Zen Stories
The Blind Men and the Elephant
Several
citizens ran into a hot argument about God and different religions,
and each one could not agree to a common answer. So they came to the
Lord Buddha to find out what exactly God looks like.
The Buddha asked his disciples to get a large magnificent elephant and four blind men. He then brought the four blind to the elephant and told them to find out what the elephant would "look" like.
The first blind men touched the elephant leg and reported that it "looked" like a pillar. The second blind man touched the elephant tummy and said that an elephant was a wall. The third blind man touched the elephant ear and said that it was a piece of cloth. The fourth blind man hold on to the tail and described the elephant as a piece of rope. And all of them ran into a hot argument about the "appearance" of an elephant.
The Buddha asked the citizens: "Each blind man had touched the elephant but each of them gives a different description of the animal. Which answer is right?"
A Letter to a Dying Man
Bassui wrote the following letter to one of his disciples who was about to die:
"The essence of your mind is not born, so it will never die. It is not
an existance, which is perishable. It is not an emptiness, which is a
mere void. It has neither color nor form. It enjoys no pleasures and
suffers no pains.
"I know you are very ill. Like a good Zen student, you are facing that
sickness squarely. You may not know exactly who is suffering, but
question yourself: What is the essence of this mind? Think only of
this. You will need no more. Covet nothing. Your end which is endless
is as a snowflake dissolving in the pure air."
Dreaming
The great Taoist master Chuang Tzu once dreamt that he was a butterfly fluttering here and there. In the dream he had no awareness of his individuality as a person. He was only a butterfly. Suddenly, he awoke and found himself laying there, a person once again. 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?"
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."
The Moon Cannot Be Stolen
Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing in it to steal.
Ryokan returned and caught him. "You may have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you shoud not return emptyhanded. Please take my clothes as a gift."
The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.
Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow, " he mused, "I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."
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."
Learning the Hard Way
The son of a master thief asked his father to teach him the secrets of the trade. The old thief agreed and that night took his son to burglarize a large house. While the family was asleep, he silently led his young apprentice into a room that contained a clothes closet. The father told his son to go into the closet to pick out some clothes. When he did, his father quickly shut the door and locked him in. Then he went back outside, knocked loudly on the front door, thereby waking the family, and quickly slipped away before anyone saw him. Hours later, his son returned home, bedraggled and exhausted. "Father," he cried angrily, "Why did you lock me in that closet? If I hadn't been made desperate by my fear of getting caught, I never would have escaped. It took all my ingenuity to get out!" The old thief smiled. "Son, you have had your first lesson in the art of burglary."
Obsessed
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."
Paradise
Two people are lost in the desert. They are dying from hunger and thirst. Finally, they come to a high wall. On the other side they can hear the sound of a waterfall and birds singing. Above, they can see the branches of a lush tree extending over the top of the wall. Its fruit look delicious. One of them manages to climb over the wall and disappears down the other side. The other, instead, returns to the desert to help other lost travelers find their way to the oasis.
Working Very Hard
A martial arts student went to his teacher and said earnestly, "I am devoted to studying your martial system. How long will it take me to master it." The teacher's reply was casual, "Ten years." Impatiently, the student answered, "But I want to master it faster than that. I will work very hard. I will practice everyday, ten or more hours a day if I have to. How long will it take then?" The teacher thought for a moment, "20 years."
(in other versions of this story, the student says he is eager to attain "enlightenment")
Without Fear
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?"
(other versions of this story then describe how the general, surprised and awed by the master, sheepishly leaves)
When Tired
A student once asked his teacher, "Master, what is enlightenment?"
The master replied, "When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep."
Wanting God
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."
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?"
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. Moving Mind
Two men were arguing about a flag flapping in the wind. "It's the wind that is really moving," stated the first one. "No, it is the flag that is moving," contended the second. A Zen master, who happened to be walking by, overheard the debate and interrupted them. "Neither the flag nor the wind is moving," he said, "It is MIND that moves."
The 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."
Nature's Beauty
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."
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."
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!
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.
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
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."
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.
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."
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.
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."
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.
Just Two Words
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 two words 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."
Knowing Fish
One day Chuang Tzu and a friend were walking by a river. "Look at the fish swimming about," said Chuang Tzu, "They are really enjoying themselves." "You are not a fish," replied the friend, "So you can't truly know that they are enjoying themselves."
"You are not me," said Chuang Tzu. "So how do you know that I do not know that the fish are enjoying themselves?"
Maybe
There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be," said the farmer.
The Moon Cannot Be Stolen
A Zen Master lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The Zen Master returned and found him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift." The thief was bewildered, but he took the clothes and ran away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, " I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."
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.
Great Waves
In the early days of the Meiji era there lived a well-known wrestler called O-nami, Great Waves.
O-nami was immensly strong and knew the art of wresting. In his private bouts he defeated even his teacher, but in public was so bashful that his own pupils threw him.
O-nami felt he should go to a Zen master for help. Hakuju, a wandering teacher, was stopping in a little temple nearby, so O-nami went to see him and told him of his great trouble.
"Great Waves is your name," the teacher advised, "so stay in this temple tonight. Imagine that you are those billows. You are no longer a wrestler who is afraid. You are those huge waves sweeping everything before them, swallowing all in their path. Do this and you will be the greatest wrestler in the land."
The teacher retired. O-nami sat in meditation trying to imagine himself as waves. He thought of many different things. Then gradualy he turned more and more to the feeling of waves. As the night advanced the waves became larger and larger. They swept away the flowers in their vases. Even the Buddha in the shrine was inundated. Before dawn the temple was nothing but the ebb and flow of an immense sea.
In the morning the teacher found O-nami meditating, a faint smile on his face. He patted the wrestler's shoulder. "Now nothing can disturb you," he said. "You are those waves. You will sweep everything before you."
The same day O-nami entered the wrestling contests and won. After that, no one in Japan was able to defeat him.
Annoucement
Tanzan wrote sixty postal cards on the last day of his life, and asked an attendant to mail them. Then he passed away.
The cards read:
I am departing from this world.
This is my last announcement.
Tanzan
July 27, 1892
Finding a Diamond on a Muddy Road
Gudo was the emperor's teacher of his time. Nevertheless, he used to travel alone as a wandering mendicant. Once when he was on his was to Edo, the cultural and political center of the shogunate, he approached a little village named Takenaka. It was evening and a heavy rain was falling. Gudo was thoroughly wet. His straw sandals were in pieces. At a farmhouse near the village he noticed four or five pairs of sandals in the window and decided to buy some dry ones.
The woman who offered him the sandals, seeing how wet he was, invited him in to remain for the night at her home. Gudo accepted, thanking her. He entered and recited a sutra before the family shrine. He then was introduced to the woman's mother, and to her children. Observing that the entire family was depressed, Gudo asked what was wrong.
"My husband is a gambler and a drunkard," the housewife told him. "When he happens to win he drinks and becomes abusive. When he loses he borrows money from others. Sometimes when he becomes thoroughly drunk he does not come home at all. What can I do?"
I will help him," said Gudo. "Here is some money. Get me a gallon of fine wine and something good to eat. Then you may retire. I will meditate before the shrine."
When the man of the house returned about midnight, quite drunk, he bellowed: "Hey, wife, I am home. Have you something for me to eat?"
"I have something for you," said Gudo. "I happened to get caught in the rain and your wife kindly asked me to remain here for the night. In return I have bought some wine and fish, so you might as well have them."
The man was delighted. He drank the wine at once and laid himself down on the floor. Gudo sat in meditation beside him.
In the morning when the husband awoke he had forgotten about the previous night. "Who are you? Where do you come from?" he asked Gudo, who still was meditating.
"I am Gudo of Kyoto and I am going on to Edo," replied the Zen master.
The man was utterly ashamed. He apologized profusely to the teacher of his emperor.
Gudo smiled. "Everything in this life is impermanent," he explained. "Life is very brief. If you keep on gambling and drinking, you will have no time left to accomplish anything else, and you will cause your family to suffer too."
The perception of the husband awoke as if from a dream. "You are right," he declared. "How can I ever repay you for this wonderful teaching! Let me see you off and carry your things a little way."
"If you wish," assented Gudo.
The two started out. After they had gone three miles Gudo told him to return. "Just another five miles," he begged Gudo. They continued on.
"You may return now," suggested Gudo.
