10 Very Best Zen Stories

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    MYRKO THUMPersonal Development that Transforms

    The 10 Very Best Zen Storieswritte n by Myrko Thum in Inspiration 64 Comments

    Many teachings from Zen-Buddhism are told in short and

    delightful zen stories. They are usually designed to develop

    the mind and to free it from distortions and so to connect

    with our spirit.

    Some of them are really inspiring and enlightening. It is

    helpful to the mind to think about them and feel the deeper

    meaning. Even if it is not possible to grasp them fully, the

    beauty and simplicity of the message usually gets through to

    us one way or the other.

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    PERSONAL

    DEVELOPMENT

    NEWSLETTER

    Get my5 Day Intro Course

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    The following 10 Zen stories are a selection of the ones I

    found most inspiring and really worth to ponder about.

    Some may be instantly understood, some others need to be

    thought through and recognized in oneself.

    They are about the following topics: life in the present

    moment, different perspectives, attachment, resistance,

    judgment, delusion, beliefs and thought as mental concepts

    but not truth and unconditional love. Please feel free to post

    your interpretation or other stories into the comments.

    After reading the first, follow its advice to read all the

    others. :)

    1. A Cup of Tea

    Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912),

    received a university professor who came to inquire about

    Zen.

    Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitors cup full, and then

    kept on pouring.

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    11 Business Philosophies to

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    The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could

    restrain himself. It is overfull. No more will go in!

    Like this cup, Nan-in said, you are full of your own

    opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless

    you first empty your cup?

    2. The Burden

    Two monks were returning to the monastery in the evening.

    It had rained and there were puddles of water on the road

    sides. At one place a beautiful young woman was standing

    unable to walk accross because of a puddle of water. The

    elder of the two monks went up to a her lifted her and left

    her on the other side of the road, and continued his way to

    the monastery.

    In the evening the younger monk came to the elder monk

    and said, Sir, as monks, we cannot touch a woman ?

    The elder monk answered yes, brother.

    Then the younger monk asks again, but then Sir, how is

    that you lifted that woman on the roadside ?

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    The elder monk smiled at him and told him I left her on

    the other side of the road, but you are still carrying her.

    3. Finding a Piece of the Truth

    One day Mara, the Evil One, was travelling through the

    villages of India with his attendants. he saw a man doing

    walking meditation whose face was lit up on wonder. The

    man had just discovered something on the ground in front of

    him. Maras attendant asked what that was and Mara

    replied, A piece of truth.

    Doesnt this bother you when someone finds a piece of

    truth, O Evil One? his attendant asked. No, Mara replied.

    Right after this, they usually make a belief out of it.

    4. The Other SideOne 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

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    here.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.

    5. Is That So?

    The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbors as one

    living a pure life.

    A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store

    lived near him. Suddenly, without any warning, her parents

    discovered she was with child.

    This made her parents very angry. She would not confess

    who the man was, but after much harassment at last named

    Hakuin.

    In great anger the parents went to the master. Is that so?

    was all he would say.

    When the child was born, the parents brought it to the

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    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.

    A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. Shetold her parents the truth that the real father of the child

    was a young man who worked in the fishmarket.

    The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to

    ask his forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the

    child back again.

    Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was: Is

    that so?

    6. Maybe

    Once upon the time there was 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.

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    Maybe, the farmer replied.

    The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three

    other wild horses. How wonderful, the neighbors

    exclaimed.

    Maybe, 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.

    Maybe, answered the farmer.

    The day after, military officials came to the village to draft

    young men into the army. Seeing that the sons leg was

    broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated

    the farmer on how well things had turned out.

    Maybe, said the farmer.

    7. Cliffhanger

    One day while walking through the wilderness a man

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    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!

    8. The Blind Men and the ElephantSeveral 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

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    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?

    9. 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 beexpelled. 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

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    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 knowright 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.

    10. 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

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    he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the

    youth quite angry.

    If nothing exists, inquired Dokuon, where did this anger

    come from?

    Bonus 11. 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 dont 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.

    Cant you see this lantern?

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    About the Author: Myrko Thum

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    Myrko Thum is the founder and author of

    "Personal Development that Transforms".

    You can Get my Personal Development

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    Confucius says: The Top 10...

    Interview with Evelyn Lim of...

