I just read the first one.. The last leaf.. Nice one 
....
I really like the way it is written.. it couldve been written in just one page straight.. but the way the author carries the flow with adjectives filling more than half of the content.. this story is not for kids but for adults to learn " You are what you believe you are "
....I really like the way it is written.. it couldve been written in just one page straight.. but the way the author carries the flow with adjectives filling more than half of the content.. this story is not for kids but for adults to learn " You are what you believe you are "
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
hey sneha they are real great stories sorry i dint notice befor ..but i shall be regual from now on and give my share too...
Banishing a Ghost
The wife of a man became very sick. On her deathbed, she said to him, "I love you so much! I don't want to leave you, and I don't want you to betray me. Promise that you will not see any other women once I die, or I will come back to haunt you."
For several months after her death, the husband did avoid other women, but then he met someone and fell in love. On the night that they were engaged to be married, the ghost of his former wife appeared to him. She blamed him for not keeping the promise, and every night thereafter she returned to taunt him. The ghost would remind him of everything that transpired between him and his fiancee that day, even to the point of repeating, word for word, their conversations. It upset him so badly that he couldn't sleep at all.
Desperate, he sought the advice of a Zen master who lived near the village. "This is a very clever ghost," the master said upon hearing the man's story. "It is!" replied the man. "She remembers every detail of what I say and do. It knows everything!" The master smiled, "You should admire such a ghost, but I will tell you what to do the next time you see it."
That night the ghost returned. The man responded just as the master had advised. "You are such a wise ghost," the man said, "You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer me one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life." "Ask your question," the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor, "Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand."
At that moment the ghost disappeared and never returned.
People's reactions to this story:
"Ghosts are just human and can't know or do anything that a human can't."
"No one knows everything. Not even a spirit. You can be wise in some ways, but not in all ways."
"The ghost kept coming back because the man was always impressed by how it seemed to know everything. It had power over him. But when he finally stood up to it, and challenged it, the ghost disappeared forever."
"The ghost is actually a part of the man. So it couldn't know anything that the man himself didn't know."
"The ghost comes from the man's own mind. He created it. It is his own guilt that came back to haunt him."
"The reason something haunts us is because we keep our attention on it. When we move on beyond it it will disappear."
"To me, this story just shows that souls have memories, but not enlightenment."
"I don't like the ending. I read the story with high expectations, but felt let down in the
end."
"Why didn't the ghost know that the man had seen a Zen master?"
"If the wife really loved the husband, how could she subject him to such a promise?"
"Everything the ghost knew didn't amount to a handful of beans!"
Banishing a Ghost
The wife of a man became very sick. On her deathbed, she said to him, "I love you so much! I don't want to leave you, and I don't want you to betray me. Promise that you will not see any other women once I die, or I will come back to haunt you."
For several months after her death, the husband did avoid other women, but then he met someone and fell in love. On the night that they were engaged to be married, the ghost of his former wife appeared to him. She blamed him for not keeping the promise, and every night thereafter she returned to taunt him. The ghost would remind him of everything that transpired between him and his fiancee that day, even to the point of repeating, word for word, their conversations. It upset him so badly that he couldn't sleep at all.
Desperate, he sought the advice of a Zen master who lived near the village. "This is a very clever ghost," the master said upon hearing the man's story. "It is!" replied the man. "She remembers every detail of what I say and do. It knows everything!" The master smiled, "You should admire such a ghost, but I will tell you what to do the next time you see it."
That night the ghost returned. The man responded just as the master had advised. "You are such a wise ghost," the man said, "You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer me one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life." "Ask your question," the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor, "Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand."
At that moment the ghost disappeared and never returned.
People's reactions to this story:
"Ghosts are just human and can't know or do anything that a human can't."
"No one knows everything. Not even a spirit. You can be wise in some ways, but not in all ways."
"The ghost kept coming back because the man was always impressed by how it seemed to know everything. It had power over him. But when he finally stood up to it, and challenged it, the ghost disappeared forever."
"The ghost is actually a part of the man. So it couldn't know anything that the man himself didn't know."
"The ghost comes from the man's own mind. He created it. It is his own guilt that came back to haunt him."
"The reason something haunts us is because we keep our attention on it. When we move on beyond it it will disappear."
"To me, this story just shows that souls have memories, but not enlightenment."
"I don't like the ending. I read the story with high expectations, but felt let down in the
end."
"Why didn't the ghost know that the man had seen a Zen master?"
"If the wife really loved the husband, how could she subject him to such a promise?"
"Everything the ghost knew didn't amount to a handful of beans!"
