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11.Elephant and Flea
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."
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12.Empty Your Cup
A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master
quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the
visitor's cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the
overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. "It's overfull! No
more will go in!" the professor blurted. "You are like this cup," the master
replied, "How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup."
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13.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.
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14.Full Awareness
After ten years of apprenticeship, Tenno achieved the rank of Zen teacher. One
rainy day, he went to visit the famous master Nan-in. When he walked in, the
master greeted him with a question, "Did you leave your wooden clogs and
umbrella on the porch?"
"Yes," Tenno replied.
"Tell me," the master continued, "did you place your umbrella to the left of
your shoes, or to the right?"
Tenno did not know the answer, and realized that he had not yet attained full
awareness. So he became Nan-in's apprentice and studied under him for ten more
years.
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15.The Gift of Insults
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?"
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16.Going with the Flow
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. )
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17.Gutei's Finger
Whenever anyone asked him about Zen, the great master Gutei would quietly raise
one finger into the air. A boy in the village began to imitate this behavior.
Whenever he heard people talking about Gutei's teachings, he would interrupt the
discussion and raise his finger. Gutei heard about the boy's mischief. When he
saw him in the street, he seized him and cut off his finger. The boy cried and
began to run off, but Gutei called out to him. When the boy turned to look,
Gutei raised his finger into the air. At that moment the boy became enlightened.
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18.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 greeted 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."
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19.I Don't Know
The emperor, who was a devout Buddhist, invited a great Zen master to the Palace
in order to ask him questions about Buddhism. "What is the highest truth of the
holy Buddhist doctrine?" the emperor inquired.
"Vast emptiness... and not a trace of holiness," the master replied.
"If there is no holiness," the emperor said, "then who or what are you?"
"I do not know," the master replied.
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20.Is That So?
A beautiful girl in the village was pregnant. Her angry parents demanded to know
who was the father. At first resistant to confess, the anxious and embarrassed
girl finally pointed to Hakuin, the Zen master whom everyone previously revered
for living such a pure life. When the outraged parents confronted Hakuin with
their daughter's accusation, he simply replied "Is that so?"
When the child was born, the parents brought it to the Hakuin, who now was
viewed as a pariah by the whole village. They demanded that he take care of the
child since it was his responsibility. "Is that so?" Hakuin said calmly as he
accepted the child.
For many months he took very good care of the child until the daughter could no
longer withstand the lie she had told. She confessed that the real father was a
young man in the village whom she had tried to protect. The parents immediately
went to Hakuin to see if he would return the baby. With profuse apologies they
explained what had happened. "Is that so?" Hakuin said as he handed them the
child.
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