"After another ten miles," the man replied.
"Return now," said Gudo, when the ten miles had been passed.
"I am going to follow you all the rest of my life," declared the man.
Modern Zen teachers in Japan spring from the lineage of a famous master who was the successor of Gudo. His name was Mu-nan, the man who never turned back.
Right and Wrong
When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.
Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.
When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."
A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.
The Other Side
One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river"?
The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side".
Publishing the Sutras
Tetsugen, a devotee of Zen in Japan, decided to publish the sutras, which at that time were available only in Chinese. The books were to be printed with wood blocks in an edition of seven thousand copies, a tremendous undertaking.
Tetsugen began by traveling and collecting donations for this purpose. A few sympathizers would give him a hundred pieces of gold, but most of the time he received only small coins. He thanked each donor with equal gratitude. After ten years Tetsugen had enough money to begin his task.
It happened that at that time the Uji River overflowed. Famine followed. Tetsugen took the funds he had collected for the books and spent them to save others from starvation. Then he began again his work of collecting.
Several years afterwards an epidemic spread over the country. Tetsugen again gave away what he had collected, to help his people.
For a third time he started his work, and after twenty years his wish was fulfilled. The printing blocks which produced the first edition of sutras can be seen today in the Obaku monastery in Kyoto.
The Japanese tell their children that Tetsugen made three sets of sutras, and that the first two invisible sets surpass even the last.
Inch Time Foot Gem
A lord asked Takuan, a Zen teacher, to suggest how he might pass the time. He felt his days very long attending his office and sitting stiffly to receive the homage of others.
Takuan wrote eight Chinese characters and gave them to the man:
Not twice this day
Inch time foot gem.
This day will not come again.
Each minute is worth a priceless gem.
Everything is best
When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer.
"Give me the best piece of meat you have," said the customer.
"Everything in my shop is the best," replied the butcher. "You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best."
At these words Banzan became enlightened.
Open your own Treasure house
Daiju visited the master Baso in China. Baso asked: "What do you seek?"
"Enlightenment," replied Daiju.
"You have your own treasure house. Why do you search outside?" Baso asked.
Daiju inquired: "Where is my treasure house?"
Baso answered: "What you are asking is your treasure house."
Daiju was delighted! Ever after he urged his friends: "Open your own treasure house and use those treasures."
The Voice of Happiness
After Bankei had passed away, a blind man who lived near the master's temple told a friend: "Since I am blind, I cannot watch a person's face, so I must judge his character by the sound of his voice. Ordinarily when I hear someone congratulate another upon his happiness or success, I also hear a secret tone of envy. When condolence is expressed for the misfortune of another, I hear pleasure and satisfaction, as if the one condoling was really glad there was something left to gain in his own world.
"In all my experience, however, Bankei's voice was always sincere. Whenever he expressed happiness, I heard nothing but happiness, and whenever he expressed sorrow, sorrow was all I heard."
Trading Dialogue For Lodging
Provided he makes and wins an argument about Buddhism with those who live there, any wandering monk can remain in a Zen temple. If he is defeated, he has to move on.
In a temple in the northern part of Japan two brother monks were dwelling together. The elder one was learned, but the younger one was stupid and had but one eye.
A wandering monk came and asked for lodging, properly challenging them to a debate about the sublime teaching. The elder brother, tired that day from much studying, told the younger one to take his place. "Go and request the dialogue in silence," he cautioned.
So the young monk and the stranger went to the shrine and sat down.
Shortly afterwards the traveler rose and went in to the elder brother and said: "Your young brother is a wonderful fellow. He defeated me."
"Relate the dialogue to me," said the elder one.
"Well," explained the traveler, "first I held up one finger, representing Buddha, the enlightened one. So he held up two fingers, signifying Buddha and his teaching. I held up three fingers, representing Buddha, his teaching, and his followers, living the harmonious life. Then he shook his clenched fist in my face, indicating that all three come from one realization. Thus he won and so I have no right to remain here." With this, the traveler left.
"Where is that fellow?" asked the younger one, running in to his elder brother.
"I understand you won the debate."
"Won nothing. I'm going to beat him up."
"Tell me the subject of the debate," asked the elder one.
"Why, the minute he saw me he held up one finger, insulting me by insinuating that I have only one eye. Since he was a stranger I thought I would be polite to him, so I held up two fingers, congratulating him that he has two eyes. Then the impolite wretch held up three fingers, suggesting that between us we only have three eyes. So I got mad and started to punch him, but he ran out and that ended it!"
The Emperor's Seed
An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his
children, he decided something different. He called young people in the
kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and
choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"
One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened, Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try." When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "What great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!" When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed.
I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to
me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of
you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
But,
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.
My Heart Burns Like Fire
Soyen Shaku, the first Zen teacher to come to America, said: "My heart burns like fire but my eyes are as cold as dead ashes." He made the following rules which he practiced every day of his life.
The Thief Who Became a Disciple
One evening as Shichiri Kojun was reciting sutras a thief with a sharp
sword entered, demanding either money or his life.
Shichiri told him: "Do not disturb me. You can find the money in that
drawer." Then he resumed his recitation.
A little while afterwards he stopped and called: "Don't take it all. I
need some to pay taxes with tomorrow."
The intruder gathered up most of the money and started to leave.
"Thank a person when you receive a gift," Shichiri added. The man
thanked him and made off.
A few days afterwards the fellow was caught and confessed, among
others, the offence against Shichiri. When Shichiri was called as a
witness he said: "This man is no thief, at least as far as I am
concerned. I gave him money and he thanked me for it."
After he had finished his prison term, the man went to Shichiri and
became his disciple.
How Grass and Trees Become Enlightened
During the Kamakura period, Shinkan studied Tendai six years and then
studied Zen seven years; then he went to China and contemplated Zen
for thirteen years more.
When he returned to Japan many desired to interview him and asked
obscure questions. But when Shinkan received visitors, which was
infrequently, he seldom answered their questions.
One day a fifty-year-old student of enlightenment said to Shinkan: "I
have studied the Tendai school of thought since I was a little boy,
but one thing in it I cannot understand. Tendai claims that even the
grass and trees will become enlightened. To me this seems very
strange."
"Of what use is it to discuss how grass and trees become enlightened?"
asked Shinkan. "The question is how you yourself can become so. Did
you even consider that?"
"I never thought of it that way," marveled the old man.
"Then go home and think it over," finished Shinkan.
The Giver Should Be Thankful
While Seietsu was the master of Engaku in Kamakura he required larger
quarters, since those in which he was teaching were overcrowded. Umeza
Seibei a merchant of Edo, decided to donate five hundred pieces of
gold called ryo toward the construction of a more commodious school.
This money he brought to the teacher.
Seisetsu said: "All right. I will take it."
Umezu gave Seisetsu the sack of gold, but he was dissatisfied with the
attitude of the teacher. One might live a whole year on three ryo, and
the merchant had not even been thanked for five hundred.
"In that sack are five hundred ryo," hinted Umeza.
"You told me that before," replied Seisetsu.
"Even if I am a wealthy merchant, five hundred ryo is a lot of money,"
said Umezu.
"Do you want me to thank you for it?" asked Seisetsi.
"You ought to," replied Umeza.
"Why should I?" inquired Seisetsu. "The giver should be thankful."
Sour Miso
The cook monk Dairyo, at Bankei's monastery, decided that he would
take good care of his old teacher's health and give him only fresh
miso, a paste of soy beans mixed with wheat and yeast that often
ferments. Bankei, noticing that he was being served better miso than
his pupils, asked: "Who is the cook today?"
Dairyo was sent before him. Bankei learned that according to his age
and position he should eat only fresh miso. So he said to the cook:
"Then you think I shouldn't eat at all." With this he entered his room
and locked the door.
Dairyo, sitting outside the door, asked his teacher's pardon. Bankei
would not answer. For seven days Dairyo sat outside and Bankei within.
Finally in desperation an adherent called loudly to Bankei: "You may
be all right, old teacher, but this young disciple here has to eat. He
cannot go without food forever!"
At that Bankei opened the door. He was smiling. He told Dairyo: "I
insist on eating the same food as the least of my followers. Whe you
become the teacher I do not want you to forget this."
