Some enlightening Zen Stories

Lori;

What an awesome analogy!  I'm glad you enjoyed the story, rj

Richard, this story made me think of a violinist or pianist with perfect technique but who is playing without soul!
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

Edda;
That too is a good analogy! You and Lori have made me think back to whenever I learned a new skill, it wasn't until I forgot to learn that I really became adept at it.
Gassho, rj

"We must be the change we want to see in this world."

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Yes!  That's so true, isn't it?  "Forgetting to learn."

To truly listen is to perfect one's own virtue.

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.


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"We must be the change we want to see in this world."

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

It's a pity we can't have that sense of certainty about working for an end to all war.
I think there is always a little 'niggle' at the back of our minds which says "It will never happen" even though we really want it to.
 
Jude

Love is the only way

Hi rj and fellow zenmembers
I love the story and it has come to enlighten me also...
I felt like the meaning from the place I am viewing it
from is that we will have many battles , our attitude will
determine if we view our war as won or lost....
Namaste
Hope coach
Barbara T.

Our Glory Is not In Never Falling
Our Glory Is Rising Every Time We Fall
Confuscious

It seems to me like the story is saying that we are our own destiny, that we look to "magic" or ritual or authority sometimes, when we have what we need within us. 
 
Lori

To truly listen is to perfect one's own virtue.

Richard, this story makes me think of living up or down to expectations. There is a story about a teacher being told that her students were gifted. She taught them accordingly and they performed as expected. However it turned out that they were not among those considered gifted to begin with!
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

A distraught man approached the Zen master. "Please, Master, I feel lost, desperate. I don't know who I am. Please, show me my true self!" But the teacher just looked away without responding. The man began to plead and beg, but still the master gave no reply. Finally giving up in frustration, the man turned to leave. At that moment the master called out to him by name. "Yes!" the man said as he spun back around. "There it is!" exclaimed the master.

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Richard, a new year, a new challenge, and welcome back! 
 
To my knowledge in other cultures names have a profound meaning and power. Being called by name was a mmoment of enlightenment for this man. Responding "Yes" was saying yes to who he was.
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

Hi, Richard!  I've missed your wisdom and your stories!!
 
I agree with Edda.  Also I thought that while the distraught man was "grasping," he wasn't his true self.  He was impatient, thinking he was in need, etc.  When he walked away, maybe he was practicing more acceptance, while remaining open (as evidenced by his "yes" response) to finding it.  It seems like while we seek, it remains elusive.  The trick is to see what is and respond to it when we find it. 
 
Or not.
 
Hugs and welcome back, Richard.
Lori

To truly listen is to perfect one's own virtue.

Edda, it took your little bit of enlightenment for me to understand the story
 
It must take a different sort of mind to mine to understand Zen.
Jude

Love is the only way

Hi All
It takes me awhile to sit with the stories that is what I love about Zen it is in the sitting with the story that to me what is revealed is more about our mind and perception : the first story the general appears to determine destiny but I think it was the soldiers perception of the battle and their might that influenced the outcome so based on what the mind percieves we shape self or events when we practice detachment whatever the outcome we remain okay....ultimately it is the act of meditation on the stories I find I am grateful for... thanks rj and I am enjoying the Daily Zen site as well
Namaste Hope coach
 

Our Glory Is not In Never Falling
Our Glory Is Rising Every Time We Fall
Confuscious

I love to read all your different interpretations to these stories and if you click on the links "Click here to read other people's reactions to this story" you get to view a number of other perspectives as well.  It's interesting to note that in this particular case no one picked up on the possibility that the distraught man's basic problem was his lack of perseverance and when he gave up and turned away the master drew his attention to this and he realized himself to be a quitter.  All of us suffer from pain, anxiety, loss and most of all fear. From the very beginning we learn stategies to overcome or avoid suffering;  lonliness, humility, axiety, fear, etc. etc. But, what we need to do is "be" with the pain, loss, lonliness, humility, axiety, fear.  Truly experience it, not our learned conditioned response.  Each experience is different but we mask over the differences with our memories and very seldom do we realize that "nothing matters", it can all be taken care of if we just let go.  All of what we percieve as reality is made up from our thoughts. Nothing is as bad as we can imagine. Everything is born, lives and dies. Go with the flow and be joyfull; be still and know that you are not alone. The greatest gift that we receive is our ability to love ourselves and share that love with others.  The Egyptians believed that they would be asked two questions upon meeting their death; "Did you have joy in your lifetime." and "Did you cause joy in your lifetime." My wish for all of you at the beginning of this new year is, that you can answer these two questions with "YES !!"

