Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors

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Zen Stories to Tell Your Neighbors

Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:29 pm

Ritual Cat

When the spiritual teacher and his disciples began their evening meditation,
the cat who lived in the monastery made such noise that it distracted them.
So the teacher ordered that the cat be tied up during the evening practice.

Years later, when the teacher died, the cat continued to be tied up during the
meditation session. And when the cat eventually died, another cat was
brought to the monastery and tied up.

Centuries later, learned descendants
of the spiritual teacher wrote scholarly treatises about the religious
significance of tying up a cat for meditation practice.

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Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:30 pm

Searching for Buddha

A monk set off on a long pilgrimage to find the Buddha. He devoted many
years to his search until he finally reached the land where the Buddha was
said to live. While crossing the river to this country, the monk looked around
as the boatman rowed. He noticed something floating towards them. As it got
closer, he realized that it was the corpse of a person. When it drifted so close
that he could almost touch it, he suddenly recognized the dead body - it was
his own! He lost all control and wailed at the sight of himself, still and lifeless,
drifting along the river's currents.

That moment was the beginning of his liberation.

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Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:30 pm

Self-Control

One day there was an earthquake that shook the entire Zen temple. Parts of
it even collapsed. Many of the monks were terrified. When the earthquake
stopped the teacher said, "Now you have had the opportunity to see how a
Zen man behaves in a crisis situation. You may have noticed that I did not
panic. I was quite aware of what was happening and what to do. I led you all
to the kitchen, the strongest part of the temple. It was a good decision,
because you see we have all survived without any injuries. However, despite
my self-control and composure, I did feel a little bit tense - which you may
have deduced from the fact that I drank a large glass of water, something I
never do under ordinary circumstances."

One of the monks smiled, but didn't say anything.

"What are you laughing at?" asked the teacher.

"That wasn't water," the monk replied, "it was a large glass of soy sauce."

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Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:30 pm

Sounds of Silence

Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. By
nightfall on the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out. The
first monk said, "Oh, no! The candle is out." The second monk said, "Aren't
we not suppose to talk?" The third monk said, "Why must you two break the
silence?" The fourth monk laughed and said, "Ha! I'm the only one who
didn't speak."

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Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:31 pm

Spider

A Tibetan story tells of a meditation student who, while meditating in his
room, believed he saw a spider descending in front of him. Each day the
menacing creature returned, growing larger and larger each time. So
frightened was the student, that he went to his teacher to report his dilemma.
He said he planned to place a knife in his lap during meditation, so when the
spider appeared he would kill it. The teacher advised him against this plan.

Instead, he suggested, bring a piece of chalk to meditation, and when the
spider appeared, mark an "X" on its belly. Then report back.

The student returned to his meditation. When the spider again appeared, he
resisted the urge to attack it, and instead did just what the master suggested.
When he later reported back to the master, the teacher told him to lift up his
shirt and look at his own belly. There was the "X".

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Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:31 pm

Successor

The old Zen master's health was fading. Knowing his death was near, he
announced to all the monks that he soon would be passing down his robe and
rice bowl to appoint the next master of the monastery. His choice, he said,
would be based on a contest. Anyone seeking the appointment was required
to demonstrate his spiritual wisdom by submitting a poem. The head monk,
the most obvious successor, presented a poem that was well composed and
insightful. All the monks anticipated his selection as their new leader.
However, the next morning another poem appeared on the wall in the
hallway, apparently written during the dark hours of the night. It stunned
everyone with it's elegance and profundity but no one knew who the author
was. Determined to find this person, the old master began questioning all the
monks. To his surprise, the investigation led to the rather quiet kitchen
worker who pounded rice for the meals. Upon hearing the news, the jealous
head monk and his comrades plotted to kill their rival. In secret, the old
master passed down his robe and bowl to the rice pounder, who quickly fled
from the monastery, later to become a widely renowned Zen teacher.

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Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:32 pm

Surprising the Master

The students in the monastery were in total awe of the elder monk, not
because he was strict, but because nothing ever seemed to upset or ruffle
him. So they found him a bit unearthly and even frightening.

One day they decided to put him to a test. A bunch of them very quietly hid in a dark
corner of one of the hallways, and waited for the monk to walk by.

Within moments, the old man appeared, carrying a cup of hot tea. Just as he passed
by, the students all rushed out at him screaming as loud as they could. But
the monk showed no reaction whatsoever. He peacefully made his way to a
small table at the end of the hall, gently placed the cup down, and then,
leaning against the wall, cried out with shock, "Ohhhhh!"

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Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:33 pm

Tea Combat

A master of the tea ceremony in old Japan once accidentally slighted a
soldier. He quickly apologized, but the rather impetuous soldier demanded
that the matter be settled in a sword duel. The tea master, who had no
experience with swords, asked the advice of a fellow Zen master who did
possess such skill.

As he was served by his friend, the Zen swordsman could not help but notice
how the tea master performed his art with perfect concentration and tranquility.

"Tomorrow," the Zen swordsman said, "when you duel the soldier, hold your weapon above your
head, as if ready to strike, and face him with the same concentration and
tranquility with which you perform the tea ceremony."

The next day, at the appointed time and place for the duel, the tea master followed this advice.
The soldier, readying himself to strike, stared for a long time into the fully
attentive but calm face of the tea master.

Finally, the soldier lowered his sword, apologized for his arrogance, and left without a blow being struck.

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Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:33 pm

Tea or Iron

The Zen master Hakuin used to tell his students about an old woman who
owned a tea shop in the village. She was skilled in the tea ceremony, Hakuin
said, and her understanding of Zen was superb. Many students wondered
about this and went to the village themselves to check her out. Whenever the
old woman saw them coming, she could tell immediately whether they had
come to experience the tea, or to probe her grasp of Zen. Those wanting tea
she served graciously. For the others wanting to learn about her Zen
knowledge, she hid until they approached her door and then attacked them
with a fire poker. Only one out of ten managed to escape her beating.

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Postby Masato » Fri Apr 29, 2016 5:34 pm

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?"


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