The Last Will and Testament
Ikkyu, a famous Zen teacher of the Ashikaga era, was the son of the
emperor. When he was very young, his mother left the palace and went
to study Zen in a temple. In this way Prince Ikkyu also became a
student. When this mother passed on, she left him a letter. It read:
To Ikkyu:
I have finished my work in this life and am now returning into
Eternity. I wish you to become a good student and to realize your
Buddha-nature. You will know if I am in hell and whether I am always
with you or not.
If you become a man who realizes that the Buddha and his follower
Bodhidharma are your own servants, you may leave off studying and work
for humanity. The Buddha preached for forty-nine years and in all that
time found it not necessary to speak one word. You ought to know why.
But if you don't and yet wish to, avoid thinking fruitlessly.
Your Mother,
Not born, not dead.
September first.
P.S. The teaching of Buddha was mainly for the purpose of enlightening
others. If you are dependent on any of its methods, you are naught but
an ignorant insect. There are 80,000 books on Buddhism and if you
should read all of them and still not see your own nature, you will
not understand even this letter. This is my will and testament.
The True Path
Just before Ninakawa passed away the Zen master Ikkyu visited him.
"Shall I lead you on?" Ikkyu asked.
Ninakawa replied: "I came here alone and I go alone. What help could
you be to me?"
Ikkyu answered: "If you think you really come and go, that is your
delusion. Let me show you the path on which there is no coming and
going."
With his words, Ikkyu had revealed the path so clearly that Ninakawa
smiled and passed away.
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.
Soldiers of Humanity
Once a division of the Japanese army was engaged in a sham battle, and
some of the officers found it necessary to make their headquarters in
Gasan's temple.
Gasan told his cook: "Let the officers have only the same simple fare we eat."
This made the army men angry, as they wre used to very deferential
treatment. One came to Gasan and said: "Who do you think we are? We
are soldiers, sacrificing our lives for our country. Why don't you
treat us accordingly?"
Gasan answered sternly: "Who do you think we are? We are soldiers of
humanity, aiming to save all sentient beings."
The Tunnel
Zenkai, the son of a samurai, journeyed to Edo and there became the
retainer of a high official. He fell in love with the official's wife
and was discovered. In self-defence, he slew the official. Then he ran
away with the wife.
Both of them later became thieves. But the woman was so greedy that
Zenkai grew disgusted. Finally, leaving her, he journeyed far away to
the province of Buzen, where he became a wandering mendicant.
To atone for his past, Zenkai resolved to accomplish some good deed in
his lifetime. Knowing of a dangerous road over a cliff that had caused
death and injury to many persons, he resolved to cut a tunnel through
the mountain there.
Begging food in the daytime, Zenkai worked at night digging his
tunnel. When thirty years had gone by, the tunnel was 2,280 feet long,
20 feet high, and 30 feet wide.
Two years before the work was completed, the son of the official he
had slain, who was a skillful swordsman, found Zenkai out and came to
kill him in revenge.
"I will gived you my life willingly," said Zenkai. "Only let me finish
this work. On the day it is completed, then you may kill me."
So the son awaited the day. Several months passed and Zenkai kept
digging. The son grew tired of doing nothing and began to help with
the digging. After he had helped for more than a year, he came to
admire Zenkai's strong will and character.
At last the tunnel was completed and the people could use it and travel safely.
"Now cut off my head," said Zenkai. "My work is done."
"How can I cut off my own teacher's head?" asked the younger man with
tears in his eyes.
Gudo and the Emperor
The emperor Goyozei was studying Zen under Gudo. He inquired: "In Zen this very mind is Buddha. Is this correct?"
Gudo answered: "If I say yes, you will think that you understand
without understanding. If I say no, I would be contradicting a fact
which you may understand quite well."
On another day the emperor asked Gudo: "Where does the enlightened man go when he dies?"
Gudo answered: "I know not."
"Why don't you know?" asked the emperor.
"Because I have not died yet," replied Gudo.
The emperor hesitated to inquire further about these things his mind
could not grasp. So Gudo beat the floor with his hand as if to awaken
him, and the emperor was enlightened!
The emperor respected Zen and old Gudo more than ever after his
enlightenment, and he even permitted Gudo to wear his hat in the
palace in winter. When Gudo was over eighty he used to fall asleep in
the midst of his lecture, and the emperor would quietly retire to
another room so his beloved teacher might enjoy the rest his aging
body required.
The Most Valuable Thing in the World
Sozan, a Chinese Zen master, was asked by a student: "What is the most
valuable thing in the world?"
The master replied: "The head of a dead cat."
"Why is the head of a dead cat the most valuable thing in the world?"
inquired the student.
Sozan replied: "Because no one can name its price."
The Blockhead Lord
Two Zen teachers, Daigu and Gudo, were invited to visit a lord. Upon
arriving, Gudo said to the lord: "You are wise by nature and have an
inborn ability to learn Zen."
"Nonsense," said Daigu. "Why do you flatter this blockhead? He may be
a lord, but he doesn't know anything of Zen."
So, instead of building a temple for Gudo, the lord built it for Daigu
and studied Zen with him.
Temper
A Zen student came to Bankei and complained: "Master, I have an
ungovernable temper. How can I cure it?"
"You have something very strange," replied Bankei. "Let me see what you have."
"Just now I cannot show it to you," replied the other.
"When can you show it to me?" asked Bankei.
"It arises unexpectedly," replied the student.
"Then," concluded Bankei, "it must not be your own true nature. If it
were, you could show it to me at any time. When you were born you did
not have it, and your parents did not give it to you. Think that
over."
No Attachment to Dust
Zengetsu, a Chinese master of the T'ang dynasty, wrote the following
advice for his pupils:
Living in the world yet not forming attachments to the dust of the
world is the way of a true Zen student.
When witnessing the good action of another encourage yourself to
follow his example. Hearing of the mistaken action of another, advise
yourself not to emulate it.
Even though alone in a dark room, be as if you were facing a noble
guest. Express your feelings, but become no more expressive than your
true nature.
Poverty is your treasure. Never exchange it for an easy life.
A person may appear a fool and yet not be one. He may only be guarding
his wisdom carefully.
Virtues are the fruit of self-discipline and do not drop from heaven
of themselves as does rain or snow.
Modesty is the foundation of all virtues. Let your neighbors discover
you before you make yourself known to them.
A noble heart never forces itself forward. Its words are as rare gems,
seldom displayed and of great value.
To a sincere student, every day is a fortunate day. Time passes but he
never lags behind. Neither glory nor shame can move him.
Censure yourself, never another. Do not discuss right and wrong.
Some things, though right, were considered wrong for generations.
Since the value of righteousness may be recognized after centuries,
there is no need to crave immediate appreciation.
Live with cause and leave results to the great law of the universe.
Pass each day in peaceful contemplation.
Real Prosperity
A rich man asked Sengai to write something for the continued
prosperity of his family so that it might be treasured from generation
to generation.
Sengai obtained a large sheet of paper and wrote: "Father dies, son
dies, grandson dies."
The rich man became angry. "I asked you to write something for the
happiness of my family! Why do you make such a joke of this?"
"No joke is intended," explained Sengai. "If before you yourself die
your son should die, this would grieve you greatly. If your grandson
should pass away before your son, both of you would be broken-hearted.
If your family, generation after generation, passes away in the order
I have named, it will be the natural course of life. I call this real
prosperity."
Incense Burner
A woman of Nagasaki named Kame was one of the few makers of incense
burners in Japan. Such a burner is a work of art to be used only in a
tearoom of before a family shrine.
Kame, whose father before her had been such an artist, was fond of
drinking. She also smoked and associated with men most of the time.
Whenever she made a little money she gave a feast inviting artists,
poets, carpenters, workers, men of many vocations and avocations. In
their association she evolved her designs.
Kame was exceedingly slow in creating, but when her work was finished
it was always a masterpiece. Her burners were treasured in homes whose
womanfolk never drank, smoked, or associated freely with men.
The mayor of Nagasaki once requested Kame to design an incense burner
for him. She delayed doing so until almost half a year had passed. At
that time the mayor, who had been promoted to office in a distant
city, visited her. He urged Kame to begin work on his burner.
At last receiving the inspiration, Kame made the incense burner. After
it was completed she placed it upon a table. She looked at it long and
carefully. She smoked and drank before it as if it were her own
company. All day she observed it.
At last, picking up a hammer, Kame smashed it to bits. She saw it was
not the perfect creation her mind demanded.
