the pointing finger with the thing that is being pointed at. All our Buddhist words are only guideposts. Every man fights his way through other men’s words to find his own truth.”


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

There is the story of a young martial arts student who was under the tutelage of a famous master.
One day, the master was watching a practice session in the courtyard. He realized that the presence of the other students was interfering with the young man’s attempts to perfect his technique.
The master could sense the young man’s frustration. He went up to the young man and tapped him on his shoulder.
“What’s the problem?” he inquired.
“I don’t know”, said the youth, with a strained expression.
“No matter how much I try, I am unable to execute the moves properly”.
“Before you can master technique, you must understand harmony. Come with me, I will explain”, replied the master.
The teacher and student left the building and walked some distance into the woods until they came upon a stream. The master stood silently on the bank for several moments. Then he spoke.
“Look at the stream,” he said. “There are rocks in its way. Does it slam into them out of frustration? It simply flows over and around them and moves on! Be like the water and you will know what harmony is.”
The young man took the master’s advice to heart. Soon, he was barely noticing the other students around him. Nothing could come in his way of executing the most perfect moves.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

Once there was a monk who specialized in the Buddhist precepts, and he kept to them all his life. Once when he was walking at night, he stepped on something. It made a squishing sound, and he imagined he had stepped on an egg-bearing frog.
This caused him no end of alarm and regret, in view of the Buddhist precept against taking life, and when he finally went to sleep that night he dreamed that hundreds of frogs came demanding his life.
The monk was terribly upset, but when morning came he looked and found that what he stepped on was an overripe eggplant. At that moment his feeling of uncertainty suddenly stopped, and for the first time he realized the meaning of the saying that “there is no objective world.” Then he finally knew how to practice Zen.


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

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 ardor in religious beliefs can lead to close-mindedness 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 celibate monk,” asked one young woman, “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.”


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

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 rainment? 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.”


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

A certain Zen teacher celebrated with his students, drinking sake and whiskey until after midnight, then rose next morning before dawn. Peevish, he expressed annoyance that his American students had not risen in time to do zazen [Zen meditation] before morning service.
When they murmured that their sluggishness might be accounted for by all the drink, the teacher snapped, “Sake is one thing, and zazen is another! They have nothing to do with each other!”


----------



## Gracie (Nov 19, 2015)

A hermit was meditating by a river when a young man interrupted him.
“Master, I wish to become your disciple,” said the man.
“Why?” replied the hermit.
The young man thought for a moment.
“Because I want to find God.”
The master jumped up, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, dragged him into the river, and plunged his head under water.
After holding him there for a minute, with him kicking and struggling to free himself, the master finally pulled him up out of the river. The young man coughed up water and gasped to get his breath. When he eventually quieted down, the master spoke.
“Tell me, what did you want most of all when you were under water.”
“Air!” answered the man.
“Very well,” said the master.
“Go home and come back to me when you want God as much as you just wanted air.”


----------



## Gracie (Dec 2, 2015)

And now it is time for a short break from the craziness of USMB 











Truth

One day, according to an Eastern story, the gods decided to create the universe. They created the stars, the sun, the moon. They created the seas, the mountains, the flowers, and the clouds. Then they created human beings.

At the end, they created Truth.

At this point, however, a problem arose: where should they hide Truth so that human beings would not find it right away? 
They wanted to prolong the adventure of the search.
''Let's put Truth on top of the highest mountain'', said one of the gods, 
''Certainly it will be hard to find it there''.
''Les's put it on the farthest star'' - said another.
''Let's hide it in the darkest and deepest of abysses''.
At the end, the wisest and most ancient god said - ''No, we will hide Truth inside the very heart of human beings. In this way they will look for it all over the Universe, without being aware of having it inside themselves all the time''.

- from 'What we may be' by Piero Ferrucci


----------



## Gracie (Dec 2, 2015)

Interview With God

'Come in', God said, 'So you would like to interview Me?'
'If you have the time' - I said.
God smiled and said
'My time is eternity and is enough to do everything;
what questions do you have in mind to ask me?'

'What surprises you most about mankind?' - I asked.
God answered:
'That they get bored with being children; are in rush to grow up,
and then long to be children again.
That they lose their health to make money
and then lose their money to restore their health.
That by thinking anxiously about their future,
they forget the present, such that they live neither
for the present nor for the future.
That they live as if they will never die, 
and die as if they had never lived...'

God's hands shook and we were silent for a while.
Then I asked - 'As a parent, what are some of life's
lessons you want your children to learn?'

God replied with a smile,
'To learn that they cannot make anyone love them,
what they can do is to let themselves be loved.
To learn that what is most valuable is not
what they have in their lives,
but how they have in their lives.
To learn that it is not good to compare
themselves to others....

To learn that a rich person, is not the one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least.
To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open 
profound wounds in person we love
and that it takes many years to heal them.

To learn that there are people who love them dearly,
but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings.
To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.
to learn that two people can look at the same thing
and see it totally differently.
To learn that a true friend is someone who knows everything
about them...and likes them anyway.
To learn that it is not always enough that
they be forgiven by others,
but that they have to forgive themselves'

_People will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did,
But people will never forget
How you made them feel._

- Unknown


----------



## Gracie (Dec 2, 2015)

A story tells that two friends were walking through
the desert. During some point of the journey, they
had an argument, and one friend slapped the other
one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt,
but without saying anything, he wrote in the sand:

Today my best friend slapped me in the face.

They kept on walking, until they found an oasis,
where they decided to take a bath. The one who had
been slapped got stuck in the mire and started
drowning, but his friend saved him.
After he recovered from the near drowning,
he wrote on a stone:

Today my best friend saved my life.

The friend, who had slapped and saved his best
friend, asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in
the sand, and now, you write on a stone, why?"

The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us,
we should write it down in sand, where the winds of
forgiveness can erase it away, but when someone
does something good for us, we must engrave it in
stone where no wind can ever erase it.

Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve
your blessings in stone.

-- Unknown


----------



## Pogo (Dec 2, 2015)

Gracie said:


> Interview With God
> 
> 'Come in', God said, 'So you would like to interview Me?'
> 'If you have the time' - I said.
> ...



I love those last four lines.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 2, 2015)

From a galaxy far away from this one, I met a man who has been an online friend for many many years although I had never met him face to face. He posted something along the lines of the following, but it is not word for word about me in a thread. He was a very wise man with a very old soul. Hell, he should have been a Zen Master in my opinion. But he was not. Just a man, now sadly deceased. One who saw with his heart and shared his opinion of me. What he shared was this:



Gracie is like an old loner lioness with battle scars but still has a great heart. You want to pet her, feel her soft fur, hug her head next to your breast and tell her how much you appreciate her. But you can only do it on rare occassions when she lets you get that close. She can and will bite. But then she will lick your wounds with sorrow that she hurt you when all she really wanted was to feel your presence but not the intrusion into her space. You got too close. Her battle scars did not come from the enemy. They came from people she thought would not harm her, but did. So yes, you can pet Gracie. Just make sure you move away when her tail begins to twitch. She is like a cat and we all know the signs of cats, do we not?"


----------



## Gracie (Dec 2, 2015)

*





Carry It Out

A monk once asked Joshu “If I have nothing in my mind, what should I do?”*

*“Throw it out.” Replied Joshu.*

*“But if there is nothing in my mind how can I throw it out?”*

*“Then,” said Joshu, “you will have to carry it out.”*


----------



## Gracie (Dec 2, 2015)

A saint who visited the river Ganges to take a bath, came across a group of family members who were shouting at each other in anger.

The saint turned to his diciples with a smile, "Why do people who are angry shout at each other?"

After a little while one diciple said, "Because we lose our calm. Then we shout."

"But why do you shout when the other person is right next to you? You can say what you have to say in a much softer manner," said the saint.