A student once asked his teacher, "Master, what is enlightenment?"
The master replied, "When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep."

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"Did you have joy in your lifetime." and "Did you cause joy in your lifetime."
 
Richard, this is key!  Jude

Love is the only way

I think this last story is about pure experience. 
 
Lori

To truly listen is to perfect one's own virtue.

I think this story is about living in the present moment, doing what it calls for.
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

The wife of a man became very sick. On her deathbed, she said to him, "I love you so much! I don't want to leave you, and I don't want you to betray me. Promise that you will not see any other women once I die, or I will come back to haunt you."

For several months after her death, the husband did avoid other women, but then he met someone and fell in love. On the night that they were engaged to be married, the ghost of his former wife appeared to him. She blamed him for not keeping the promise, and every night thereafter she returned to taunt him. The ghost would remind him of everything that transpired between him and his fiancee that day, even to the point of repeating, word for word, their conversations. It upset him so badly that he couldn't sleep at all.

Desperate, he sought the advice of a Zen master who lived near the village. "This is a very clever ghost," the master said upon hearing the man's story. "It is!" replied the man. "She remembers every detail of what I say and do. It knows everything!" The master smiled, "You should admire such a ghost, but I will tell you what to do the next time you see it."

That night the ghost returned. The man responded just as the master had advised. "You are such a wise ghost," the man said, "You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer me one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life." "Ask your question," the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor, "Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand."
At that moment the ghost disappeared and never returned.


Read other People's reactions to this story:

One interrpretation of this story is that we need learn to confront our doubts and fears for that is what they are; fleeting thoughts left to their own devices gather momentum, fleeting thoughts passively observed magically vanish. Remembering that our purpose is to be happy and bring joy to others, it is the good memories that we should encourage.

"We must be the change we want to see in this world."

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

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.
 
I lit a candle in the zendo.

Thankful one

Gratitude is the acknowledgement of goodness in one's life. In gratitude we say yes to life... from Thanks - How the new science of gratitude can make you happier by Robert Emmons, Ph.D.

Thankful one,

I wish you many happy lightings in the zendo

"We must be the change we want to see in this world."

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Thank you, Richard, for the Zen stories, particularly for the last one about the warrior. It seems to have been written for me, as I am a typical "worrier" (though not a warrior).
When there is nothing to worry about around, I sleep like a ... (what do you in English say? German speaks of sleeping like a stone). But let the slightest worry appear on the horizon, and I will think I have to stay awake to take care of it... Next time I will try to put the words of the Zen master into practice as it is true: TOMORROW IS NOT REAL. IT IS AN ILLUSION. THE ONLY REALITY IS NOW.

Juliana
_____________________________
Speak Peace in a World of Conflict

Juliana, one way to say it in English would be "sleeping like a baby". Babies haven't learned yet to worry. I wish I had never learned it since it is such an unproductive exercise, but this has never stopped me! I am trying to just live in the NOW.
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

I guess that's why we all year for childhood to return
when we're adults. I mean if you had a happy childhood
you wish you could return to school,youth and all your
happy times.The times you wished away too soon;Being
in a hurry to grow up. I had less worries when I was
younger and I would give anything to go back to
those days!!!!,Better than today.....

''Before You Judge Someone By Their Manners,
Behavior ,Disabilities, Way Of Life,Or Appearence.
Imagine Yourself In Their Position First...

Isn't it the worry that allows you to grow up and shed the delusion of childhood??

                       
 
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."
 
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"We must be the change we want to see in this world."

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Leanda and Richard,  Going back to your posts as well as to mine: it depends on what we mean by "worries". I still agree with the Zen story: worries are delusions and are, therefore, useless. So I try to do away with them as best I can. Let me look at it from a language point of view which has helped me. In German, we have only one word, namely "Sorge", whereas in English there are two: "worry/-ies", and "care". Growing up means learning to get away from worrying  about the "false self", which is an illusion, and "caring" for, i.e. loving people and goals outside of our ego. I have always liked the possibility of asking, "Do you care for me?" in English, which is another way of saying, "Do you love me?", isn´t it? It points to what love is all about. (In German we lack the equivalent).