The Real Miracle
When Bankei was preaching at Ryumon temple, a Shinshu priest, who
believed in salvation through repetition of the name of the Buddha of
Love, was jealous of his large audience and wanted to debate with him.
Bankei was in the midst of a talk when the priest appeared, but the
fellow made such a disturbance that Bankei stopped his discourse and
asked about the noise.
"The founder of our sect," boasted the priest, "had such miraculous
powers that he held a brush in his hand on one bank of the river, his
attendant held up a paper on the other bank, and the teacher wrote the
holy name of Amida through the air. Can you do such a wonderful
thing?"
Bankei replied lightly: "Perhaps your fox can perform that trick, but
that is not the manner of Zen. My miracle is that when I feel hungry I
eat, and when I feel thirsty I drink."
Nothing Exists
Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after
another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.
Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and
sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena
is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no
mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."
Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked
Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.
"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"
No Work, No Food
Hyakujo, the Chinese Zen master, used to labor with his pupils even at
the age of eighty, trimming the gardens, cleaning the grounds, and
pruning the trees.
The pupils felt sorry to see the old teacher working so hard, but they
knew he would not listen to their advice to stop, so they hid away his
tools.
That day the master did not eat. The next day he did not eat, nor the
next. "He may be angry because we have hidden his tools," the pupils
surmised. "We had better put them back."
The day they did, the teacher worked and ate the same as before. In
the evening he instructed them: "No work, no food."
True Friends
A long time ago in China there were two friends, one who played the
harp skilfully and one who listen skillfully.
When the one played or sang about a mountain, the other would say: "I
can see the mountain before us."
When the one played about water, the listener would exclaim: "Here is
the running stream!"
But the listener fell sick and died. The first friend cut the strings
of his harp and never played again. Since that time the cutting of
harp strings has always been a sign of intimate friendship.
Time to Die
Ikkyu, the Zen master, was very clever even as a boy. His teacher had
a precious teacup, a rare antique. Ikkyu happened to break this cup
and was greatly perplexed. Hearing the footsteps of his teacher, he
held the pieces of the cup behind him. When the master appeared, Ikkyu
asked: "Why do people have to die?"
"This is natural," explained the older man. "Everything has to die and
has just so long to live."
Ikkyu, producing the shattered cup, added: "It was time for your cup to die."
The Taste of Banzo's Sword
Matajuro Yagyu was the son of a famous swordsman. His father,
believing that his son's work was too mediocre to anticipate
mastership, disowned him.
So Matajuro went to Mount Futara and there found the famous swordsman
Banzo. But Banzo confirmed the father's judgment. "You wish to learn
swordsmanship under my guidance?" asked Banzo. "You cannot fulfill the
requirements."
"But if I work hard, how many years will it take to become a master?"
persisted the youth.
"The rest of your life," replied Banzo.
"I cannot wait that long," explained Matajuro. "I am willing to pass
through any hardship if only you will teach me. If I become your
devoted servant, how long might it be?"
"Oh, maybe ten years," Banzo relented.
"My father is getting old, and soon I must take care of him,"
continued Matajuro. "If I work far more intensively, how long would it
take me?"
"Oh, maybe thirty years," said Banzo.
"Why is that?" asked Matajuro. "First you say ten and now thirty
years. I will undergo any hardship to master this art in the shortest
time!"
"Well," said Banzo, "in that case you will have to remain with me for
seventy years. A man in such a hurry as you are to get results seldom
learns quickly."
"Very well," declared the youth, understanding at last that he was
being rebuked for impatience, "I agree."
Matajuro was told never to speak of fencing and never to touch a
sword. He cooked for his master, washed the dishes, made his bed,
cleaned the yard, cared for the garden, all without a word of
swordmanship.
Three years passed. Still Matajuro labored on. Thinking of his future,
he was sad. He had not even begun to learn the art to which he had
devoted his life.
But one day Banzo crept up behind him and gave him a terrific blow
with a wooden sword.
The following day, when Matajuro was cooking rice, Banzo again sprang
upon him unexpectedly.
After that, day and night, Matajuro had to defend himself from
unexpected thrusts. Not a moment passed in any day that he did not
have to think of the taste of Banzo's sword.
He learned so rapidly he brought smiles to the face of his master.
Matajuro became the greatest swordsman in the land.
Midnight Excursion
Many pupils were studying meditation under the Zen master Sengai. One
of them used to arise at night, climb over the temple wall, and go to
town on a pleasure jaunt.
Sengai, inspecting the dormitory quarters, found this pupil missing
one night and also discovered the high stool he had used to scale the
wall. Sengai removed the stool and stood there in its place.
When the wanderer returned, not knowing that Sengai was the stool, he
put his feet on the master's head and jumped down into the grounds.
Discovering what he had done, he was aghast.
Sengai said: "It is very chilly in the early morning. Do be careful
not to catch cold yourself."
The pupil never went out at night again.
A Drop of Water
A Zen master named Gisan asked a young student to bring him a pail of
water to cool his bath.
The student brought the water and, after cooling the bath, threw on to
the ground the little that was left over.
"You dunce!" the master scolded him. "Why didn't you give the rest of
the water to the plants? What right have you to waste even one drop of
water in this temple?"
The young student attained Zen in that instant. He changed his name to
Tekisui, which means a drop of water.
Teaching the Ultimate
In early times in Japan, bamboo-and-paper lanterns were used with
candles inside. A blind man, visiting a friend one night, was offered
a lantern to carry home with him.
"I do not need a lantern," he said. "Darkness or light is all the same to me."
"I know you do not need a lantern to find your way," his friend
replied, "but if you don't have one, someone else may run into you. So
you must take it."
The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked
very far someone ran squarely into him. "Look out where you are
going!" he exclaimed to the stranger. "Can't you see this lantern?"
"Your candle has burned out, brother," replied the stranger.
Non-Attachment
Kitano Gempo, abbot of Eihei temple, was ninety-two years old when he
passed away in the year 1933. He endeavored his whole life not to be
attached to anything. As a wandering mendicant when he was twenty he
happened to meet a traveler who smoked tobacco. As they walked
together down a mountain road, they stopped under a tree to rest. The
traveler offered Kitano a smoke, which he accepted, as he was very
hungry at the time.
"How pleasant this smoking is," he commented. The other gave him an
extra pipe and tobacco and they parted.
Kitano felt: "Such pleasant things may disturb meditation. Before this
goes too far, I will stop now." So he threw the smoking outfit away.
When he was twenty-three years old he studied I-King, the profoundest
doctrine of the universe. It was winter at the time and he needed some
heavy clothes. He wrote his teacher, who lived a hundred miles away,
telling him of his need, and gave the letter to a traveler to deliver.
Almost the whole winter passed and neither answer nor clothes arrived.
So Kitano resorted to the prescience of I-King, which also teaches the
art of divination, to determine whether or not his letter had
miscarried. He found that this had been the case. A letter afterwards
from his teacher made no mention of clothes.
"If I perform such accurate determinative work with I-King, I may
neglect my meditation," felt Kitano. So he gave up this marvelous
teaching and never resorted to its powers again.
When he was twenty-eight he studied Chinese calligraphy and poetry. He
grew so skillful in these arts that his teacher praised him. Kitano
mused: "If I don't stop now, I'll be a poet, not a Zen teacher." So he
never wrote another poem.
Buddha's Zen
Buddha said: "I consider the positions of kings and rulers as that of
dust motes. I observe treasures of gold and gems as so many bricks and
pebbles. I look upon the finest silken robes as tattered rags. I see
myriad worlds of the universe as small seeds of fruit, and the
greatest lake in India as a drop of oil on my foot. I perceive the
teachings of the world to be the illusion of magicians. I discern the
highest conception of emancipation as a golden brocade in a dream, and
view the holy path of the illuminated ones as flowers appearing in
one's eyes. I see meditation as a pillar of a mountain, Nirvana as a
nightmare of daytime. I look upon the judgment of right and wrong as
the serpentine dance of a dragon, and the rise and fall of beliefs as
but traces left by the four seasons."
The Buddha asked his disciples to get a large magnificent elephant and four blind men. He then brought the four blind to the elephant and told them to find out what the elephant would "look" like.