    READ MY LATEST POST:

    The 10 Most Limiting Beliefs About

    Money (& How to Remove Them)

    The #1 thing that will determine your

    financial success in life is your mindset

    towards money. As I already wrote in TheBig Picture Guide to Get Control Over

    Your Money, your attitude towards

    money is actively creating your financial

    reality. And the most influential part of a mindset are the beliefs

    you hold true. Unfortunately many beliefs are operating

    subconsciously. Once we accepted them they are our reality. Until

    we question them again. So the first step is always to get aware thatth

    64 COMMENTS

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    D00dikovSeptember 20, 2008 at 7:40 pm

    OK, I emptied my cup :P I had laugh out loud as I read

    I left her on the other side of the road, but you are still

    carrying her.

    But its true, sometimes we are wondering about things

    in our mind although the event is long gone and has nomeaning anymore. We are trapped in mind then.

    Jonas September 20, 2008 at 7:59 pm

    The 10 Zen stories are very beautiful.

    For my current state, this is the most important one:

    One day Mara, the Evil One, was travelling through the

    villages of India with his attendants. he saw a man doing

    walking meditation whose face was lit up on wonder.

    The man had just discovered something on the ground

    in front of him. Maras attendant asked what that was

    and Mara replied, A piece of truth.

    Doesnt this bother you when someone finds a piece of

    truth, O Evil One? his attendant asked. No, Mara

    replied. Right after this, they usually make a belief out

    of it.

    Th i f

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    The ego is funny.

    MyrkoSeptember 20, 2008 at 8:11 pm

    D00dikov, Jonas: Yes I find the message is very clear

    here, especially about the arising of beliefs. I find it alsohelpful being reminded about the fact that a belief is

    not reality. It may help as a guiding system for times,

    and therin already also lies the danger of it

    ChloeSeptember 20, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    One day two monks were walking along a riverbank. I

    would like to be a fish. They are so peaceful and happy!

    the one monk exclaimed.

    You are not a fish, his friend said. How do you know

    whether or not the fish are enjoying themselves?

    You are not me, the first monk said. How do youknow that I do not know that the fish are enjoying

    themselves?

    Stacey / CreateaBalanceSeptember 20, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    Most of these are ne to me Thanks for sharing

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    Most of these are new to me. Thanks for sharing.

    MyrkoSeptember 20, 2008 at 11 :13 pm

    Hi Stacey, welcome to my blog :)

    The selected stories had the most meaning to mepersonally, so I chose them. Also the first 3 are for me

    like an introduction :)

    PamSeptember 21, 2008 at 2:33 am

    Thank You .. Nice collection.Peace

    ArielSeptember 22, 2008 at 3:55 am

    Thank y ou for putting together this collection, Myrko.

    #8 is my favorite and #10 is funny too.

    Ariels last blog post: Quit Trying to Be In the Now

    Evelyn LimSeptember 22, 2008 at 4:16 am

    Ive read some of them before but some are new to me

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    I ve read some of them before but some are new to me.

    Thanks for sharing! Its nothing like going back to the

    classics to be reminded of simple truths.

    Evelyn Lims last blog post: Attract Our Travel Dreams

    LukeOctober 2, 2008 at 6:11 am

    Ive got a collection of zen koans in a wiki here:

    https://www.socialtext.net/zen/index.cgi

    Lukes last blog post: Government 2.0

    Logan October 7 , 2008 at 2:18 pm

    I think it is important to empty your cup many times.

    muhadeeb October 25, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    The sun shines

    my reflection in a bowl

    A heart beats in steady time

    axel g October 31 2008 at 3:36 pm

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    axel gOctober 31, 2008 at 3:36 pm

    Zen is beautiful!

    I suppose the koans were what made it so popular.

    Great write up +_+

    Anna Varney-WongDecember 14, 2008 at 6:09 pm

    Thank you loads of great reading material here!

    Anna Varney-Wongs last blog post:Dear Friends

    Rumon December 26, 2008 at 1:50 pm

    I like the 7th, Cliffhanger.

    Thats the way, how life goes. All we have to do, find the

    positive parts of it.

    NikJanuary 4, 2009 at 8:26 am

    @Logan keep the cup empty all the time.

    CG Walters January 8 2009 at 2:57 pm

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    CG WaltersJanuary 8, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    Yes, an excellent collection doing a superb job of covering

    the spectrum of Zen, and our choices.

    Thank you, Myrko, for this an all your addition to our

    collective experience.

    This article is featured in CelebraZine (Celebrate WhatsRight in the World)

    http://kathmandau.blogspot.com/2008/12/celebrazine-

    13dec08.html

    Blessings,

    CG

    CG Walterss last blog post: CelebraZine 05Jan09

    grikdogMarch 7, 2009 at 11:49 am

    My favorite Zen story is the one about the two monks.