Juliana
_____________________________
Speak Peace in a World of Conflict

I'm kinda' stuck on the meaning of this last story, except that he will get out of the relationship what he puts into it.  I keep looking for more, but maybe there isn't more?
 
Lori

To truly listen is to perfect one's own virtue.

Lori;  Did you look at (click on) "Read other people's reactions to this story"? Is it Dr.Phil that says, "We teach others how to treat us."

Juliana; Not necessarily but, I do love you.  The greatest gift we receive in this life is to love ourselves and share that compassion with others.  Love can be defined as 'sharing and caring'; ergo, I also care for you.  So, maybe you only need one word !!

Leanda;  The Dali Llama says Our purpose in life is to is to be Happy.  In order to attain this we need live in the present (NOW).  So, when asked where you'd rather be; I certainly hope the answer is, "HERE"

Remember, We are what we think and you can always change your mind !!

"We must be the change we want to see in this world."

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Richard, It seems to me that we have a typical misunderstanding here. Sorry if I have not made clear enough what I mean. I was trying to point out the difference between "worry" and "care". (In German we only have one word for both, namely "Sorge"). The two words are related, aren´t they? Whereas "worry" is a delusion - as the Zen story shows - "care" is what is demanded by love, and therefore cannot nor should not be done away with. If I love someone, I will care for them - without worrying, if possible. I was trying to show that the question "Do you care for me?" is (almost) equivalent to "Do you love me?", and that this shows that caring is at the heart of love. Can anyone of my "Gratitude" friends come to my aid?

Leanda, While it is understandable that young people should regret leaving the comfort of a happy childhood, it is still necessary to "climb out of the cradle, where everything is ´getting`, and grow up to the maturity of giving, without concern for getting anything special in return. Love is not a deal, it is a sacrifice. It is not marketing, it is a form of worship". This is (part of) what THOMAS MERTON has to say about it.

Juliana
_____________________________
Speak Peace in a World of Conflict

Richard, I did click and read other reactions to the story.  To me they all seemed like paraphrases of the same thing.  But I'm also content with that meaning.  I think I'll just sit with it a little longer and see what comes up.  Sometimes that works best for me.
 
I'm so glad you're posting stories again! 
 
Lori

To truly listen is to perfect one's own virtue.

Richard, and Lori, my first reaction to and interpretation of the bell Zen story (before reading the reaction of others) was this: the teacher, i.e. the Zen master, wants to convey to the disciple that the level of profundity of his advice will depend on the level of profundity of the disciple´s question. If the student suggests doing something easy, the Zen master will agree; if the task which the student chooses is a harder one, the Zen master will agree, too,  knowing that it will lead the student to a higher degree of enlightenment. Does this make sense?

Juliana
_____________________________
Speak Peace in a World of Conflict

Certainly does to me.  We are told that this is the very reason there are so many sutras in the Buddhist traditiom.  Buddha apparently had a talent for determining a person's/student's/disciple's needs and he taught at that level.  It just occurs to me that you, Juliana, would understand this priciple perfectly; being a trained professional of education.  Suddenly I feel like I'm preaching to the choir (lol)
 
["Say goodnight Dick";  "Good Night!"]

"We must be the change we want to see in this world."

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Good morning, Richard!  Forget about "professional training" of teachers as far as education is concerned (at least over here). We have a saying that these days there are teachers who teach subjects, not people (COL=cry out loud ). In search of wisdom, which means becoming more human, one has to come to this website!

Juliana
_____________________________
Speak Peace in a World of Conflict

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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"We must be the change we want to see in this world."

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Juliana:
 
Often, it appears as if Good teachers are few and far between.  However, I thought that I had detected  the good teacher qualities in your posts.
 
ttfn,rj 

Thank you, Richard, for the new story as well as for your words of affirmation! By presenting the Zen stories, you prove to be a good teacher, too ! I will reflect on the latest one.

Juliana
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"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited." Plutarch

The great warrior won the battle without lifting a finger. The young warrior's insults could not get a hold on him. The great one held on to his power which was greater than the power of the young one's insults. Because the great one not accepting the insults, they fell back onto the young warrior. No wonder he was ashamed! A "gift" not accepted, no matter what it is, belongs to the giver!
 
Edda

Peace and joy!