The first blind men touched the elephant leg and reported that it "looked" like a pillar. The second blind man touched the elephant tummy and said that an elephant was a wall. The third blind man touched the elephant ear and said that it was a piece of cloth. The fourth blind man hold on to the tail and described the elephant as a piece of rope. And all of them ran into a hot argument about the "appearance" of an elephant.
The Buddha asked the citizens: "Each blind man had touched the elephant but each of them gives a different description of the animal. Which answer is right?"
A Letter to a Dying Man
Bassui wrote the following letter to one of his disciples who was about to die:
"The essence of your mind is not born, so it will never die. It is not
an existance, which is perishable. It is not an emptiness, which is a
mere void. It has neither color nor form. It enjoys no pleasures and
suffers no pains.
"I know you are very ill. Like a good Zen student, you are facing that
sickness squarely. You may not know exactly who is suffering, but
question yourself: What is the essence of this mind? Think only of
this. You will need no more. Covet nothing. Your end which is endless
is as a snowflake dissolving in the pure air."
Dreaming
The great Taoist master Chuang Tzu once dreamt that he was a butterfly fluttering here and there. In the dream he had no awareness of his individuality as a person. He was only a butterfly. Suddenly, he awoke and found himself laying there, a person once again. 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?"
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."
The Moon Cannot Be Stolen
Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing in it to steal.
Ryokan returned and caught him. "You may have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you shoud not return emptyhanded. Please take my clothes as a gift."
The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.
Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow, " he mused, "I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."
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."
Learning the Hard Way
The son of a master thief asked his father to teach him the secrets of the trade. The old thief agreed and that night took his son to burglarize a large house. While the family was asleep, he silently led his young apprentice into a room that contained a clothes closet. The father told his son to go into the closet to pick out some clothes. When he did, his father quickly shut the door and locked him in. Then he went back outside, knocked loudly on the front door, thereby waking the family, and quickly slipped away before anyone saw him. Hours later, his son returned home, bedraggled and exhausted. "Father," he cried angrily, "Why did you lock me in that closet? If I hadn't been made desperate by my fear of getting caught, I never would have escaped. It took all my ingenuity to get out!" The old thief smiled. "Son, you have had your first lesson in the art of burglary."
Obsessed
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."
Paradise
Two people are lost in the desert. They are dying from hunger and thirst. Finally, they come to a high wall. On the other side they can hear the sound of a waterfall and birds singing. Above, they can see the branches of a lush tree extending over the top of the wall. Its fruit look delicious. One of them manages to climb over the wall and disappears down the other side. The other, instead, returns to the desert to help other lost travelers find their way to the oasis.
Working Very Hard
A martial arts student went to his teacher and said earnestly, "I am devoted to studying your martial system. How long will it take me to master it." The teacher's reply was casual, "Ten years." Impatiently, the student answered, "But I want to master it faster than that. I will work very hard. I will practice everyday, ten or more hours a day if I have to. How long will it take then?" The teacher thought for a moment, "20 years."
(in other versions of this story, the student says he is eager to attain "enlightenment")
Without Fear
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?"
(other versions of this story then describe how the general, surprised and awed by the master, sheepishly leaves)
When Tired
A student once asked his teacher, "Master, what is enlightenment?"
The master replied, "When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep."
Wanting God
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."
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?"
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. Moving Mind
Two men were arguing about a flag flapping in the wind. "It's the wind that is really moving," stated the first one. "No, it is the flag that is moving," contended the second. A Zen master, who happened to be walking by, overheard the debate and interrupted them. "Neither the flag nor the wind is moving," he said, "It is MIND that moves."
The 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."
Nature's Beauty
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."
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."
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!
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.
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
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."
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.
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."
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.
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."
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.
Just Two Words
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 two words 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."
Knowing Fish
One day Chuang Tzu and a friend were walking by a river. "Look at the fish swimming about," said Chuang Tzu, "They are really enjoying themselves." "You are not a fish," replied the friend, "So you can't truly know that they are enjoying themselves."
"You are not me," said Chuang Tzu. "So how do you know that I do not know that the fish are enjoying themselves?"
Maybe
There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be," said the farmer.
The Moon Cannot Be Stolen
A Zen Master lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The Zen Master returned and found him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift." The thief was bewildered, but he took the clothes and ran away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, " I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."
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.
Great Waves
In the early days of the Meiji era there lived a well-known wrestler called O-nami, Great Waves.
O-nami was immensly strong and knew the art of wresting. In his private bouts he defeated even his teacher, but in public was so bashful that his own pupils threw him.
O-nami felt he should go to a Zen master for help. Hakuju, a wandering teacher, was stopping in a little temple nearby, so O-nami went to see him and told him of his great trouble.
"Great Waves is your name," the teacher advised, "so stay in this temple tonight. Imagine that you are those billows. You are no longer a wrestler who is afraid. You are those huge waves sweeping everything before them, swallowing all in their path. Do this and you will be the greatest wrestler in the land."
The teacher retired. O-nami sat in meditation trying to imagine himself as waves. He thought of many different things. Then gradualy he turned more and more to the feeling of waves. As the night advanced the waves became larger and larger. They swept away the flowers in their vases. Even the Buddha in the shrine was inundated. Before dawn the temple was nothing but the ebb and flow of an immense sea.
In the morning the teacher found O-nami meditating, a faint smile on his face. He patted the wrestler's shoulder. "Now nothing can disturb you," he said. "You are those waves. You will sweep everything before you."
The same day O-nami entered the wrestling contests and won. After that, no one in Japan was able to defeat him.
Annoucement
Tanzan wrote sixty postal cards on the last day of his life, and asked an attendant to mail them. Then he passed away.
The cards read:
I am departing from this world.
This is my last announcement.
Tanzan
July 27, 1892
Finding a Diamond on a Muddy Road
Gudo was the emperor's teacher of his time. Nevertheless, he used to travel alone as a wandering mendicant. Once when he was on his was to Edo, the cultural and political center of the shogunate, he approached a little village named Takenaka. It was evening and a heavy rain was falling. Gudo was thoroughly wet. His straw sandals were in pieces. At a farmhouse near the village he noticed four or five pairs of sandals in the window and decided to buy some dry ones.
The woman who offered him the sandals, seeing how wet he was, invited him in to remain for the night at her home. Gudo accepted, thanking her. He entered and recited a sutra before the family shrine. He then was introduced to the woman's mother, and to her children. Observing that the entire family was depressed, Gudo asked what was wrong.
"My husband is a gambler and a drunkard," the housewife told him. "When he happens to win he drinks and becomes abusive. When he loses he borrows money from others. Sometimes when he becomes thoroughly drunk he does not come home at all. What can I do?"
I will help him," said Gudo. "Here is some money. Get me a gallon of fine wine and something good to eat. Then you may retire. I will meditate before the shrine."
When the man of the house returned about midnight, quite drunk, he bellowed: "Hey, wife, I am home. Have you something for me to eat?"
"I have something for you," said Gudo. "I happened to get caught in the rain and your wife kindly asked me to remain here for the night. In return I have bought some wine and fish, so you might as well have them."
The man was delighted. He drank the wine at once and laid himself down on the floor. Gudo sat in meditation beside him.
In the morning when the husband awoke he had forgotten about the previous night. "Who are you? Where do you come from?" he asked Gudo, who still was meditating.
"I am Gudo of Kyoto and I am going on to Edo," replied the Zen master.
The man was utterly ashamed. He apologized profusely to the teacher of his emperor.
Gudo smiled. "Everything in this life is impermanent," he explained. "Life is very brief. If you keep on gambling and drinking, you will have no time left to accomplish anything else, and you will cause your family to suffer too."
The perception of the husband awoke as if from a dream. "You are right," he declared. "How can I ever repay you for this wonderful teaching! Let me see you off and carry your things a little way."
"If you wish," assented Gudo.
The two started out. After they had gone three miles Gudo told him to return. "Just another five miles," he begged Gudo. They continued on.
"You may return now," suggested Gudo.
"After another ten miles," the man replied.
"Return now," said Gudo, when the ten miles had been passed.
"I am going to follow you all the rest of my life," declared the man.
Modern Zen teachers in Japan spring from the lineage of a famous master who was the successor of Gudo. His name was Mu-nan, the man who never turned back.
Right and Wrong
When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.
Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.
When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."
A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.
The Other Side
One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river"?
The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side".