    Younger is sitting in zazen. Elder inquires, Why are

    you sitting in zazen? Younger replies, By sitting inzazen, I hope eventually to become a buddha. Elder

    picks up a brick and begins rubbing it on a rock (I tend

    to imagine that he has tracked through a lot of carefully

    raked Zen sand and it rubbing the brick on one of those

    ancient black growing stones). Younger laughs, And

    what are you doing? Elder replies, I am polishing this

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    what are you doing? Elder replies, I am polishing this

    brick in hopes that eventually it will become a mirror.

    The advanced story ends here, but for the rest of us it

    continues. Younger asks, How can polishing a brick

    make a mirror? Elder retorts, How can sitting in

    zazen make a buddha! And, true to the ancient

    formula, the younger monk instantly became a mirror.

    Sandeep June 6, 2009 at 1:50 am

    This is the first time I have come across zen stories and

    I really liked them!

    Sensual photographyJune 12, 2009 at 7 :01 pm

    It was briefly introduced in Charlie Wilsons War. Its

    about a boy and a horse and all the Zen Master says is

    Well see. Does anyone know the whole story?

    Liara CovertJuly 12, 2009 at 7:07 am

    Zen stories encourage meaningful self-reflection.

    Thanks for sharing here and empowering readers to

    step back and reconnect with soul.

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    Mahalaxmi T RJuly 19, 2009 at 11 :22 pm

    I am interpreting (My own way) all Zen stories and

    below are my interpretations on

    A Cup Of Teahttp://think-on-spirituals.blogspot.com/2009/06/cup-

    of-tea.html

    Is that So

    http://think-on-spirituals.blogspot.com/2009/07/is-

    that-so-zen-master-hakuin-was.html

    May Behttp://think-on-

    spirituals.blogspot.com/2009/07/may-be.html

    .-= Mahalaxmi T Rs last blog ..May be =-.

    kinresh patel October 12, 2009 at 2:01 am

    I have learned something new that wants me to really

    live the ZEN life. All I wanted was to get ideas for a ZEN

    garden. WOW..

    Thank you,

    Kinresh Patel

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    MathuriniAugust 1 9, 2010 at 5:01 pm

    Hey, Loved it.. particularly the tea cup one.. Please

    check out my blog, I will be posting about similar

    conversations.. would be great to make a cool network!

    Love this post! :-)

    xx

    NickOctober 5, 2010 at 4:09 pm

    the candle has burned out :)

    nice stories! may all beings benefit from the sharings :)

    Sell Textbooks October 13, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    I cannot thank you enough for these. I think my

    favorite of these was the brother you are on the otherside. That was awesome. Thanks more than I can say.

    Mr PriceFebruary 5, 2011 at 5:25 pm

    I find it also helpful being reminded about the fact that

    a belief is not reality . It may help as a guiding system

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    y y p g g y

    for times, and therin already also lies the danger of it

    mohanMay 1, 2011 at 11 :31 am

    i love zen stories a lot.its easy aswell as confusing if v

    think under its contant.

    Gayan Jayaweera May 9, 2011 at 2:51 pm

    Hi,

    There is suppose to be a saying about a Zen master whopored tea to a cup with a hole in it. to say he knows

    what the other is thinking.

    Does anyone know the full story

    Hand Tool May 31 , 2011 at 3:33 pm

    Mentioned all stories are nice. I read all and all stories

    are really very inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

    Rent TextbooksJune 9, 2011 at 9:49 pm

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    I cant ever get enough of zen stories they are always so

    personally inspirational. Every cup has to be emptied

    before the good things can come in.

    ZikoJuly 1, 2011 at 6:12 am

    If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do

    not understand, things are just as they are.

    Karissa SmaleAugust 1 , 2011 at 1:00 pm

    these are very interesting stories. Thank you so much

    for sharing. These will be great for my english

    homework. Thanks a million for sharing these :))

    textbook buybackAugust 6, 2011 at 8:42 pm

    #3 is awesome! Does everyone get this one? I didnt

    at first, but see, a belief is a step away from truth.

    With 100% truth, there is no belief or its opposite

    disbelief. I like it!

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    JamesAugust 7, 2011 at 4:25 pm

    Yes, empty the cup. Be mindless of it as well.

    textbook rentalAugust 1 0, 2011 at 7:20 pm

    I really enjoyed all of them but the one Is That So I

    am confused about and dont understand it, would

    someone please give me an explanation.

