NICOLE KIDMAN
PIERCE BROSNAN LALOO PRASAD
M.K.GANDHI
SUSHMA SWARAJ HRITHIK ROSHAN
SEARCH MORE
CARTOON GALLERY
KERALA POLITICS: K.KARUNAKARAN FORMS NEW PARTY
INDIAN POLITICS: CRISIS IN
BJP
SEARCH MORE
PORTRAIT GALLERY
MOTHER TERESA HRITHIK ROSHAN
RAJEEV GANDHI
SEARCH MORE
ZEN STORIES COLLECTION
Bell
Teacher
A new student approached the Zen master and asked how he should prepare
himself for his training. "Think of me a bell," the master explained. "Give
me a soft tap, and you will get a tiny ping. Strike hard, and you'll receive
a loud, resounding peal."
**************************
Books
Once there was a well known philosopher and scholar who devoted himself to
the study of Zen for many years. On the day that he finally attained
enlightenment, he took all of his books out into the yard, and burned them
all.
*************************
Christian Buddha
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!"
*************************
Chasing Two Rabbits
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."
*****************************
Cliffhanger
One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious
tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save
himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice. As he hung
there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine.
Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and
popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!
*****************************
Concentration
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."
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.""
SEARCH MORE