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Bell Teacher
A new student approached the Zen master and asked how he should prepare himself for his training. "Think of me a bell," the master explained. "Give me a soft tap, and you will get a tiny ping. Strike hard, and you'll receive a loud, resounding peal."
People's reactions to this story:
"You get out of something what you put into it."
"The more you try, the more a good teacher will help."
"The more students needs a teacher, the more the good teacher will be there for them."
"Be careful what you ask for. The universe may just provide you with what you seek."
"You can think of the master as life. You get out what you put in. If you look for and are really open to beauty and happiness, they are everywhere. If you huddle miserably somewhere, it will all pass you by without you're even noticing."
"Sounds like the master is saying pay me a lot, and I will help you a lot; pay me little, and that's what I'll give you in return."
"Give and you shall receive."
"I think the teacher was warning the student that if he is struck he will strike back with equal force."
"All the student needs to know is within himself. The master will guide him to that knowledge by reflecting the thoughts, feelings, and questions that the student puts out to him."
"When I become a teacher, I'll use this story when a student questions my purpose or integrity."
A new student approached the Zen master and asked how he should prepare himself for his training. "Think of me a bell," the master explained. "Give me a soft tap, and you will get a tiny ping. Strike hard, and you'll receive a loud, resounding peal."
People's reactions to this story:
"You get out of something what you put into it."
"The more you try, the more a good teacher will help."
"The more students needs a teacher, the more the good teacher will be there for them."
"Be careful what you ask for. The universe may just provide you with what you seek."
"You can think of the master as life. You get out what you put in. If you look for and are really open to beauty and happiness, they are everywhere. If you huddle miserably somewhere, it will all pass you by without you're even noticing."
"Sounds like the master is saying pay me a lot, and I will help you a lot; pay me little, and that's what I'll give you in return."
"Give and you shall receive."
"I think the teacher was warning the student that if he is struck he will strike back with equal force."
"All the student needs to know is within himself. The master will guide him to that knowledge by reflecting the thoughts, feelings, and questions that the student puts out to him."
"When I become a teacher, I'll use this story when a student questions my purpose or integrity."
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Books
Once there was a well known philosopher and scholar who devoted himself to the study of Zen for many years. On the day that he finally attained enlightenment, he took all of his books out into the yard, and burned them all.
People's reactions to this story:
"The most important things in life you can't learn through books. You have to learn them through experience."
"Life's most important lessons have to be learned for oneself, not from what other people have said."
"It's your own thoughts that are important. Everything else is indoctrination from others."
"Once you have gained a true understanding of something, the knowledge will be with you for the rest of your life. You'll never have to study it again."
"The reason that he burned the books was because he felt that he had learned all that he could possibly could from them and that it was time to move on and learn from life itself."
"One you attain a goal, you no longer need the methods that helped you get there."
"Did he burn the books because he realized their uselessness. Or did he burn them because he thought there was no more knowledge left in them to gain? I get the feeling that maybe he WASN'T very enlightened."
"I guess the scholar felt he was done with his studies, and didn't need his books anymore."
"All systems of knowledge (conceptual beliefs), including this one, limit perception."
"I don't know what enlightenment is, but I do know that you never stop learning and growing. Besides, what if the Zen master forgets something later on, and has to look it up?"
"Sounds like he wanted to rid himself of his former life."
"Nothing wrong with that. I'm sure the fire was pretty cool."
"This story stirs up mixed feelings in me about school. Will it all be worth it when I'm done?
Sometimes I just feel like giving up."
"This reminds me of the Pearl of Great Price story from the Bible. A man sold everything he owned to buy this pearl, and did so joyfully."
"I guess once you attain perfect knowledge, you don't need to read anymore."
"Why burn the knowledge attained?! Knowledge must be saved for the future. A mind can only store away so much information."
"Learn it, know it _LIVE_ it!" My drill instructor in basic training knew & taught this. I do recall that he felt the need to add a few extra embellishments to be sure we were paying attention
"
"Maybe he realized with his enlightened mind that he was cold."
"I could never bring myself to burn a book! It's almost like burning the person who wrote it."
"Words, words, words..... They're not reality anyhow. They're just words."
Once there was a well known philosopher and scholar who devoted himself to the study of Zen for many years. On the day that he finally attained enlightenment, he took all of his books out into the yard, and burned them all.
People's reactions to this story:
"The most important things in life you can't learn through books. You have to learn them through experience."
"Life's most important lessons have to be learned for oneself, not from what other people have said."
"It's your own thoughts that are important. Everything else is indoctrination from others."
"Once you have gained a true understanding of something, the knowledge will be with you for the rest of your life. You'll never have to study it again."