    MyrkoAugust 11 , 2011 at 10:36 pm

    The Master responds to falsehood and truth, bad news

    and good news, in exactly the same way: Is that so?

    He allows the form of the moment, good or bad, to be

    as it is and so does not become a participant in human

    drama. To him there is only this moment, and this

    moment is as it is. Events are not personalized. He is

    nobodys victim. He is so completely at one with whathappens that what happens has no power over him

    anymore. Only if you resist what happens are you at

    the mercy of what happens, and the world will

    determine your happiness and unhappiness.

    The baby is looked after with loving care. Bad turns

    into good through the power of nonresistance. Always

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    responding to what the present moment requires, he

    lets go of the baby when it is time to do so.

    textbook rentalAugust 1 6, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    Thanks for the explanation I understand it now.

    Mike EttsSeptember 11 , 2011 at 1:34 am

    Maybe (#6) is a great illustration of how a current

    hardship can be a future blessing in disguise.

    TJSeptember 25, 2011 at 9:46 am

    It is quite difficult to learn about the I . So much to

    learn and so little time. There is not quick

    fix. There is only one way. One step at a time.

    What would you do if you never really have a role

    model. What would you do if you raise yourself to be the

    person that you are today.and then learn thatyou

    wish you had a role model. Then you wonder how your

    life would turn out if you had a role model to guide you

    through tough time as well as good time. Have you ever

    heard the story of John Wooden? I am not a sport

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    person, but what an incredible man that he is.

    KimberlyOctober 8, 2011 at 8:01 pm

    These are wonderful. Can you tell me anything about

    their origins?

    Goodheart October 28, 2011 at 3:58 am

    Its softly utter by wind of life-who is an always been

    from eons to eons. Lifes grandest virtues is who we are

    truly wit in our eyes and what we persieve in them

    about others says all about our hearts condition.

    (Goodheart has spoken)

    Chandra Sekhar MNovember 4, 2011 at 5:45 am

    I would like to suggest three more:

    The Gift of Insults

    There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he

    still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation

    extended far and wide throughout the land and many

    students gathered to study under him.

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    One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the

    village. He was determined to be the first man to defeat

    the great master. Along with his strength, he had an

    uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an

    opponent. He would wait for his opponent to make the

    first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then would

    strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one

    had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the first

    move.

    Much against the advice of his concerned students, the

    old master gladly accepted the young warriors

    challenge. As the two squared off for battle, the youngwarrior began to hurl insults at the old master. He

    threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he verbally

    assaulted him with every curse and insult known to

    mankind. But the old warrior merely stood there

    motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior

    exhausted himself. Knowing he was defeated, he left

    feeling shamed.

    Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the

    insolent youth, the students gathered around the old

    master and questioned him. How could you endure

    such an indignity? How did you drive him away?

    If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not

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    receive it, the master replied, to whom does the gift

    belong?

    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

    teachers 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. Howlong will it take then? The teacher thought for a

    moment, 20 years.

    THE LOST SON (Clinging to opinions)

    A y oung widower, who loved his five year old son very

    much, was away on business when bandits came whoburned down the whole village and took his son away.

    When the man returned, he saw the ruins and panicked.

    They took the burnt corpse of an infant to be his son

    and cried uncontrollably. He organized a cremation

    ceremony, collected the ashes and put them in a

    beautiful little bag which he always kept with him.

    S ft d hi l d f th b dit

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    Soon afterwards, his real son escaped from the bandits

    and found his way home. He arrived at his fathers new

    cottage at midnight and knocked at the door. The

    father, still grieving asked: Who is it? The child

    answered, it is me papa, open the door! But in his

    agitated state of mind, convinced his son was dead, the

    father thought that some young boy was making fun of

    him. He shouted: Go away and continued to cry. After

    some time, the child left.

    Father and son never saw each other again.

    After this story, the Buddha said: Sometime,

    somewhere, you take something to be the truth. If you

    cling to it so much, even when the truth comes in

    person and knocks on your door, you will not open it.

    MyrkoNovember 6, 2011 at 3:52 pm

    Chandra thanks for those 3 additions.

    Working Very Hard is almost a bit funny. What do

    you think is it telling us?

    Id say its showing the pitfalls of over-ambition and

    lack of balance, when true understanding is missing.

    The Gift of Insults is a really intelligent one.