Publishing the Sutras
Tetsugen, a devotee of Zen in Japan, decided to publish the sutras, which at that time were available only in Chinese. The books were to be printed with wood blocks in an edition of seven thousand copies, a tremendous undertaking.
Tetsugen began by traveling and collecting donations for this purpose. A few sympathizers would give him a hundred pieces of gold, but most of the time he received only small coins. He thanked each donor with equal gratitude. After ten years Tetsugen had enough money to begin his task.
It happened that at that time the Uji River overflowed. Famine followed. Tetsugen took the funds he had collected for the books and spent them to save others from starvation. Then he began again his work of collecting.
Several years afterwards an epidemic spread over the country. Tetsugen again gave away what he had collected, to help his people.
For a third time he started his work, and after twenty years his wish was fulfilled. The printing blocks which produced the first edition of sutras can be seen today in the Obaku monastery in Kyoto.
The Japanese tell their children that Tetsugen made three sets of sutras, and that the first two invisible sets surpass even the last.
Inch Time Foot Gem
A lord asked Takuan, a Zen teacher, to suggest how he might pass the time. He felt his days very long attending his office and sitting stiffly to receive the homage of others.
Takuan wrote eight Chinese characters and gave them to the man:
Not twice this day
Inch time foot gem.
This day will not come again.
Each minute is worth a priceless gem.
Everything is best
When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer.
"Give me the best piece of meat you have," said the customer.
"Everything in my shop is the best," replied the butcher. "You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best."
At these words Banzan became enlightened.
Open your own Treasure house
Daiju visited the master Baso in China. Baso asked: "What do you seek?"
"Enlightenment," replied Daiju.
"You have your own treasure house. Why do you search outside?" Baso asked.
Daiju inquired: "Where is my treasure house?"
Baso answered: "What you are asking is your treasure house."
Daiju was delighted! Ever after he urged his friends: "Open your own treasure house and use those treasures."
The Voice of Happiness
After Bankei had passed away, a blind man who lived near the master's temple told a friend: "Since I am blind, I cannot watch a person's face, so I must judge his character by the sound of his voice. Ordinarily when I hear someone congratulate another upon his happiness or success, I also hear a secret tone of envy. When condolence is expressed for the misfortune of another, I hear pleasure and satisfaction, as if the one condoling was really glad there was something left to gain in his own world.
"In all my experience, however, Bankei's voice was always sincere. Whenever he expressed happiness, I heard nothing but happiness, and whenever he expressed sorrow, sorrow was all I heard."
Trading Dialogue For Lodging
Provided he makes and wins an argument about Buddhism with those who live there, any wandering monk can remain in a Zen temple. If he is defeated, he has to move on.
In a temple in the northern part of Japan two brother monks were dwelling together. The elder one was learned, but the younger one was stupid and had but one eye.
A wandering monk came and asked for lodging, properly challenging them to a debate about the sublime teaching. The elder brother, tired that day from much studying, told the younger one to take his place. "Go and request the dialogue in silence," he cautioned.
So the young monk and the stranger went to the shrine and sat down.
Shortly afterwards the traveler rose and went in to the elder brother and said: "Your young brother is a wonderful fellow. He defeated me."
"Relate the dialogue to me," said the elder one.
"Well," explained the traveler, "first I held up one finger, representing Buddha, the enlightened one. So he held up two fingers, signifying Buddha and his teaching. I held up three fingers, representing Buddha, his teaching, and his followers, living the harmonious life. Then he shook his clenched fist in my face, indicating that all three come from one realization. Thus he won and so I have no right to remain here." With this, the traveler left.
"Where is that fellow?" asked the younger one, running in to his elder brother.
"I understand you won the debate."
"Won nothing. I'm going to beat him up."
"Tell me the subject of the debate," asked the elder one.
"Why, the minute he saw me he held up one finger, insulting me by insinuating that I have only one eye. Since he was a stranger I thought I would be polite to him, so I held up two fingers, congratulating him that he has two eyes. Then the impolite wretch held up three fingers, suggesting that between us we only have three eyes. So I got mad and started to punch him, but he ran out and that ended it!"
The Emperor's Seed
An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his
children, he decided something different. He called young people in the
kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and
choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"
One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened, Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try." When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "What great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!" When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed.
I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to
me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of
you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
But,
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.
My Heart Burns Like Fire
Soyen Shaku, the first Zen teacher to come to America, said: "My heart burns like fire but my eyes are as cold as dead ashes." He made the following rules which he practiced every day of his life.
- In the morning before dressing, light incense and meditate.
- Retire at a regular hour. Partake of food at regular intervals. Eat with moderation and never to the point of satisfaction.
- Receive a guest with the same attitude you have when alone. When alone, maintain the same attitude you have in receiving guests.
- Watch what you say, and whatever you say, practice it.
- When an opportunity comes do not let it pass you by, yet always think twice before acting.
- Do not regret the past. Look to the future.
- Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of a child.
- Upon retiring, sleep as if you had entered your last sleep. Upon awakening, leave your bed behind you instantly as if you had cast away a pair of old shoes.
The Thief Who Became a Disciple
One evening as Shichiri Kojun was reciting sutras a thief with a sharp
sword entered, demanding either money or his life.
Shichiri told him: "Do not disturb me. You can find the money in that
drawer." Then he resumed his recitation.
A little while afterwards he stopped and called: "Don't take it all. I
need some to pay taxes with tomorrow."
The intruder gathered up most of the money and started to leave.
"Thank a person when you receive a gift," Shichiri added. The man
thanked him and made off.
A few days afterwards the fellow was caught and confessed, among
others, the offence against Shichiri. When Shichiri was called as a
witness he said: "This man is no thief, at least as far as I am
concerned. I gave him money and he thanked me for it."
After he had finished his prison term, the man went to Shichiri and
became his disciple.
How Grass and Trees Become Enlightened
During the Kamakura period, Shinkan studied Tendai six years and then
studied Zen seven years; then he went to China and contemplated Zen
for thirteen years more.
When he returned to Japan many desired to interview him and asked
obscure questions. But when Shinkan received visitors, which was
infrequently, he seldom answered their questions.
One day a fifty-year-old student of enlightenment said to Shinkan: "I
have studied the Tendai school of thought since I was a little boy,
but one thing in it I cannot understand. Tendai claims that even the
grass and trees will become enlightened. To me this seems very
strange."
"Of what use is it to discuss how grass and trees become enlightened?"
asked Shinkan. "The question is how you yourself can become so. Did
you even consider that?"
"I never thought of it that way," marveled the old man.
"Then go home and think it over," finished Shinkan.
The Giver Should Be Thankful
While Seietsu was the master of Engaku in Kamakura he required larger
quarters, since those in which he was teaching were overcrowded. Umeza
Seibei a merchant of Edo, decided to donate five hundred pieces of
gold called ryo toward the construction of a more commodious school.
This money he brought to the teacher.
Seisetsu said: "All right. I will take it."
Umezu gave Seisetsu the sack of gold, but he was dissatisfied with the
attitude of the teacher. One might live a whole year on three ryo, and
the merchant had not even been thanked for five hundred.
"In that sack are five hundred ryo," hinted Umeza.
"You told me that before," replied Seisetsu.
"Even if I am a wealthy merchant, five hundred ryo is a lot of money,"
said Umezu.
"Do you want me to thank you for it?" asked Seisetsi.
"You ought to," replied Umeza.
"Why should I?" inquired Seisetsu. "The giver should be thankful."
Sour Miso
The cook monk Dairyo, at Bankei's monastery, decided that he would
take good care of his old teacher's health and give him only fresh
miso, a paste of soy beans mixed with wheat and yeast that often
ferments. Bankei, noticing that he was being served better miso than
his pupils, asked: "Who is the cook today?"
Dairyo was sent before him. Bankei learned that according to his age
and position he should eat only fresh miso. So he said to the cook:
"Then you think I shouldn't eat at all." With this he entered his room
and locked the door.
Dairyo, sitting outside the door, asked his teacher's pardon. Bankei
would not answer. For seven days Dairyo sat outside and Bankei within.
Finally in desperation an adherent called loudly to Bankei: "You may
be all right, old teacher, but this young disciple here has to eat. He
cannot go without food forever!"
At that Bankei opened the door. He was smiling. He told Dairyo: "I
insist on eating the same food as the least of my followers. Whe you
become the teacher I do not want you to forget this."