"The reason that he burned the books was because he felt that he had learned all that he could possibly could from them and that it was time to move on and learn from life itself."
"One you attain a goal, you no longer need the methods that helped you get there."
"Did he burn the books because he realized their uselessness. Or did he burn them because he thought there was no more knowledge left in them to gain? I get the feeling that maybe he WASN'T very enlightened."
"I guess the scholar felt he was done with his studies, and didn't need his books anymore."
"All systems of knowledge (conceptual beliefs), including this one, limit perception."
"I don't know what enlightenment is, but I do know that you never stop learning and growing. Besides, what if the Zen master forgets something later on, and has to look it up?"
"Sounds like he wanted to rid himself of his former life."
"Nothing wrong with that. I'm sure the fire was pretty cool."
"This story stirs up mixed feelings in me about school. Will it all be worth it when I'm done?
Sometimes I just feel like giving up."
"This reminds me of the Pearl of Great Price story from the Bible. A man sold everything he owned to buy this pearl, and did so joyfully."
"I guess once you attain perfect knowledge, you don't need to read anymore."
"Why burn the knowledge attained?! Knowledge must be saved for the future. A mind can only store away so much information."
"Learn it, know it _LIVE_ it!" My drill instructor in basic training knew & taught this. I do recall that he felt the need to add a few extra embellishments to be sure we were paying attention
""Maybe he realized with his enlightened mind that he was cold."
"I could never bring myself to burn a book! It's almost like burning the person who wrote it."
"Words, words, words..... They're not reality anyhow. They're just words."
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Christian Buddha
One of master Gasan's monks visited the university in Tokyo. When he returned, he asked the master if he had ever read the Christian Bible. "No," Gasan replied, "Please read some of it to me." The monk opened the Bible to the Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew, and began reading. After reading Christ's words about the lilies in the field, he paused. Master Gasan was silent for a long time. "Yes," he finally said, "Whoever uttered these words is an enlightened being. What you have read to me is the essence of everything I have been trying to teach you here!"
(In another version of this story, it is a Christian who reads the Bible passage to Gasan.)
People's reactions to this story:
"It's so sad that wars are fought over differences in "religion," when in reality all the world's religions are saying the same essential things. If nations really took religion to heart, so many lives would be saved."
"If what is true for you is true, and what is true for me is true, than really nothing is true. If there are no absolutes in the universe higher than our own opinions or experiences, than we live on an ever shifting sand. True truth is true whether we know it, or believe it. It is absolute, unchanging, and independent of our reactions to it. God is God and we are not him. I believe this story is an attempt to dilute the hard division line that the Bible deliberately draws. Our culture trys to offer solutions that do not offend anyone. I wonder how Master Gasan would react to Christ's words "no one may come to the Father but by me." Or "the kingdom of heaven advances violently, and violent men lay hold of it."?
"I think this is saying that a great lesson can come out of one short story. Something that someone is searching for desperately can be revealed in one simple story."
"This story held no interest for me. I don't believe in the existence of God and therefore believe that the Bible is a bunch of bologna!"
"Universalism is an extremely faulty world view. All the worlds religions do not teach the same thing. Religion is not about being good to your fellow man, or doing nice things to other people. So many of these comments seem to think that because most religions teach that, in general, you should'nt kill people, and you should'nt steal, and that you should feed the poor, etc., that its all the same thing. That misses the point entirely, and trivializes a vast amount of the most deeply held beliefs of the world's populace. Religion is about what you are, or at least the part of you that is you and not just molecules combined together in unique ways. The most important question that religion tries to answer are "How should we act towards other people?" but "How should we act towards God?" How we act towards others is a by-product of our relationship to the Divine." "There is only One God!"
"Master Gasan found a pleasant verse. How would he have responded to less beautiful Revelations or Oholibah in Ezekial 23:10."
"Every religion has an awareness of the basic ethical principles that govern humanity. Anything else that a religion teaches is not about the human but about the divine."
"There is nothing even slightly Zen about this 'story.' It is an embarrassing, childish attempting to usurp the notion of Zen to endorse an unenlightened acceptance of Christian dogma without study, introspection, or question. Sad you published it. I admire both Christ and Buddah greatly, but this is catechism, rote dogma, not enlightenment."
"I think Gasan was so relieved that he finally got his point across to the monks!"
"This situation is similar to thinking about different races. People may look different on the outside, but when you look on the inside, everyone is basically the same."
"This story gives me a feeling of unity with everyone - I like that."
"This story is BORING! It begins nowhere and ends the same way. Shouldn't the essence of his teachings be understandable so we all can be enlightened as well? Master Gasan sounds like a fake or a very poor teacher"
"It sounds like Master Gasan has no idea of what he is talking about."