None of the diciples could give a good response. Then the saint decided to explain it.
"When two people are angry at each other, their hearts get further apart. To cover that distance, they have to shout to each other to be able to hear each other, and reach out. The angrier they get, the louder they must shout to be heard from such a great distance."

He then smiled, before he asked the diciples a new question,
"When two people fall in love, what happens? They talk softly to each other. Why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small.."

He concluded, "When two people's love grow even stronger, they only whisper because their hearts are so close. In the end the love is so strong that they only need to look at each other. That is all."


----------



## Gracie (Dec 2, 2015)

*An aging Hindu master grew tired of his apprentice complaining and so, one morning, 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?”*

*“Fresh,” remarked the apprentice.*

*“Do you taste the salt?” asked the master.*

*“No,” said the young man.*

*At this the master sat beside this serious 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 exactly the same. However, 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.”*


----------



## Gracie (Dec 2, 2015)

Break is over. More soon.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

When the Tesshu, a master of Zen, calligraphy and swordsmanship, was a young man he called on the Zen master Dokuon. Wishing to impress Dokuon he said, “The mind, the Buddha, and all sentient beings after all do not exist. The true nature of phenomenon is emptiness. There is no realisation, no delusion, no sagacity, no mediocrity, nothing to give and nothing to receive.

Dokuon promptly hit him with a bamboo stick. Tesshu became quite furious.

Dokuon said quietly: “If nothing exists, where did this anger come from?”


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

As the sun rose, a dew drop became aware of its surroundings. There it sat on a leaf, catching the sunlight and throwing it back out. Proud of its simple beauty, it was very content. Around it were other dew drops, some on the same leaf and some on other leaves round about. The dew drop was sure that it was the best, the most special dew drop of them all.

Ah, it was good to be a dew drop.

The wind rose and the plant began to shake, tipping the leaf. Terror gripped the dew drop as gravity pulled it towards the edge of the leaf, towards the unknown. Why? Why was this happening? Things were comfortable. Things were safe. Why did they have to change? Why? Why?

The dew drop reached the edge of the leaf. It was terrified, certain that it would be smashed into a thousand pieces below, sure that this was the end. The day had only just begun and the end had come so quickly. It seemed so unfair. It seemed so meaningless. It tried desperately to do whatever it could to cling to the leaf, but it was no use.

Finally, it let go, surrendering to the pull of gravity. Down, down it fell. Below there seemed to be a mirror. A reflection of itself seemed to be coming up to meet the dew drop. Closer and closer they came together until finally...

And then the fear transformed into deep joy as the tiny dew drop merged with the vastness that was the pond. Now the dew drop was no more, but it was not destroyed.

It had become one with the whole.
Author~Peter Hughes


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

Not zen...but maybe it IS, since I think it all coincides in some way or another.






_When Christ said that man does not live by bread alone, he spoke of a hunger. This hunger was not the hunger of the body. It was not the hunger for bread. He spoke of a hunger that begins deep down in the very depths of our being. He spoke of a need as vital as breath. He spoke of our hunger for love.

Love is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds upon it. We must have it because without it we become weak and faint. Without love our self-esteem weakens. Without it our courage fails. Without love we can no longer look out confidently at the world...

But with love, we are creative. With it, we march tirelessly. With it, and with it alone, we are able to sacrifice for others._

Chief Dan George


_One thing to remember is to talk to the animals. If you do, they will talk back to you. But if you don't talk to the animals, they won't talk back to you, then you won't understand, and when you don't understand you will fear and when you fear you will destroy the animals, and if you destroy the animals, you will destroy yourself._

Chief Dan George


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

*



*

*Black Elk: Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux*


*Grandfather Cries by Charles Phillip Whitedog


Grandfather, do you know me?I am your blood.The son of your son.I come to ask you a question Grandfather.
Grandfather, don't you know me?
Can I stop being Indian now?There are others that want to be Indian,And if they can start from nothing,I should be able to stop from something?
Grandfather, don't you know me?
Grandfather, I don't look like you.I don't know what you know.It would be easy for me to hide behind my paler skin.No one would know the pain I feel,Or see the tears I cry for your Great Grandchildren.
Grandfather, don't you know me?
Grandfather, look what I have done to our world.Mother Earth is on her knees.The Snake and Owl rule the day.I don't understand the language you speak Grandfather.
Grandfather, don't you know me?
Grandfather, I want my Pepsi, Levi's and Porsche too.I want to go where the others go,And see the things they see too.I don't have time to dance in the old way Grandfather.
Grandfather?
Grandfather, why are you crying?Grandfather, why are you crying?Grandfather, please stop crying.Grandfather, don't you know me?*


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

Once upon a time, there was a pretty, pure and versatile damsel from an aristocratic family. 
She had a graceful name – Huimei. 
Her virtue made many magnates queue up for marriage proposals. 
She deeply believed her prince charming was on the way. 
Hence, she turned them all down. 
Huimei had a glimpse of a young man at a very crowded fete one day. 
Thought Huimei to herself, he was the one that she had waited for, for a very long time. 
She was unable to approach him in a sea of people and let him vanish helplessly. 
Huimei had sought for that man everywhere, but he evaporated like a drop of water. 
All she could do was only pray to Buddha everyday. 
Her sincerity affected Buddha at last. 

Buddha, ‘ Do you really want to see that man again ?’ 
Huimei, ‘ Yes, I really want to see him once again.’ 
Buddha, ‘ But, you will have to give up everything including your lovely family and your happy life. Will you?’ 
Huimei, ‘ Yes, I will.’ 
Buddha, ‘ You will also have to practice for five hundred years. Then, you will only see him for one time. Will you?’ 
Huimei, ‘ Yes, I will. And I won’t regret at all !’ 
Buddha turned her into a big stone, which was set on an uninhabited land. 
She  suffered from the windblown and sunburned day after day.
The worst was she  never saw one person pass by after some four hundred years. 
The hopelessness drove her to the edge of insanity. 
But a team of quarrymen found her at the final year. 
They moved and cut her into several pieces to build a stone bridge’s guardrail in town. 
As the bridge was completed, Huimei saw the man whom she had already awaited for the last five hundred years. 
He walked through the bridge in a great hurry and vanished in the crowd once again. 

Buddha appeared then and asked ‘ Are you satisfied now?’ 
Huimei, ‘ No, why am I only be the bridge’s guardrail? 
If I were paved on the center of the bridge, I could have had a touch with him at least!’ 
Buddha, ‘So, you have to practice for another five hundred years.’ 
Huimei, ‘ Yes, I’m willing.’ 
Buddha, ‘ You have been suffering for so much already. Don’t you have a bit of regret?’ 
Huimei, ‘ No, I don’t regret at all!’ 
So Buddha had turned her into a big tree, which stood in a street bustling with life. 
Watching the people walked back and forth day by day made her more miserable. 
The more expectant she was to see that man for just once again, 
the more disappointed she got. 
If not for the previous five hundred years of practice, Huimei surely would have collapsed long ago. 
She calmed down gradually as the time passed by because 
She understood he would come at the very last day. 


There he came finally! 

He wore his favorite white gown which he liked the most. 
His face was the same...delicate and handsome. 
Huimei gazed at him infatuatedly. 
He did not rush in a hurry that time. 
He focused on a big shade tree standing alone. 
A very attractive tree with dense shades, he went toward it. 
He decided to take a break due to the intense heat of the midday sun. 
He had leaned against her side. 
Huimei got to feel him as he leaned against her. 
However, she could not tell him about her yearning for a millennium. 
There was nothing more she could do, except
 gather her leaves and shade to shelter him from the sinister sunlight. 

After taking a bried nap, he showed his thankfulness by stroking and beaming at the beautiful tree. He then left without a backward glance, fresh from the heat and the nap.


