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Is that so?

deborah

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One of my favorite Zen stories:

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.

I have long maintained that the best defense - is no defense. ;) Do any of you have a favorite Zen quote?
 
What a great story, Deborah :D


Here's one that I got a bit of a chuckle out of......

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."
It's definitely a lesson in the power of our thoughts. The monk did nothing but complain - he was constantly focused on the negative. When he was given the opportunity to speak, he had nothing of importance to say. By remaining focused on the negative, he was actually accomplishing nothing. ;)
 
Here's a good one:

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.
 
Just love this thread :) - specially the cell phone post :D


But Ailish - didn't the monk finally come to his senses and quit - sure he was focusing on the negative but after all after 30 years he was able to make up his mind:thumbsup: - and Chris - that's exactly what a good therapist should do :)


more than 20 years ago I read the book 'the empty mirror' by Janwillem van de Wetering - a dutch guy who spent some time in a zen buddhist monastery - one of th important lessons he was told was ' don't urinate and brush your teeth at the same time' - simple but true - anyhow a well written book with loads of humour


Clivia
 
Great story Aili. ;) I especially liked the way you brought it together in the end.

It's definitely a lesson in the power of our thoughts. The monk did nothing but complain - he was constantly focused on the negative. When he was given the opportunity to speak, he had nothing of importance to say. By remaining focused on the negative, he was actually accomplishing nothing.
Chris - I had not seen your post before - it must have slipped by me. :) That's another good one.
 
This is actually from the Lit. textbook we use at the school where I teach.

Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was falling. As they came around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross at an intersection.
"Come on, girl," said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.


Ekido did not speak until that night when they reached a lodging temple. The he could no longer restrain himself. "We monks don't go near females," he told Tanzan, "especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?"


"I left the girl there," said Tanzan. "Are you still carrying her?"
I enjoy it because it imparts a lesson I have a difficult time with-- forgetting and letting go, moving on, not holding grudges or judging others strictly --- as well as the superiority of the mind to the body. In light of reincarnation, it is especially meaningful- carrying our struggles over the mud, no further- ridding ourselves of baggage. Love it.
 
HI ButterflyPsyche,


Thank you for posting that one. I had read it a few years ago -it is a good one and I agree with you 100%. ;)

I enjoy it because it imparts a lesson I have a difficult time with-- forgetting and letting go, moving on, not holding grudges or judging others strictly --- as well as the superiority of the mind to the body. In light of reincarnation, it is especially meaningful- carrying our struggles over the mud, no further- ridding ourselves of baggage. Love it.
 
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," said the butcher.



"You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best."



At these words Banzan became enlightened.



I like this because it addresses both the relativity and subjective nature of perceived quality, and the essence of identity and uniqueness - everything is what it is.


This one is a classic:


Parable


A man travelling across a field encountered a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a wild vine and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above. Trembling, the man looked down to where, far below, another tiger was waiting to eat him. Only the vine sustained him.


Two mice, one white and one black, little by little started to gnaw away the vine. The man saw a luscious strawberry near him. Grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. How sweet it tasted!



A philosophy of life...
 
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".
 
It felt good to read those stories again! I like them a lot!


 
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