The Last Will and Testament
Ikkyu, a famous Zen teacher of the Ashikaga era, was the son of the
emperor. When he was very young, his mother left the palace and went
to study Zen in a temple. In this way Prince Ikkyu also became a
student. When this mother passed on, she left him a letter. It read:
To Ikkyu:
I have finished my work in this life and am now returning into
Eternity. I wish you to become a good student and to realize your
Buddha-nature. You will know if I am in hell and whether I am always
with you or not.
If you become a man who realizes that the Buddha and his follower
Bodhidharma are your own servants, you may leave off studying and work
for humanity. The Buddha preached for forty-nine years and in all that
time found it not necessary to speak one word. You ought to know why.
But if you don't and yet wish to, avoid thinking fruitlessly.
Your Mother,
Not born, not dead.
September first.
P.S. The teaching of Buddha was mainly for the purpose of enlightening
others. If you are dependent on any of its methods, you are naught but
an ignorant insect. There are 80,000 books on Buddhism and if you
should read all of them and still not see your own nature, you will
not understand even this letter. This is my will and testament.
The True Path
Just before Ninakawa passed away the Zen master Ikkyu visited him.
"Shall I lead you on?" Ikkyu asked.
Ninakawa replied: "I came here alone and I go alone. What help could
you be to me?"
Ikkyu answered: "If you think you really come and go, that is your
delusion. Let me show you the path on which there is no coming and
going."
With his words, Ikkyu had revealed the path so clearly that Ninakawa
smiled and passed away.
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.
Soldiers of Humanity
Once a division of the Japanese army was engaged in a sham battle, and
some of the officers found it necessary to make their headquarters in
Gasan's temple.
Gasan told his cook: "Let the officers have only the same simple fare we eat."
This made the army men angry, as they wre used to very deferential
treatment. One came to Gasan and said: "Who do you think we are? We
are soldiers, sacrificing our lives for our country. Why don't you
treat us accordingly?"
Gasan answered sternly: "Who do you think we are? We are soldiers of
humanity, aiming to save all sentient beings."
The Tunnel
Zenkai, the son of a samurai, journeyed to Edo and there became the
retainer of a high official. He fell in love with the official's wife
and was discovered. In self-defence, he slew the official. Then he ran
away with the wife.
Both of them later became thieves. But the woman was so greedy that
Zenkai grew disgusted. Finally, leaving her, he journeyed far away to
the province of Buzen, where he became a wandering mendicant.
To atone for his past, Zenkai resolved to accomplish some good deed in
his lifetime. Knowing of a dangerous road over a cliff that had caused
death and injury to many persons, he resolved to cut a tunnel through
the mountain there.
Begging food in the daytime, Zenkai worked at night digging his
tunnel. When thirty years had gone by, the tunnel was 2,280 feet long,
20 feet high, and 30 feet wide.
Two years before the work was completed, the son of the official he
had slain, who was a skillful swordsman, found Zenkai out and came to
kill him in revenge.
"I will gived you my life willingly," said Zenkai. "Only let me finish
this work. On the day it is completed, then you may kill me."
So the son awaited the day. Several months passed and Zenkai kept
digging. The son grew tired of doing nothing and began to help with
the digging. After he had helped for more than a year, he came to
admire Zenkai's strong will and character.
At last the tunnel was completed and the people could use it and travel safely.
"Now cut off my head," said Zenkai. "My work is done."
"How can I cut off my own teacher's head?" asked the younger man with
tears in his eyes.
Gudo and the Emperor
The emperor Goyozei was studying Zen under Gudo. He inquired: "In Zen this very mind is Buddha. Is this correct?"
Gudo answered: "If I say yes, you will think that you understand
without understanding. If I say no, I would be contradicting a fact
which you may understand quite well."
On another day the emperor asked Gudo: "Where does the enlightened man go when he dies?"
Gudo answered: "I know not."
"Why don't you know?" asked the emperor.
"Because I have not died yet," replied Gudo.
The emperor hesitated to inquire further about these things his mind
could not grasp. So Gudo beat the floor with his hand as if to awaken
him, and the emperor was enlightened!
The emperor respected Zen and old Gudo more than ever after his
enlightenment, and he even permitted Gudo to wear his hat in the
palace in winter. When Gudo was over eighty he used to fall asleep in
the midst of his lecture, and the emperor would quietly retire to
another room so his beloved teacher might enjoy the rest his aging
body required.
The Most Valuable Thing in the World
Sozan, a Chinese Zen master, was asked by a student: "What is the most
valuable thing in the world?"
The master replied: "The head of a dead cat."
"Why is the head of a dead cat the most valuable thing in the world?"
inquired the student.
Sozan replied: "Because no one can name its price."
The Blockhead Lord
Two Zen teachers, Daigu and Gudo, were invited to visit a lord. Upon
arriving, Gudo said to the lord: "You are wise by nature and have an
inborn ability to learn Zen."
"Nonsense," said Daigu. "Why do you flatter this blockhead? He may be
a lord, but he doesn't know anything of Zen."
So, instead of building a temple for Gudo, the lord built it for Daigu
and studied Zen with him.
Temper
A Zen student came to Bankei and complained: "Master, I have an
ungovernable temper. How can I cure it?"
"You have something very strange," replied Bankei. "Let me see what you have."
"Just now I cannot show it to you," replied the other.
"When can you show it to me?" asked Bankei.
"It arises unexpectedly," replied the student.
"Then," concluded Bankei, "it must not be your own true nature. If it
were, you could show it to me at any time. When you were born you did
not have it, and your parents did not give it to you. Think that
over."
No Attachment to Dust
Zengetsu, a Chinese master of the T'ang dynasty, wrote the following
advice for his pupils:
Living in the world yet not forming attachments to the dust of the
world is the way of a true Zen student.
When witnessing the good action of another encourage yourself to
follow his example. Hearing of the mistaken action of another, advise
yourself not to emulate it.
Even though alone in a dark room, be as if you were facing a noble
guest. Express your feelings, but become no more expressive than your
true nature.
Poverty is your treasure. Never exchange it for an easy life.
A person may appear a fool and yet not be one. He may only be guarding
his wisdom carefully.
Virtues are the fruit of self-discipline and do not drop from heaven
of themselves as does rain or snow.
Modesty is the foundation of all virtues. Let your neighbors discover
you before you make yourself known to them.
A noble heart never forces itself forward. Its words are as rare gems,
seldom displayed and of great value.
To a sincere student, every day is a fortunate day. Time passes but he
never lags behind. Neither glory nor shame can move him.
Censure yourself, never another. Do not discuss right and wrong.
Some things, though right, were considered wrong for generations.
Since the value of righteousness may be recognized after centuries,
there is no need to crave immediate appreciation.
Live with cause and leave results to the great law of the universe.
Pass each day in peaceful contemplation.
Real Prosperity
A rich man asked Sengai to write something for the continued
prosperity of his family so that it might be treasured from generation
to generation.
Sengai obtained a large sheet of paper and wrote: "Father dies, son
dies, grandson dies."
The rich man became angry. "I asked you to write something for the
happiness of my family! Why do you make such a joke of this?"
"No joke is intended," explained Sengai. "If before you yourself die
your son should die, this would grieve you greatly. If your grandson
should pass away before your son, both of you would be broken-hearted.
If your family, generation after generation, passes away in the order
I have named, it will be the natural course of life. I call this real
prosperity."
Incense Burner
A woman of Nagasaki named Kame was one of the few makers of incense
burners in Japan. Such a burner is a work of art to be used only in a
tearoom of before a family shrine.
Kame, whose father before her had been such an artist, was fond of
drinking. She also smoked and associated with men most of the time.
Whenever she made a little money she gave a feast inviting artists,
poets, carpenters, workers, men of many vocations and avocations. In
their association she evolved her designs.
Kame was exceedingly slow in creating, but when her work was finished
it was always a masterpiece. Her burners were treasured in homes whose
womanfolk never drank, smoked, or associated freely with men.
The mayor of Nagasaki once requested Kame to design an incense burner
for him. She delayed doing so until almost half a year had passed. At
that time the mayor, who had been promoted to office in a distant
city, visited her. He urged Kame to begin work on his burner.
At last receiving the inspiration, Kame made the incense burner. After
it was completed she placed it upon a table. She looked at it long and
carefully. She smoked and drank before it as if it were her own
company. All day she observed it.