Buddha appeared again. 
Buddha, ‘ Do you still want to be his wife? Thus, you must practice…….’ 
Huimei interrupted tranquilly, ‘ Yes, I do long for…… But, I think it is not necessary.’ 
Buddha, ‘ Ah?!’ 
Huimei, ‘ This has been very good already. I do love him. It doesn’t mean I have to be his wife.’ 
Buddha, ‘ Ah?!’ 
Huimei, ‘ Does his present wife suffer the hardship same as I do?’ 
Buddha nodded slightly. 
Huimei beamed , ‘ I can continue. But, it is not necessary anymore.’ 
Buddha had a sigh of relief. 
She was curious about his response and asked, ‘ Is there something worrying you?’ 
Buddha smiled, ‘This will be great ! One young man needs not to wait for another millennium. 
He had already practiced for two millennia just because he wanted to take a look at you.’


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

Once on an island far, far to the east-or maybe to the west-there were three brothers. In those days, everyone on that island lived in caves. But the three brothers were not happy about it.

"Why must we live in a cave?" the oldest asked their mother.

"It is because of the Earthquake God," she told them. "If we built a house, he would come to wreck it."

"What if we built a house he couldn't wreck?" said the middle brother.

"No one knows how," said their mother.

"Then we should try and find out," said the youngest.

The brothers all agreed they should build such a house, but they could not agree how. So each set off to the valley to build one of his own.

The oldest brother built his house from stone and mortar. He told himself, "It is as strong as a mountain."

The middle brother built his house from wood and pegs. He said, "It is as strong as a tree."

The youngest brother built his house from bamboo and cord. He said, "It is as strong as the grass."

One day, the Earthquake God came down the mountain. On legs like pillars, he strode up to the oldest brother's house of stone.

"So!" he said. "They try to build houses, do they?"

The Earthquake God stamped his feet. And as he stamped, he shouted,

"EARTH SHAKE! 
HOUSE BREAK!"

The earth shook and the house shivered. The mortar cracked and the stones fell down. The Earthquake God laughed.

Somehow, the oldest brother got out safely and ran to his brother's house of wood. But it was not long before the Earthquake God arrived.

"Another one! Well, this one won't last any longer." He stamped his feet and shouted,

"EARTH SHAKE! 
HOUSE BREAK!"

The earth shook and the house shuddered. The pegs snapped and the walls leaned over. The Earthquake God laughed.

The two brothers got out quickly and ran to their brother's house of bamboo. But soon the Earthquake God arrived there too.

"Still another! But this one looks weakest of all!" He stamped and shouted,

"EARTH SHAKE! 
HOUSE BREAK!"

The earth shook and the house swayed. The cord strained and the bamboo wobbled-but then it sprang back straight!

The Earthquake God frowned. He stamped harder, then harder still. But nothing he did could wreck the bamboo house.

At last, in a fury, he stamped back up the mountain.

The brothers were happy to see him go. But the oldest asked the youngest, "Why did your house stand when ours did not?" And the middle brother said, "Yes, why?"

The youngest brother answered, "You tried to make your houses stronger than the Earthquake God. But I made mine weaker. Whatever bends does not break."

And that is why, forever after, everyone on that island built their houses from bamboo.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

*Personal story from yours truly:*

*




*

Once upon a time, long ago, I was managing a fancy schmancy apartment complex. I needed an assistant manager to help hubby and I because it was quite a large property. So, we placed an ad in the newspaper for an experienced property manager. Many applied. One got the job.

Going back in time....long before I had such a position, I was a renter. A poor one, at that. Every check I got from working 18 hour days at minimum wage, went straight to the property management company. Every cent. I was alone at that time. Not married. Struggling. No food. One doberman as my best friend and roomie. My neighbors fed us. The mexican lady and her brood of 4 children and her husband always made sure to make extra for the gal upstairs..and her dog. The manager of the property tried hard to keep that roof over my head although he was getting his butt reamed by HIS boss that I had to be given notice because I was always behind on the rent. He put it off for 6 months until they threatened him with his own job. So he sadly came to hand me the eviction notice which was not really eviction YET. It was the dreaded 3 Day Pay Or Quit form. I heard him pull up in his shiney yellow vette, and he came to the door, handed it to me, and apologized. I didn't hold it against him, but I also knew I was in a shitload of trouble. No car, no place to go. Just me and the dog. Turns out I did find a place. That is when I became the Biker Chick and moved in with the club that lived down the street. The guys that called me Mom cuz I wanted them to keep clean and tidy..and they did. But that is another story.

Anyway....fast forward again. I am in my spiffy office overlooking the pool area. A couple just left, after a nice chat with me about how they would be perfect for the job (which came with a free fancy apartment, perks, and damn good pay). I had been meeting people all day who wanted the position. The last appointment finally came at the end of the day. A beat up yellow vette with primer on it in places along with some bondo pulled up. And out stepped a man I recognized. He was a bit heavier. Less hair on his head. But it was him. A woman got out with him. They smoothed out their clothing and came to the office and I waved to the two seats in front of my desk. They sat. He did not recognize me. Why would he? Here sat this woman with her hair in a bun, professional apparel on, fuller face from eating well, nylons covering long legs and feet in high heel shoes. Very debonair I was. Very.

So I asked him about his references, yadda yadda...knowing already what he was going to say and who he was going to use as reference. I listened to him, and he looks....sad. Like he was not expecting the job at all. She sat there with her hands folded in her lap, looking down. They both looked just used up. Beaten. Tired. Resigned. And I was thrilled. Excited. I was about to give back what was given.

When he was done telling me all the things people say when they want a job so badly to survive but are afraid they will not get it..I finally raised up and walked over to him and laid my hand on his shoulder. I said "You don't remember me, do you?" and he gawked at me. She raised her head and looked at me too. He looked perplexed, scanning my face. I smiled and said "You didn't want to. But you had to. And you knew Olivia and her family fed me. You were not afraid of Blue, my doberman because he liked you. And I saw the pain in your face, and the worry of what was to become of me, but your hands were tied. Get me gone, or you lose your job. So you did what you had to do". And as I am speaking, his face begins to change. A small smile begins, then his eyes finally blink and he sees me. Not the me right there. The THEN me. And he remembers. He stands up and hugs me and said he worried about what had become of me and I said I turned out fine. She raised up and said she knew of me because he came home from work that day he told me I had to go..and how upset he was. We all hugged. They sat. And I said "it is SO good to see you. I knew who you were as soon as you pulled up in that vette. Speaking of..what the HELL happened to it?" and he laughed and said "it got old. Like me". 

My next words made me happy..and him and his wife too. I simply said "When can you start?"

Priceless.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

*





Nasrudin, the wise fool of Sufi tradition, passes in front of a cave, sees a yogi in deep meditation, and asks him what he is seeking.

- I am contemplating the animals, and I learn many lessons from them which can transform a man’s life – says the yogi.

- Teach me what you know. And I will teach you what I have learned, because a fish has already saved my life – answers Nasrudin.

The yogi is surprised: only a saint can have his life saved by a fish. He decides to teach everything he knows.

When he finishes, Nasrudin says:

- Now I have taught you everything, I would be proud to know how a fish saved your life.

- It is simple. I was almost dying of hunger when I caught it, and thanks to it I was able to survive three days.*


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

*





A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream.
The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, 
and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. 

The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.

The traveler left rejoicing in his good fortune. 
He knew the stone was worth enough to give him 
security for a lifetime. But, a few days later, 
he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

"I've been thinking," he said. "I know how valuable this stone is,
but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something 
even more precious. Give me what you have within you that
enabled you to give me this stone.

" Sometimes it's not the wealth you have 
but what's inside you that others need.*


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

A devoted meditator, after years of concentrating on a particular mantra, had attained enough insight to begin teaching. The student's humility was far from perfect, but the teachers at the monastery were not worried.

