Some enlightening Zen Stories

There is a wonderful website that has a treasury of old zen stories and
lists various personal reactions and responses to each story.  It provides
insight into these stories and the people who have heard them.

Here is an example of one typical zen story:

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.


Click here to read some of the responses and Here to learn more stories


                                              

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

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

This reminds me of a quote in one of my books. something like:
 
Before enlightenment - carryiny water, chopping wood.
 
After enlightenment - carrying water, shopping wood.
 
I forget who wrote it.  Jude

Love is the only way

Richard, I love this story. In our prayer group there are always some who think that prayer is supposed to feel good. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it does not!
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

It's so true of so many things, too, not just meditation.  I'm learning that for me, my meditation is just a reflection of my life.  Every time I catastrophize about something, it passes.  And every time I think things are "all figured out," it passes.  I guess it's true that what there is is all there is.
 
Lori

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

Thank you for the wonderful story and as I will be attending my meditation practice tonight it is a wonderul preperation. Last week I was more aware of the discomfort of sitting so I found the story true to the experience and it brought a smile to me. I look forward to the reading the others.
Namaste
Hope coach
Barbara T.

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

Right now is all that matters
 
 
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."

                                                   
                         click here for several reactions to this story
                               
 

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

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Judith, Lori, Barbara and Edda, thank you all for your response to these stories. 
Over the past few years I have enjoyed browsing through them and your reactions
make me happy I decided to share them.
 
 
Right now is all we have
 
 
gassho, rj

My reacation:
Doing the right thing again and again even though I know it may hurt.
Edda

Peace and joy!

Dear Zenmember
Your reminder right now is all we have is a wonderful focus
to remind us to stay in the moment. Blessings to you and all
as we move forward in our practice and our journey.
Please keep the stories coming ... I am reading Wayne Dyers
new book on the Tao. I never become weary of the content.
Namaste
Hope coach
Barbara T.

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

Edda, I'm having the same reaction you did, to do the right thing over and over even though it may hurt.  Sometimes in my job, there isn't much validation for doing the right thing.  The story is a good reminder to keep going, and that my conscience needs to be my guide in all circumstances.
 
Lori

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

Lori, this reminds me of one of Mother Theresa's sayings. You may know it.
People are often unreasonable, illogical
                         and self-centered;
                         Forgive them anyway.
 
                         If you are kind, People may accuse you
                         of selfish, ulterior motives;
                         Be kind anyway.
 
                         If you are successful, you will win some
                         false friends and some true enemies;
                         Succeed anyway.
 
                          If you are honest and frank,
                          people may cheat you;
                          Be honest and frank anyway.
 
                          What you spend years building, someone
                          could destroy overnight;
                          Build anyway.
 
                          If you find serenity and happiness,
                          they may be jealous;
                          Be happy anyway.
 
                          The good you do today,
                          people will often forget tomorrow;
                          Do good anyway.
 
                          Give the world the best you have,
                          and it may never be enough;
                          Give the world the best you´ve got anyway.
See, in the final analysis,
                          it is between you and God;
                          It was never between you and them anyway.
 
                          Words spoken by Mother Teresa!

 
                 Love anyway!! Jude

Love is the only way

.....and so true!
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

Jude, I've seen that before but had forgotten it.  Thank you so much for the reminder!  It is so true.  I'm going to copy it for myself to have with me at work. 
 
Lori

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

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.


             People's reactions to this story:

         

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

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

My first reaction to this story:
Hakuin knows who he is; he is not concerned about the approval or disapproval of others.
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

It kinda' reminds me of the first story in this thread, only more in regard to others' opinions and perceptions of us, that others' perceptions can change so quickly and so independently of our choices and behaviors.  And then can shift back just as quickly.  It's fleeting and out of our control, therefore not worthy of our concern.
 
Lori

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

It's like the first story but, different!!
 
During the civil wars in feudal Japan, an invading army would quickly sweep into a town and take control. In one particular village, everyone fled just before the army arrived - everyone except the Zen master. Curious about this old fellow, the general went to the temple to see for himself what kind of man this master was. When he wasn't treated with the deference and submissiveness to which he was accustomed, the general burst into anger. "You fool," he shouted as he reached for his sword, "don't you realize you are standing before a man who could run you through without blinking an eye!" But despite the threat, the master seemed unmoved. "And do you realize," the master replied calmly, "that you are standing before a man who can be run through without blinking an eye?"

 
 
Click on this link to read other People's reactions to this story:
 
                                 

Look at it this way; every one has to be somewhere.
There is a need for people to think for themselves.
We need more lerts; so,be alert!!

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

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Richard,
Sorry if I'm being flippant, but what you have written just takes me back to one of Spike Milligan's Goon Shows where he says, "Everyone got to be somewhere." in one of his funny voices. Unforgettable, and I often say it myself. Never fails to make me smike.  Jude

Love is the only way

Standing one's ground calmly in face of an angry person disarms that person.
 