At last, picking up a hammer, Kame smashed it to bits. She saw it was
not the perfect creation her mind demanded.
The Real Miracle
When Bankei was preaching at Ryumon temple, a Shinshu priest, who
believed in salvation through repetition of the name of the Buddha of
Love, was jealous of his large audience and wanted to debate with him.
Bankei was in the midst of a talk when the priest appeared, but the
fellow made such a disturbance that Bankei stopped his discourse and
asked about the noise.
"The founder of our sect," boasted the priest, "had such miraculous
powers that he held a brush in his hand on one bank of the river, his
attendant held up a paper on the other bank, and the teacher wrote the
holy name of Amida through the air. Can you do such a wonderful
thing?"
Bankei replied lightly: "Perhaps your fox can perform that trick, but
that is not the manner of Zen. My miracle is that when I feel hungry I
eat, and when I feel thirsty I drink."
Nothing Exists
Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after
another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.
Desiring to show his attainment, he said: "The mind, Buddha, and
sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena
is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no
mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received."
Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked
Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.
"If nothing exists," inquired Dokuon, "where did this anger come from?"
No Work, No Food
Hyakujo, the Chinese Zen master, used to labor with his pupils even at
the age of eighty, trimming the gardens, cleaning the grounds, and
pruning the trees.
The pupils felt sorry to see the old teacher working so hard, but they
knew he would not listen to their advice to stop, so they hid away his
tools.
That day the master did not eat. The next day he did not eat, nor the
next. "He may be angry because we have hidden his tools," the pupils
surmised. "We had better put them back."
The day they did, the teacher worked and ate the same as before. In
the evening he instructed them: "No work, no food."
True Friends
A long time ago in China there were two friends, one who played the
harp skilfully and one who listen skillfully.
When the one played or sang about a mountain, the other would say: "I
can see the mountain before us."
When the one played about water, the listener would exclaim: "Here is
the running stream!"
But the listener fell sick and died. The first friend cut the strings
of his harp and never played again. Since that time the cutting of
harp strings has always been a sign of intimate friendship.
Time to Die
Ikkyu, the Zen master, was very clever even as a boy. His teacher had
a precious teacup, a rare antique. Ikkyu happened to break this cup
and was greatly perplexed. Hearing the footsteps of his teacher, he
held the pieces of the cup behind him. When the master appeared, Ikkyu
asked: "Why do people have to die?"
"This is natural," explained the older man. "Everything has to die and
has just so long to live."
Ikkyu, producing the shattered cup, added: "It was time for your cup to die."
The Taste of Banzo's Sword
Matajuro Yagyu was the son of a famous swordsman. His father,
believing that his son's work was too mediocre to anticipate
mastership, disowned him.
So Matajuro went to Mount Futara and there found the famous swordsman
Banzo. But Banzo confirmed the father's judgment. "You wish to learn
swordsmanship under my guidance?" asked Banzo. "You cannot fulfill the
requirements."
"But if I work hard, how many years will it take to become a master?"
persisted the youth.
"The rest of your life," replied Banzo.
"I cannot wait that long," explained Matajuro. "I am willing to pass
through any hardship if only you will teach me. If I become your
devoted servant, how long might it be?"
"Oh, maybe ten years," Banzo relented.
"My father is getting old, and soon I must take care of him,"
continued Matajuro. "If I work far more intensively, how long would it
take me?"
"Oh, maybe thirty years," said Banzo.
"Why is that?" asked Matajuro. "First you say ten and now thirty
years. I will undergo any hardship to master this art in the shortest
time!"
"Well," said Banzo, "in that case you will have to remain with me for
seventy years. A man in such a hurry as you are to get results seldom
learns quickly."
"Very well," declared the youth, understanding at last that he was
being rebuked for impatience, "I agree."
Matajuro was told never to speak of fencing and never to touch a
sword. He cooked for his master, washed the dishes, made his bed,
cleaned the yard, cared for the garden, all without a word of
swordmanship.
Three years passed. Still Matajuro labored on. Thinking of his future,
he was sad. He had not even begun to learn the art to which he had
devoted his life.
But one day Banzo crept up behind him and gave him a terrific blow
with a wooden sword.
The following day, when Matajuro was cooking rice, Banzo again sprang
upon him unexpectedly.
After that, day and night, Matajuro had to defend himself from
unexpected thrusts. Not a moment passed in any day that he did not
have to think of the taste of Banzo's sword.
He learned so rapidly he brought smiles to the face of his master.
Matajuro became the greatest swordsman in the land.
Midnight Excursion
Many pupils were studying meditation under the Zen master Sengai. One
of them used to arise at night, climb over the temple wall, and go to
town on a pleasure jaunt.
Sengai, inspecting the dormitory quarters, found this pupil missing
one night and also discovered the high stool he had used to scale the
wall. Sengai removed the stool and stood there in its place.
When the wanderer returned, not knowing that Sengai was the stool, he
put his feet on the master's head and jumped down into the grounds.
Discovering what he had done, he was aghast.
Sengai said: "It is very chilly in the early morning. Do be careful
not to catch cold yourself."
The pupil never went out at night again.
A Drop of Water
A Zen master named Gisan asked a young student to bring him a pail of
water to cool his bath.
The student brought the water and, after cooling the bath, threw on to
the ground the little that was left over.
"You dunce!" the master scolded him. "Why didn't you give the rest of
the water to the plants? What right have you to waste even one drop of
water in this temple?"
The young student attained Zen in that instant. He changed his name to
Tekisui, which means a drop of water.
Teaching the Ultimate
In early times in Japan, bamboo-and-paper lanterns were used with
candles inside. A blind man, visiting a friend one night, was offered
a lantern to carry home with him.
"I do not need a lantern," he said. "Darkness or light is all the same to me."
"I know you do not need a lantern to find your way," his friend
replied, "but if you don't have one, someone else may run into you. So
you must take it."
The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked
very far someone ran squarely into him. "Look out where you are
going!" he exclaimed to the stranger. "Can't you see this lantern?"
"Your candle has burned out, brother," replied the stranger.
Non-Attachment
Kitano Gempo, abbot of Eihei temple, was ninety-two years old when he
passed away in the year 1933. He endeavored his whole life not to be
attached to anything. As a wandering mendicant when he was twenty he
happened to meet a traveler who smoked tobacco. As they walked
together down a mountain road, they stopped under a tree to rest. The
traveler offered Kitano a smoke, which he accepted, as he was very
hungry at the time.
"How pleasant this smoking is," he commented. The other gave him an
extra pipe and tobacco and they parted.
Kitano felt: "Such pleasant things may disturb meditation. Before this
goes too far, I will stop now." So he threw the smoking outfit away.
When he was twenty-three years old he studied I-King, the profoundest
doctrine of the universe. It was winter at the time and he needed some
heavy clothes. He wrote his teacher, who lived a hundred miles away,
telling him of his need, and gave the letter to a traveler to deliver.
Almost the whole winter passed and neither answer nor clothes arrived.
So Kitano resorted to the prescience of I-King, which also teaches the
art of divination, to determine whether or not his letter had
miscarried. He found that this had been the case. A letter afterwards
from his teacher made no mention of clothes.
"If I perform such accurate determinative work with I-King, I may
neglect my meditation," felt Kitano. So he gave up this marvelous
teaching and never resorted to its powers again.
When he was twenty-eight he studied Chinese calligraphy and poetry. He
grew so skillful in these arts that his teacher praised him. Kitano
mused: "If I don't stop now, I'll be a poet, not a Zen teacher." So he
never wrote another poem.
Buddha's Zen
Buddha said: "I consider the positions of kings and rulers as that of
dust motes. I observe treasures of gold and gems as so many bricks and
pebbles. I look upon the finest silken robes as tattered rags. I see
myriad worlds of the universe as small seeds of fruit, and the
greatest lake in India as a drop of oil on my foot. I perceive the
teachings of the world to be the illusion of magicians. I discern the
highest conception of emancipation as a golden brocade in a dream, and
view the holy path of the illuminated ones as flowers appearing in
one's eyes. I see meditation as a pillar of a mountain, Nirvana as a
nightmare of daytime. I look upon the judgment of right and wrong as
the serpentine dance of a dragon, and the rise and fall of beliefs as
but traces left by the four seasons."