A few years of successful teaching left the meditator with no thoughts about learning from anyone; but upon hearing about a famous hermit living nearby, the opportunity was too exciting to be passed up.

The hermit lived alone on an island at the middle of a lake, so the meditator hired a man with a boat to row across to the island. The meditator was very respectful of the old hermit. As they shared some tea made with herbs the meditator asked him about his spiritual practice. The old man said he had no spiritual practice, except a mantra which he repeated all the time to himself. The meditator was pleased; the hermit was using the same mantra he used himself-- but when the hermit spoke the mantra aloud, the meditator was horrified!

"What's wrong?" asked the hermit.

"I don't know what to say. I'm afraid you've wasted your whole life! You are pronouncing the mantra incorrectly!"

"Oh dear that is terrible. How should I say it?"

The meditator gave the correct pronunciation, and the old hermit was very grateful, asking to be left alone so he could get started right away. On the way back across the lake the meditator, now confirmed as an accomplished teacher, was pondering the sad fate of the hermit.

"It's so fortunate that I came along. At least he will have a little time to practice correctly before he dies." Just then the meditator noticed that the boatman was looking quite shocked, and turned to see the hermit standing respectfully on the water, next to the boat.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

One day wisdom, food and wealth started on a journey. As they went along they came to a man sitting under a tree. The man said, "Where are you going?" They said, "We are hunting a place to live." The man said, "As for me, I want wealth to live with me." Wealth said, "You are a dumb man. If you had chosen wisdom, all three of us could have lived with you. But you have chosen me. This cannot be, because if I lived with you without wisdom, you could not have me long."

They started off again and they met another man. The man said, "Where are you going, young man?" They said, "We are hunting a place to live." The man said , "I believe that I would like to have food live with me." Food said, "You are not clever. If you had chosen a certain one of us, all of us would live with you. But look, you have chosen me. Do you think that you could keep me? No, you could not keep me. Let us go on."

Farther on they came to a man who was working. He said, "Where are you going today?" They said, "We want a place to live." The man said, "I would like for wisdom to live with me." Food said, "If you have chosen wisdom, then I will live with you, too. I know that you will be able to take good care of me." Wealth said, "If you have chosen wisdom, then I will live with you, too. I know that you will be able to take good care of me." All three lived with him because he made a good choice.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

A man spent the whole autumn sowing and preparing his garden. In the spring, the flowers opened, and he noticed a few dandelions that he had not planted and did not want spoiling his beautiful flower garden.

He pulled them up. But the seeds had already spread, and others grew. He tried to find a poison that would kill only dandelions. An expert told him that any poison would end up killing all the other flowers too. In despair, he sought help from a wise man.

‘Did you not want color, beauty and flowers?’ asked the wise man. ‘Along with the good things in all live things, there are always a few inconveniences.’

‘What should I do, then?

‘Nothing. They may not be the flowers you intended to have, but they are still part of the garden and beautiful in themselves.’


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

It was a dense forest. All trees were straight and tall. 

Their trunks were broad and shapely. But, there was one tree which was having a crooked, twisted and shapeless trunk. 

The twisted trunk tree was sad. He thought "How ugly I am! All others are straight and shapely. I alone have crooked and twisted trunk.” 

One day a wood-cutter came there. He looked around and said "I will cut all trees here, except that crooked tree that is all twisted. That is of no use to me". 

He cut away all other trees. 

Now, the twisted tree was happy for its crookedness. 

MORAL : Be happy with what you are.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.

3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less

NOW --------

Enough of that crap . . .

The donkey later came back, and bit the shit out of the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected, and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:

When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

A woman was strolling through a shopping mall when she noticed a poster announcing a new flower shop. When she went in, she got a shock; she saw no vases, no arrangements, and it was God in person who stood behind the counter.

“You can ask for whatever you want,” said God.


“I want to be happy. I want peace, money, the capacity to be understood. I want to go to heaven when I die. And I want all this to be granted to my friends too.”

God opened a few pots that were on the shelf behind him, removed some grains from inside, and handed them to the woman.

“Here you have the seeds,” He said. “Begin to plant them, because here we don’t sell the fruits.”


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

*





‘We have no doors in our monastery,’ Shanti said to the visitor, who had come in search of knowledge.

‘And what about troublesome people who come to disturb your peace?’

‘We ignore them, and they go away,’ said Shanti.

‘I am a learned man who has come in search of knowledge,’ insisted the foreigner. ‘But what do you do about stupid people? Do you just ignore them as well until they go away? Does that work?’

Shanti did not reply. The visitor repeated his question a few times, but seeing that he got no response, he decided to go and find a teacher who was more focused on what he was doing.

‘You see how well it works?’ said Shanti to himself, smiling.*


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

*





A monk called himself the ’Master of Silence’. He was actually a fraud and had no genuine understanding. To sell his humbug Zen, he had two eloquent attendant monks to answer questions for him; but he himself never uttered a word, as if to show his inscrutable ’silent Zen’.*

*One day, during the absence of his two attendants, a pilgrim monk came to him and asked: ”Master, what is the Buddha?” Not knowing what to do or to answer, in his confusion he could only look desperately round in all directions – east and west, here and there – for his missing mouthpieces. *

*The pilgrim monk, apparently satisfied, then asked him: ”What is the dharma, sir?” He could not answer this question either, so he first looked up at the ceiling and then down at the floor, calling for help from heaven and hell. Again the monk asked: ”What is Zen?” Now the Master of Silence could do nothing but close his eyes. Finally the monk asked: ”What is blessing?” In desperation. the Master of Silence helplessly spread his hands to the questioner as a sign of surrender.*

*But the pilgrim was very pleased and satisfied with this interview. He left the ’Master’ and set out again on his journey. On the road the pilgrim met the attendant monks on the way home, and began telling them enthusiastically what an enlightened being this Master of silence was.*

*He said: ”I asked him what Buddha is. He immediately turned his face to the east and then to the west, implying that human beings are always looking for Buddha here and there, but actually Buddha is not to be found either in the east or in the west. I then asked him what the dharma is. In answer to this question he looked up and down, meaning that the truth of dharma is a totality of equalness, there being no discrimination between high and low, while both purity and impurity can be found therein.*

*In answering my question as to what Zen was, he simply closed his eyes and said nothing. That was a clue to the famous saying: ’If one can close his eyes and sleep soundly in the deep recesses of the cloudy mountains he is a great monk indeed.’*

*Finally, in answering my last question, ’What is the blessing?’ he stretched out his arms and showed both his hands to me. This implied that he was stretching out his helping hands to guide sentient beings with his blessings. Oh, what an enlightened Zen Master! How profound is his teaching!”*

*When the attendant monks returned, the ’Master of Silence’ scolded them thus: ”Where have you been all this time? A while ago I was embarrassed to death, and almost ruined, by an inquisitive pilgrim.”*


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

At a small Moroccan village an imam was thinking about the only well of the entire region. Another Muslim approached him and asked:

“What is in there?”

“God is hidden in there.”

“God is hidden inside this well? That is a sin! What you may be seeing is an image left by the unfaithful!”

The imam asked him to get closer and lean out on the edge. Reflected on the water, he could see his own face.

“But that is me!”

“Right. Now you know where God is hidden.”


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

A young man said to the abbot from the monastery, “I’d actually like to be a monk, but I haven’t learned anything in life. All my father taught me was to play chess, which does not lead to enlightenment. Apart from that, I learned that all games are a sin.

“They may be a sin but they can also be a diversion, and who knows, this monastery needs a little of both,” was the reply.

The abbot asked for a chessboard, sent for a monk, and told him to play with the young man.

But before the game began, he added, “Although we need diversion, we cannot allow everyone to play chess the whole time. So, we have the best players here; if our monk loses, he will leave the monastery and his place will be yours.”