One psychiatrist taught us when confronted by an angry person to let that person pour out their anger, to even encourage them to spill it all. After that the angry person is sort of deflated and perhaps ready for a conversation.
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

This is so true.......but I find it so hard to do.  Jude

Love is the only way

I really like that last story.  I aspire to that kind of serenity, to still be who one really is, regardless of circumstances.
 
I use that technique as a therapist fairly often (encouraging them to spill all their anger, and then being able to engage them in a conversation).  Most of the time, it works really well.  It's hard sometimes for me to sit with my own discomfort in the face of the other person's intense anger, but it ends up being worth it in the end. 
 
Lori

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

I'm glad you like these stories; here's another

A renowned Zen master said that his greatest teaching was this: Buddha is your own mind. So impressed by how profound this idea was, one monk decided to leave the monastery and retreat to the wilderness to meditate on this insight. There he spent 20 years as a hermit probing the great teaching.

One day he met another monk who was traveling through the forest. Quickly the hermit monk learned that the traveler also had studied under the same Zen master. "Please, tell me what you know of the master's greatest teaching." The traveler's eyes lit up, "Ah, the master has been very clear about this. He says that his greatest teaching is this: Buddha is NOT your own mind."


Click here to read other people's reactions to this story:

                        

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

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Perhaps these monks - we - shouldn't accept another's statement, no matter how distinguished this person is, withouth further examining it.
Then, perhaps, the master gave each monk what he needed at that time.

Edda

Peace and joy!

Very profound Edda!  I like that!
 
As a much younger woman I spoke with a pastor who had just preached a very different interpretation of a particular Biblical passage than I had heard previously.  I asked him how I was to know which one to believe.  He said, "Believe both -- in that each is an interpretation given by a man of faith based on how God has inspired."  Then he continued, "But take to heart the interpretation that inspires YOU!"
 
Love,
Lolly

OR,  perhaps we just hear what we need to hear at the time !

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

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

Exactly!
 
Edda

Peace and joy!

Namaste fellow Zen members.
I have been appreciating all your insights given
in your posts....Sorry to be away have been
receiving message through my body to rest and
self care.
The latest story reminds me of my favorite passage.
 

The Master arrives when the Student is ready!

 
And I have this happen to me all the time...when I
am ready to receive the teaching or idea etc. it arrives.
Have a great day!!
Be open on the middle path!!!
Hope coach
Barbara T.

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

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!"

This story reminds me of when I gave a gift of an Italian wood Rosary to Rev. Tanaka, the Zen Priest at Sokoji in Hiroshima; he responded, "Does this mean I have to learn to say the Holy Mary thing?"


Click here to read other people's reactions to this story:

                                     

I'd also like to think that Jesus would have said the same thing if he were to be introduced to particular Buddhist texts, or Zen, or Hindu, etc. 

I had a good chuckle yesterday. I saw a poster promoting what is called Christian values.  It's a nice poster and I totally agree about the importance of those values.  But the way the poster is written, it kinda' suggests that those are exclusively Christian values (such as integrity, justice, etc.).  I had a good laugh.   (You have to learn to laugh at those things when you live in the buckle of the Bible belt.)

Lori

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

Ah, exclusivity, the bane of human kind. { lol, \;) }

love ya Lori, rj

love ya' back, Richard!
 
Lately I haven't been able to respond to your posts as often as I'd like, but just want you to know I'm reading them and appreciating them!
 
Hugs!
Lori

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

I'm feeling the need to clarify my last post, in case someone should misread my meaning and feel offended.  I wasn't making a statement about Catholicism or Christianity. It was simply an example of our human tendency to find differences among ourselves instead of similarities.  I had become aware of the poster just yesterday, so it was fresh on my mind as an example of that. 

Lori

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

I didn't have any trouble with that.  Sorry if I triggered some of your misgivings, rj

You didn't, something else did. 
 
 

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

Lori, I would have thought you were picking up on some interpretations rather than the original message. (if you follow me?!!! ) I'm not good at explaining what I mean sometimes.  Jude

Love is the only way

Lori, I get from this story what you do - there are human values and ideas that are common to all traditions, expressed in different words using different images and stories. No one has a monopoly on them.
 
Love,
Edda

Peace and joy!

Jude, yes, you're probably right.  My first sentence was in regard to the story.  The rest was not connected to the story so much.
 
Lori

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

               
 
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."
 

 

Click here to read other people's reactions to this story:
 
 

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

Please light a Candle in the "zendo"

What a great story!  Mastering the mind regardless of the circumstances.  Kinda' like golf!  Skill means nothing if you can't still the mind.
 
Lori

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