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    textbook rentalNovember 8, 2011 at 4:29 pm

    I really enjoyed the Cup of Tea story. It is hard for one

    to move forward when they are so bogged down by the

    past.

    Nidish May 10, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    Well, it was really beautiful!!! But i dint quite get #4.

    The other side.. Can anyone please explain? :)

    DesignerlmJune 2, 2012 at 4:50 am

    Very inspiring. Also thanks for the stories told through

    the commentaries. :D

    Anya June 28, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    Im helping to compile a book of zen stories and found

    that I loved all of the zen stories you chose. Would it be

    possible for you to give me the sources of these stories

    so that I could use some in the book?

    Thank You.

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    NicholasJuly 19, 2012 at 7:27 pm

    Am very delighted that I have found some familiar

    stories so that I may share them with other folks. I see

    some awesome new stories, too! But I have trouble

    understanding Finding a Piece of the Truth.

    Iv e never heard of walking meditation.

    I dont understand the significance of stopping because

    of something on the ground.

    I dont understand the symbolism of making a belief out

    of this.

    I was wondering if you could help me to see. And if not,

    I suppose I ll be fine anyway . :)

    sujayAugust 10, 2012 at 7:01 am

    the stories are mind calming , i did not get #7 though .

    can anyone please explain ?

    American Zen Journey to a Quiet MindAugust

    11, 2012 at 11:11 am

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    Great page. I linked at American Zen Journey to a

    Quiet Mind Koans Zen Puzzles for the American

    Mind.

    Gal Speier October 18, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    THANK you for making my brain think , my mind be

    peaceful and my heart smile

    BeeFebruary 24, 2013 at 1:17 am

    @sujay: For Sujay

    Number 7, is actually a parable reportedly told by

    Buddah. Originally the mice are supposed to be, one

    white, and one black. They represent the passing of day

    and night. The Tiger is birth (your past), and the mans

    plummet into the precipice is death (your future).

    Birth swallows you up from behind, and death is waiting

    for you. Day and night gnaw at your existence. Time

    will destroy you. Everything is transient. The man can

    only hold on to this transience by clinging to it. The only

    thing to do is to enjoy the strawberries. You only exist

    in the present ! A better translation of the last line is ..

    how sweet they tasted!

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    how sweet they tasted!

    BeeFebruary 24, 2013 at 3:10 am

    @sujay: The parable is an explanation of meditation

    itself. The mind is constantly clinging to the past, and

    dreaming about the future. The strawberries, are

    enlightenment, which exists only in the present

    moment, and grow out of the very vine that the man is

    clinging to. Enlightenment is always available here

    within this moment. But if we are busy clinging, we will

    miss it.

    BeeFebruary 24, 2013 at 3:47 am

    @Nidish: For Nidish,

    The great obstacle facing the young monk is himself. He

    wants to be where the teacher is, but cannot get past

    his own ambitions, ideas, and preconceptions.

    Only when he gives up his effort and striving, can he

    receive the teaching and realize the wisdom expressed

    through his own existence. Wisdom is contained where

    he is.

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    Marcy LifaviApril 14, 2013 at 10:18 pm

    I love this site and have been finding it very useful and

    informative. In fact I just used one of the koans in my

    latest blogpost, which will be published 4-18-13. I invite

    readers who like Zen koans and teachings to v isit my

    blog which deals with ways to overcome stress, and

    features The Amaryllis and Nigel Dialogues, a tongue-

    in-cheek saga of two friends: Amaryllis, a lovable but

    hyperactive Type A worrywort guinea pig, who gets

    stressed out on a regular basis, and seeks out guidancefrom a Bearded Dragon Lizard named Nigel, who is a

    laid-back, very mellow, Zen-loving lizard-dude who

    receives his wisdom of Divine Guidance from the Great

    Spirit.

    I hope you will enjoy the episodes! Please go to:

    http://greatstresssolutions.com/category/the-

    amaryllis-and-nigel-dialogues/

    FermentedBrains June 1, 2013 at 12:18 am

    @Nidish:

    He had already put her down on the other side of the

    puddle and forgotten about it but the young monks

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    puddle and forgotten about it, but the young monks

    were still thinking about it.

    AmyJune 23, 2013 at 8:06 am

    Thank you so much for this page. Ive been trying to

    find the story Maybe after hearing it long ago, Id like

    to link to it from my blog. Im writing a piece about

    expectations and how toxic they can be. Thank you for

    this collection of excellent stories!

    Myrko ThumJune 23, 2013 at 12:03 pm

    Youre welcomeAmy.

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