The abbot was serious. The young man knew he was playing for his life, and broke into a cold sweat; the chessboard became the center of the world.

The monk began badly. The young man attacked, but then saw the saintly look on the other man’s face; at that moment, he began playing badly on purpose. After all, a monk is far more useful to the world.

Suddenly, the abbot threw the chessboard to the floor.

“You have learned far more than was taught you,” he said. “You concentrated yourself enough to win, were capable of fighting for your desire. Then, you had compassion, and were willing to make a sacrifice in the name of a noble cause. Welcome to the monastery, because you know how to balance discipline with compassion.”


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

“Why do you live in the desert?”

“Because I can’t be what I want to be. When I begin to be myself, people treat me with a reverence that’s false. When I am true to my faith, then they begin to doubt. They all believe they are holier than I, but they pretend they are sinners, afraid to insult my solitude. They try all the time to show that they consider me a saint, and in this way they become emissaries of the devil, tempting me with Pride.”

“Your problem isn’t trying to be who you are, but accepting others the way they are. And acting in this way, it’s better to stay in the desert,” said the gentleman, walking off.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

For days the couple traveled almost without speaking. Finally they arrived in the middle of the forest, and found the wise man.

“My companion said almost nothing to me during the whole journey,” said the young man.

“A love without silence is a love without depth,” answered the wise man.

“But she didn’t even say that she loved me!”

“Some people always claim that. And we end up wondering if their words are true.”

The three of them sat down on a rock. The wise man pointed to the field of flowers all around them.

“Nature isn’t always repeating that God loves us. But we realize that through His flowers.”


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

Buddha gathered his disciples and showed them a lotus flower.

“I want you to tell me something about what I hold in my hand.”

The first gave a whole treaty on the importance of flowers. The second composed a lovely poem about its petals. The third invented a parable using the flower as an example.

Now it was Mahakashyap’s turn. He came up to Buddha, smelt the flower, and caressed his face with one of the petals.

“This is a lotus flower,” said Mahakashyap. “Simple, like everything that comes from God. And beautiful, like everything that comes from God.”

“You were the only one who saw what I hold in my hand,” was Buddha’s comment.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

This is the story of a rose that longed for the company of the bees, but none would come to her.

Even so, the flower was still capable of dreaming. When she felt all alone, she would imagine a garden filled with bees that came to kiss her. And so she managed to resist until the next day, when she opened her petals again.

“Aren’t you tired?” someone must have asked her.

“No. I have to go on fighting,” answered the flower.

“Why?”

“Because if I don’t open up, I wither.”


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

After four years of drought in the little village, the parish priest gathered everybody to make a pilgrimage to the mountain; there they would join in communal prayer to ask for rain.

In the middle of the group the priest noticed a boy all wrapped up in warm clothes and a blanket.

“Are you crazy?” he asked. “It hasn’t rained in this region for five years and you’ll die of the heat climbing the mountain!”

“I’ve got a cold, father. If we are going to pray to God for rain, can you imagine the climb back down? The downpour is going to be so heavy that it’s better to be prepared.”

At that very moment a loud roar was heard in the sky and the first drops began to fall. The faith of a boy was enough to work a miracle that many were praying for.


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

When she was eleven years old, a little girl went to her mother to complain. “I can’t manage to have friends. They all stay away from me because I’m so jealous.”

Her mother was taking care of newly-born chickens, and the little girl held up one of them, which immediately tried to escape. The more the girl squeezed it in her hands, the more the chicken struggled.

Her mother said: “try holding it gently.”

The little girl obeyed her. She opened her hands and the chicken stopped struggling. She began to stroke it and the chicken cuddled up between her fingers.

“Human beings are like that too,” said her mother. “If you want to hold onto them by any means, they escape. But if you are kind to them, they will remain for ever by your side.”


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

Nasrudin appeared at court wearing a magnificent turban and asking for money for charity.

‘You come here asking for money, yet you are wearing an extremely expensive turban on your head. How much did that extraordinary thing cost?’ asked the sultan.

‘Five hundred gold coins,’ replied the wise Sufi.

The minister muttered: ‘That’s impossible. No turban could cost such a fortune.’

Nasrudin insisted:

‘I did not come here only to beg, I also came to do business. I paid all that money for the turban because I knew that, in all the world, only a sultan would be capable of buying it for six hundred gold coins, so that I could give the surplus to the poor.’

The sultan was flattered and paid what Nasrudin asked. On the way out, the wise man said to the minister:

‘You may know the value of a turban, but I know how far a man’s vanity can take him.’


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

Keep it calm and soothing, Tyrone. Not in this thread, please.


----------



## TyroneSlothrop (Dec 4, 2015)

Gracie said:


> Keep it calm and soothing, Tyrone. Not in this thread, please.


they say if you see the Buddha  .......


----------



## Gracie (Dec 4, 2015)

I'll ask again. Not in this thread. This is The Lounge. No more. Please.


----------



## Dhara (Jan 3, 2016)

This is not a zen story, but it is a wisdom story.  Native American tradition.  A wise, old, grandmother was asked "How did you become so wise, and calm and happy?"  She replied.  "I knew in my heart lived two wolves, one of love and one of hatred.  Each day I determined which one I was going to feed."


----------



## Pogo (Jan 3, 2016)

Gracie said:


> *Personal story from yours truly:*
> 
> *
> 
> ...



I can't remember a message board post bringing me to tears before.  Gracie, you just earned your paycheck.  Beautiful story.


----------



## OZman (Jan 17, 2016)

Once a Zen master was about to deliver a sermon to his students.

And just as he was to speak a bird sang.

He said, “ the sermon has been delivered and he left”.


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*A priest was in charge of the garden within a famous Zen temple. He had been given the job because he loved the flowers, shrubs, and trees. Next to the temple there was another, smaller temple where there lived a very old Zen master. One day, when the priest was expecting some special guests, he took extra care in tending to the garden. He pulled the weeds, trimmed the shrubs, combed the moss, and spent a long time meticulously raking up and carefully arranging all the dry autumn leaves. As he worked, the old master watched him with interest from across the wall that separated the temples. 

When he had finished, the priest stood back to admire his work. "Isn't it beautiful," he called out to the old master. "Yes," replied the old man, "but there is something missing. Help me over this wall and I'll put it right for you." 

After hesitating, the priest lifted the old fellow over and set him down. Slowly, the master walked to the tree near the center of the garden, grabbed it by the trunk, and shook it. Leaves showered down all over the garden. "There," said the old man, "you can put me back now."*
*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*


_People's reactions to this story:

"It's not perfect to be perfect. It's a relief to remember that. But then I wonder, did the old master feel jealous of the beauty created by the priest and seek to destroy it in the guise of teaching a message? Trying to perfectly imperfect is egotistical too!"

"Nature is more perfect than anything man can create. To disrupt that beauty for the sake of making something beautiful is an absurdity."

"Let nature take its course. It's not perfect but is beautiful all in itself."

"We should try to see things as they really are, including their imperfections. THAT'S beauty."

"Trying to be perfect can make a person miserable."

"Beauty is not something you make. It happens spontaneously, naturally, by itself."

"Keep nature around! Don't try to sweep it away!"

"I wonder if cleanliness symbolizes emptiness, and if the leaves symbolize freedom. The old man thought the leaves gave the yard a more practical, natural look. What in life is perfect and always in order? When things are in order, there is nothing really to look at."

"Ah, a lesson from the Thoreau school of nature appreciation. People should make an effort to put off the facades they project in everyday life. You should present yourself as freely as possible and not feel so uncomfortable with your identity that you become something you are not."

"If you act a certain way all of the time, don't be a phony and try to change the way you are just for certain people."

"God gives nature its natural beauty. Things are a certain way for a reason."

"A person shouldn't get too preoccupied with the vanities of life, because something unexpected will come along and shatter your ideals."

"Normally the younger priest would not have the garden look so perfect. He was trying to impress his company. The Zen master was trying to show him to be and act like himself, and not to create a false image."

"Natural beauty is better than beauty put on for some purpose."

"The quest for perfect is an eternal pursuit with no destination in sight."

"Don't rain on anyone's parade! Give compliments where they belong and don't criticize so much! Jealousy is a bad thing - don't take revenge out on others."

"Don't try to create something that is not meant to be. Only when we disrupt nature does it become ugly."

"Nature doesn't need our help to be beautiful - but we need the help of nature."

"This story has to do with control, and how things are much better - especially events in nature and the world - if we just let go and let nature take its course."

"This story is about trust - when to trust, and when not to."

"Maybe because the old man's garden didn't look as good, this story is a message about the neglect of elders."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

Do you have your own ideas of why the old master shook the tree?


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*A Taoist story tells of an old man who accidentally fell into the river rapids leading to a high and dangerous waterfall. Onlookers feared for his life. Miraculously, he came out alive and unharmed downstream at the bottom of the falls. People asked him how he managed to survive. "I accommodated myself to the water, not the water to me. Without thinking, I allowed myself to be shaped by it. Plunging into the swirl, I came out with the swirl. This is how I survived."

(Some versions describe Confucius as witnessing this event. Also, in some versions, the old man explains how he has been jumping into the waterfall like this since he was a small boy. )*
*
People's reactions to this story:
"You have to accommodate yourself to life and get used to dealing with your problems as they come. You must learn to cooperate."

"We must adapt to nature. Nature cannot change for us. If you try to fight the natural forces, they will overcome you. Because we are made primarily of water, it is easy to become a part of it."

"Because nature is so much more powerful than we are, we must become one with it in order to survive."

"Humans are not the almighty conquerors that they think they are. We can learn a lot from nature. Nature is wonderful and does not intend to harm. It is humans that are harmful."

"Sometimes we go through life wanting the world and other people to accommodate to us. When they don't, we get rigid and defensive, thereby getting us in trouble and making the situation a lot worse for ourselves."

"Have faith and serenity that everything will work out. When you try to control events, they backfire."

"Work with what life gives you and you will survive."

"Put your life into God's hands and you will be OK."

"Although you may not be able to control your destiny, you always have the ability to think and reason about your situation. This will help you come out on top."

"Too often people are strict in their ways of living. Stubborn people either are left behind or die out."

"You should take control of a situation before it takes control of you."

"Where there's a will there's a way."

"Sometimes even when you do the best you can to adapt to others and/or situations it doesn't help you. In fact, it could make things worse because you could lose your identity. Conformity is not always a good thing. Having an identity as an individual sometimes means going against the grain."

"Don't give in to fear during a dangerous situation. It is fear that destroys you."

"The water is like religion - we have to accommodate to it."

"It's interesting to see how the old man draws a parallel between the physical and spiritual world. You must be one with a crisis. If we accept obstacles or tragedies as universal events and don't attempt to conquer or repress them, then it will not be seen as an obstacle or a disaster, but simply as an experience."

"Miracles do happen. The old man must have been very strong-willed."

"I can imagine the old man's physical sensations when he was in the water - frightened and peaceful at the same time. I remember being two years old and overcome by large waves when swimming at the beach. Perhaps if I had accommodated myself to the water, I would not have been as frightened."

"The man knew he was going to survive and never gave into fear. Maybe that's the lesson - always maintain a positive attitude about life."

"Never lose your temper, remain calm, and take things in stride as they come. If you have faith, things will work out."

"This must have been a very dangerous situation, but then water symbolizes rebirth and cleansing, doesn't it?"

"Oh yeah, right! He was just lucky!"

"I don't know he could have done it 'without thinking.'"

"Sounds like the old man should be a character on a soap opera."

"This story doesn't apply to reality. Wake up!"

"Why didn't anyone who was watching help him out of the water?"

"This old man seems rather arrogant and narcissistic about himself."

"The story reminds me of people who tried to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. They got arrested for that."

*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*Destiny*

*

During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, "I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If tails, we shall lose. Destiny will now reveal itself."

He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious. After the battle, a lieutenant remarked to the general, "No one can change destiny."

"Quite right," the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.


People's reactions to this story:*
"You have to be optimistic and confident, otherwise you are doomed."

"If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything."

"If you believe that a higher power is on your side, you can accomplish anything."

There ain't nothing like the power of positive thinking. It's a power much greater than oneself."

"Keep the faith!"

"This is a good story for children. You have to TRY if you want to accomplish something. If you don't, you'll never know. To me, 'never to have known' is the worst destiny."

"You can change your destiny. If you aren't responsible for yourself, who will be?"

"I'd love to tell this story to my sister. She always has doubts about herself."

"Almost all of the problems I've encountered in my life were due to the fact that I had doubts about myself, or others."

"Often, when I have to make a difficult decision about something, I toss a coin. It does make me feel more confident about my actions.. Funny, though, that I sometimes keep tossing it until I get the answer I want."

"This story is about a charismatic leader manipulating the emotions of his followers to a beneficial effect. I wonder if Hitler flipped a coin."

"Reminds me of pulling the pedals off of a flower.... She loves me, she loves me not..."

"Talk about a self-fulfilling prophesy!"

"Well, the general won his battle, but he lied to his men in the process. I wonder if that's such a good idea."

"I'd be curious to know how the men would have reacted to finding out about the general's trick. Would they ever trust him again?"

"How many leaders are just tricking us into doing what we do?"

"One person's destiny is another's manipulation."

"I guess when someone surrenders himself to destiny, there's another person behind the scenes who has taken charge to make sure that destiny happens."

"If the soldiers' destiny was the trick of the general, then who is playing tricks with MY destiny?"

"Is there such a thing as destiny?.... I wonder."


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*Masterpiece*

*

A master calligrapher was writing some characters onto a piece of paper. One of his especially perceptive students was watching him. When the calligrapher was finished, he asked for the student's opinion - who immediately told him that it wasn't any good. The master tried again, but the student criticized the work again. Over and over, the calligrapher carefully redrew the same characters, and each time the student rejected it. Finally, when the student had turned his attention away to something else and wasn't watching, the master seized the opportunity to quickly dash off the characters. "There! How's that?," he asked the student. The student turned to look. "THAT.... is a masterpiece!" he exclaimed.


(Legend states this is the story behind master Kosen's creation of an ink template that was used to create the wood carving "The First Principle" that appears over the gate of Obaku Temple in Kyoto)

People's reactions to this story:*
"It's not how perfect you do something that's important, but how others perceive it."

"It's reminds me of trying hard to accomplish something, and failing. If you just do your best, then that's the masterpiece."

"Spontaneity is beautiful, not carefully planned out and conforming work."

"Trying hard at something can lead to poor results. Let it come naturally."

"We get habituated to everyday life. When we see something all the time, we take it for granted. When we see something new, for the first time, we appreciate it."

"Originality is what makes each of us a masterpiece. Don't stick to the same old way of doing things."

"Stop thinking and just do what's natural for you, instead of what's expected. Some of our best work is done when we least expect it."

"You can't perform perfectly under the watch of critical eyes. When you don't force perfection, it happens by itself, spontaneously. Great things happen when you least suspect it."

"Whenever you watch over someone you make them self-conscious and uncreative. It's like trying to teach a child. If you let them alone they will usually figure it out themselves and it will be great."

"Teachers always criticize students' work even though they revise it many times. It's a hassle. You wonder if it is ever good enough. Students sometimes feel that they'd like to switch places with the professor, so the professor can feel what it's like to be criticized over and over."

"I have to wonder why was the master so concerned with the student's opinion in the first place? Anyway, I think that when you become an expert at something, you pay less attention to it than someone who is new to it and who therefore has something valuable to offer."

"Sounds like the master is the student and the student is the master."

"People tend to be too critical. If they do not see the effort that goes into a project and just the finished work, then they can appreciate it."

"You can't see a masterpiece as it's being created stroke by stroke. You have to see it whole. It's like not being able to see the forest from the trees."


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*Headmaster, Camp Meeker Cabal.
A Serious young man foudn the conflicts of mod 20th Century America confusing. He went to many people seeking a way of resolving within himself the discords that troubled him, but he remained troubled.
One night in a coffee house, a self-ordained Zen Master said to him, "Go to the dilapidated mansion you will find at this address which I have written down for you. Do not speak to those who live there; you must remain silent until the moon rises tomorrow night. Go to the large room on the right of the main hallway, sit in the lotus position on top of the rubble in the northeast corner, face the corner, and meditate."
He did as the Zen Master instructed. His meditation was frequently interrupted by worries. He worried whether or not the rest of the plumbing fixtures would fall from the second floow bathroom to join the pipes and other trash he was sitting on. He worried how would he know when the moon rose on the next night. He worried about what the people who walked through the room said about him.
His worrying and meditation were disturbed when, as if in a test of faith, ordure fell from the second floor onto him. At that time two people walked into the room. The first asked the second who the man sitting thre was. The second replied "Some say he is a holy man, Others say he is a shithead."
Hearing this, the man was enlightened.*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*









The Gates of Paradise 
A soldier named Nobushige came to Hakuin, and asked: "Is there really a paradise and a hell?" 
"Who are you?" inquired Hakuin. 
"I am a samurai," the warrior replied. 
"You, a soldier!" exclaimed Hakuin. "What kind of ruler would have you as his guard? Your face looks like that of a beggar." 
Nobushige became so angry that he began to draw his sword, but Hakuin continued: "So you have a sword ! Your weapon is probably much too dull to cut off my head." 
As Nobushige drew his sword Hakuin remarked: "Here open the gates of hell!" 
At these words the samurai, perceiving the master's discipline, sheathed his sword and bowed. 
"Here open the gates of paradise," said Hakuin.*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*




The Present Moment 
A Japanese warrior was captured by his enemies and thrown into prison. That night he was unable to sleep because he feared that the next day he would be interrogated, tortured, and executed. Then the words of his Zen master came to him, 
"Tomorrow is not real. It is an illusion. The only reality is now." 
Heeding these words, the warrior became peaceful and fell asleep.*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





More Is Not Enough The Stone Cutter 
There was once a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. 
One day he passed a wealthy merchant's house. Through the open gateway, he saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stone cutter. He became very envious and wished that he could be like the merchant. 
To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever imagined, but envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. Soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!" 
Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around. It was a hot summer day, so the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!" Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!" 
Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!" 
Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, feared and hated by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it - a huge, towering rock. "How powerful that rock is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a rock!" 
Then he became the rock, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the hard surface, and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the rock?" he thought. 
He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone cutter.*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

Another version of one already told. This one is the best, It think.

*Time To Learn 
A young but earnest Zen student approached his teacher, and asked the Zen Master: 
"If I work very hard and diligent how long will it take for me to find Zen." 
The Master thought about this, then replied, "Ten years." 
The student then said, "But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast -- How long then ?" 
Replied the Master, "Well, twenty years." 
"But, if I really, really work at it. How long then ?" asked the student. 
"Thirty years," replied the Master. 
"But, I do not understand," said the disappointed student. "At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that ?" 
Replied the Master," When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Spider*

*A Tibetan story tells of a meditation student who, while meditating in his room, believed he saw a spider descending in front of him. Each day the menacing creature returned, growing larger and larger each time. So frightened was the student, that he went to his teacher to report his dilemma. He said he planned to place a knife in his lap during meditation, so when the spider appeared he would kill it. The teacher advised him against this plan. Instead, he suggested, bring a piece of chalk to meditation, and when the spider appeared, mark an "X" on its belly. Then report back. 
The student returned to his meditation. When the spider again appeared, he resisted the urge to attack it, and instead did just what the master suggested. When he later reported back to the master, the teacher told him to lift up his shirt and look at his own belly. There was the "X".*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Transient 
A famous spiritual teacher came to the front door of the King's palace. None of the guards tried to stop him as he entered and made his way to where the King himself was sitting on his throne. 
"What do you want?" asked the King, immediately recognizing the visitor. 
"I would like a place to sleep in this inn," replied the teacher. 
"But this is not an inn," said the King, "It is my palace." 
"May I ask who owned this palace before you?" 
"My father. He is dead." 
"And who owned it before him?" 
"My grandfather. He too is dead." 
"And this place where people live for a short time and then move on - did I hear you say that it is NOT an inn?"*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Yes and No 
According to The Platform Sutra, Shen Hui asked the Sixth Patriarch: "When you sit in meditation, High Master, do you see or not?" 
The Master hit him three times with his stick and asked: "When I hit you, does it hurt or not?" 
"It both does and does not hurt." 
"I both see and do not see." 
"How can you both see and not see?" 
The Master said: "What I see are the waverings and wanderings of my own mind. What I do not see is the right and wrong and good and bad of other people. This my seeing and not seeing."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Gratitude 
Fred: "Why must we bow at the end of a meditation period?" 
Ho Chi Zen: "To thank God it's over."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Serving Others 
A Sufi teaching story tells of a man who prayed continually for the awareness to succeed in life. Then one night he dreamed of going into the forest to attain understanding. The next morning he went into the woods and wandered for several hours looking for some sign that would provide answers. When he finally stopped to rest, he saw a fox with no legs lying between two rocks in a cool place. Curious as to how a legless fox could survive, he waited until sunset when he observed a lion come and lay meat before the fox. "Ah, I understand," the man thought. "The secret to success in life is to trust that God will take care of all my needs. I don't need to provide for myself. All I have to do is totally surrender to my all-sustaining God." Two weeks later, weakened and starving, the man had another dream. In it he heard a voice say, "Fool. Be like the lion, not like the fox."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*






A Wishing Tree 
There is a parable about a poor man walking through the woods reflecting upon his many troubles. He stopped to rest against a tree, a magical tree that would instantly grant the wishes of anyone who came in contact with it. He realized he was thirsty and wished for a drink. Instantly a cup of cool water was in his hand. Shocked, he looked at the water, he decided it was safe and drank it. He then realized he was hungry and wished he had something to eat. A meal appeared before him. "My wishes are being granted," he thought in disbelief. "Well, then I wish for a beautiful home of my own," he said out loud. The home appeared in the meadow before him. A huge smile crossed his face as he wished for servants to take care of the house. When they appeared he realized he had somehow been blessed with an incredible power and he wished for a beautiful, loving, intelligent woman to share his good fortune. "Wait a minute, this is ridiculous," said the man to the woman. "I'm not this lucky. This can't happen to me." As he spoke...everything disappeared. He shook his head and said, "I knew it," then walked away thinking about his many troubles.*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





The Thief and the Zen master 
One evening, Zen master Shichiri Kojun was reciting sutras when a thief entered his house with a sharp sword, demanding "money or life". Without any fear, Shichiri said, "Don't disturb me! Help yourself with the money, it's in that drawer". And he resumed his recitation. 
The thief was startled by this unexpected reaction, but he proceeded with his business anyway. While he was helping himself with the money, the master stopped and called, "Don't take all of it. Leave some for me to pay my taxes tomorrow". The thief left some money behind and prepared to leave. Just before he left, the master suddenly shouted at him, "You took my money and you didn't even thank me?! That's not polite!". This time, the thief was really shocked at such fearlessness. He thanked the master and ran away. The thief later told his friends that he had never been so frightened in his life. 
A few days later, the thief was caught and confessed, among many others, his thieft at Shichiri's house. When the master was called as a witness, he said, "No, this man did not steal anything from me. I gave him the money. He even thanked me for it." 
The thief was so touched that he decided to repent. Upon his release from prison, he became a disciple of the master and many years later, he attained Enlightenment.*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Obeying 
The master Bankei's talks were attended not only by Zen students but by persons of all ranks and sects. He never quoted sutras not indulged in scholastic dissertations. Instead, his words were spoken directly from his heart to the hearts of his listeners. His large audience angered a priest of the Nichiren sect because the adherents had left to hear about Zen. The self-centered Nichiren priest came to the temple, determined to have a debate with Bankei. "Hey, Zen teacher!" he called out. "Wait a minute. Whoever respects you will obey what you say, but a man like myself does not respect you. Can you make me obey you?" "Come up beside me and I will show you," said Bankei. Proudly the priest pushed his way through the crowd to the teacher. Bankei smiled. "Come over to my left side." The priest obeyed. "No," said Bankei, "we may talk better if you are on the right side. Step over here." The priest proudly stepped over to the right. "You see," observed Bankei, "you are obeying me and I think you are a very gentle person. Now sit down and listen."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*






Getting hold of emptiness 

Sekkyo said to one of his monks, "Can you get hold of Emptiness?" 
"I'll try," said the monk, and he cupped his hand in the air. 
"That's not very good," said Sekkyo. "You haven't got anything in there!" "Well, master," said the monk, "please show me a better way." 
Thereupon Sekkyo seized the monk's nose and gave it a great yank. 
"Ouch!" yelled the monk. "You hurt me!". "That's the way to get hold of Emptiness!" said Sekkyo.*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Little miracles 

While Bankei was preaching quietly to his followers, his talk was interrupted by a Shinsu priest who believed in miracles, and thought salvation came from repeating holy words. Bankei was unable to go on with his talk, and asked the priest what he wanted to say. 'The founder of my religion," boasted the priest, "stood on one shore of a river with a writing brush in his hand. His disciple stood on the other shore holding a sheet of paper. And the founder wrote the holy name of Amida onto the paper across the river through air! Can you do anything so miraculous?" 
"No," said Bankei, "I can do only little miracles. Like: when I am hungry, I eat. When I am thirsty, I drink. When I am insulted, I forgive."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Blind man with lantern 

An old Zen master always told this fable to unserious students: Late one night a blind man was about to go home after visiting a friend. "Please," he said to his friend, "may I take your lantern with me?" "Why carry a lantern?" asked his friend. "You won't see any better with it." "No," said the blind one, "perhaps not. But others will see me better, and not bump into me." So his friend gave the blind man the lantern, which was made of paper on bamboo strips, with a candle inside. Off went the blind man with the lantern, and before he had gone more than a few yards, "Crack!" -- a traveler walked right into him. The blind man was very angry. "Why don't you look out?" he stormed. "Why don't you see this lantern?" 
"Why don't you light the candle?" asked the traveler.*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*






Shooting the target 

After winning several archery contests, the young and rather boastful champion challenged a Zen master who was renowned for his skill as an archer. The young man demonstrated remarkable technical proficiency when he hit a distant bull's eye on his first try, and then split that arrow with his second shot. "There," he said to the old man, "see if you can match that!" Undisturbed, the master did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for the young archer to follow him up the mountain. Curious about the old fellow's intentions, the champion followed him high into the mountain until they reached a deep chasm spanned by a rather flimsy and shaky log. Calmly stepping out onto the middle of the unsteady and certainly perilous bridge, the old master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his bow, and fired a clean, direct hit. "Now it is your turn," he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the safe ground. Staring with terror into the seemingly bottomless and beckoning abyss, the young man could not force himself to step out onto the log, no less shoot at a target. "You have much skill with your bow," the master said, sensing his challenger's predicament, "but you have little skill with the mind that lets loose the shot."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Egotism 

The Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty was a national hero for his success as both a statesman and military leader. But despite his fame, power, and wealth, he considered himself a humble and devout Buddhist. Often he visited his favorite Zen master to study under him, and they seemed to get along very well. The fact that he was prime minister apparently had no effect on their relationship, which seemed to be simply one of a revered master and respectful student. One day, during his usual visit, the Prime Minister asked the master, "Your Reverence, what is egotism according to Buddhism?" The master's face turned red, and in a very condescending and insulting tone of voice, he shot back, "What kind of stupid question is that!?" This unexpected response so shocked the Prime Minister that he became sullen and angry. The Zen master then smiled and said, "THIS, Your Excellency, is egotism."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





What is Zen? 

Roshi Kapleau agreed to educate a group of psychoanalysts about Zen. After being introduced to the group by the director of the analytic institute, the Roshi quietly sat down upon a cushion placed on the floor. A student entered, prostrated before the master, and then seated himself on another cushion a few feet away, facing his teacher. "What is Zen?" the student asked. The Roshi produced a banana, peeled it, and started eating. "Is that all? Can't you show me anything else?" the student said. "Come closer, please," the master replied. The student moved in and the Roshi waved the remaining portion of the banana before the student's face. The student prostrated, and left. A second student rose to address the audience. "Do you all understand?" When there was no response, the student added, "You have just witnessed a first-rate demonstration of Zen. Are there any questions?" After a long silence, someone spoke up. "Roshi, I am not satisfied with your demonstration. You have shown us something that I am not sure I understand. It must be possible to TELL us what Zen is." "If you must insist on words," the Roshi replied, "then Zen is an elephant copulating with a flea."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





The returned gift 

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?"*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Helping people 
Upon meeting a Zen master at a social event, a psychiatrist decided to ask him a question that had been on his mind. "Exactly how do you help people?" he inquired. "I get them where they can't ask any more questions," the Master answered.*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





Enlightenment after death 

The Emperor asked Master Gudo, "What happens to a man of enlightenment after death?" 
"How should I know?" replied Gudo. 
"Because you are a master," answered the Emperor. 
"Yes sir," said Gudo, "but not a dead one."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 27, 2016)

*





The order of things 

A rich man asked a Zen master to write something down that could encourage the prosperity of his family for years to come. It would be something that the family could cherish for generations. On a large piece of paper, the master wrote, "Father dies, son dies, grandson dies." 
The rich man became angry when he saw the master's work. 
"I asked you to write something down that could bring happiness and prosperity to my family. Why do you give me something epressing like this?" "If your son should die before you," the master answered, "this would bring unbearable grief to your family. If your grandson should die before your son, this also would bring great sorrow. If your family, generation after generation, disappears in the order I have described, it will be the natural course of life. This is true happiness and prosperity."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 28, 2016)

G.T. 






*The poet Basho said: "Forget yourself. Become one with the universe and your music. Let it flow through you. No matter how perfect technically, if your expression is not natural and unselfconscious, your music won't affect others emotionally but will merely be your subjective counterfeit."*
*
(In other words...be yourself. Some will find enlightenment with your self conscience.) *


----------



## Gracie (Jan 28, 2016)

*





One of master Gasan's monks visited the university in Tokyo. When he returned, he asked the master if he had ever read the Christian Bible. "No," Gasan replied, "Please read some of it to me." The monk opened the Bible to the Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew, and began reading. After reading Christ's words about the lilies in the field, he paused. Master Gasan was silent for a long time. "Yes," he finally said, "Whoever uttered these words is an enlightened being. What you have read to me is the essence of everything I have been trying to teach you here!"*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 28, 2016)

*





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."*


----------



## Gracie (Jan 28, 2016)

*




A puzzled monk once said to Fuketsu: "You say truth can be expressed without speaking, and without keeping silent. How can this be?" 
Fuketsu answered, "In Southern China in the Spring, when I was only a lad, ah! how birds sang among the blossoms!"*


----------



## Pogo (May 29, 2016)




----------