"Different people may be trying to convey the same message to others, but are going about it in different ways. I think that's good - diversity is good."
"We should always be learning. No one knows everything."
"Anyone can be a teacher."
"Gasan realizes that the monk's might become interested in what the Bible says, so he tries to act like he understands and believes in the Bible. He is trying to get the monks to respect him and think that these words and thoughts were also his."
"Cultural prejudices prevent us from seeing the Universals. It is irrational to think that a different truth applies to everyone."
"All races across the world are teaching the same ideas through religion, but one person's way of teaching may differ from another."
"I think the story is trying to say that we can ALL be right - or that sometimes a person needs to leave their usual surroundings in order to see and understand what's in front of their face."
"How could Master Gasan never have read the Bible? Maybe that's the point of the story - even a Zen master can be illiterate."
"I read this story twice and didn't like it. I felt like I needed more, but I wasn't sure what."
"This story seems choppy and unfinished."
"'Lillies of the field' is a rather zen story, encouraging naturalness acceptance of being."
"It is interesting that when presented with the Bible, the Master was open to listening. I don't find the same to be true when the situation is reversed, . It feels very comfortable to me to be Buddhist and still feel at peace with others who do not share my views."
"Maybe the point is that we don't need Bibles OR Zen teachers to find enlightenment. We already have it within ourselves."
"This comment is not about the story but about the other comments: Taken collectively, they illustrate Martin Luther's observation, 'A book is like a mirror -- if an ape looks in, no saint will look out!'"
One of master Gasan's monks visited the university in Tokyo. When he returned, he asked the master if he had ever read the Christian Bible. "No," Gasan replied, "Please read some of it to me." The monk opened the Bible to the Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew, and began reading. After reading Christ's words about the lilies in the field, he paused. Master Gasan was silent for a long time. "Yes," he finally said, "Whoever uttered these words is an enlightened being. What you have read to me is the essence of everything I have been trying to teach you here!"
(In another version of this story, it is a Christian who reads the Bible passage to Gasan.)
People's reactions to this story:
"It's so sad that wars are fought over differences in "religion," when in reality all the world's religions are saying the same essential things. If nations really took religion to heart, so many lives would be saved."
"If what is true for you is true, and what is true for me is true, than really nothing is true. If there are no absolutes in the universe higher than our own opinions or experiences, than we live on an ever shifting sand. True truth is true whether we know it, or believe it. It is absolute, unchanging, and independent of our reactions to it. God is God and we are not him. I believe this story is an attempt to dilute the hard division line that the Bible deliberately draws. Our culture trys to offer solutions that do not offend anyone. I wonder how Master Gasan would react to Christ's words "no one may come to the Father but by me." Or "the kingdom of heaven advances violently, and violent men lay hold of it."?
"I think this is saying that a great lesson can come out of one short story. Something that someone is searching for desperately can be revealed in one simple story."
"This story held no interest for me. I don't believe in the existence of God and therefore believe that the Bible is a bunch of bologna!"
"Universalism is an extremely faulty world view. All the worlds religions do not teach the same thing. Religion is not about being good to your fellow man, or doing nice things to other people. So many of these comments seem to think that because most religions teach that, in general, you should'nt kill people, and you should'nt steal, and that you should feed the poor, etc., that its all the same thing. That misses the point entirely, and trivializes a vast amount of the most deeply held beliefs of the world's populace. Religion is about what you are, or at least the part of you that is you and not just molecules combined together in unique ways. The most important question that religion tries to answer are "How should we act towards other people?" but "How should we act towards God?" How we act towards others is a by-product of our relationship to the Divine." "There is only One God!"
"Master Gasan found a pleasant verse. How would he have responded to less beautiful Revelations or Oholibah in Ezekial 23:10."
"Every religion has an awareness of the basic ethical principles that govern humanity. Anything else that a religion teaches is not about the human but about the divine."
"There is nothing even slightly Zen about this 'story.' It is an embarrassing, childish attempting to usurp the notion of Zen to endorse an unenlightened acceptance of Christian dogma without study, introspection, or question. Sad you published it. I admire both Christ and Buddah greatly, but this is catechism, rote dogma, not enlightenment."
"I think Gasan was so relieved that he finally got his point across to the monks!"
"This situation is similar to thinking about different races. People may look different on the outside, but when you look on the inside, everyone is basically the same."
"This story gives me a feeling of unity with everyone - I like that."
"This story is BORING! It begins nowhere and ends the same way. Shouldn't the essence of his teachings be understandable so we all can be enlightened as well? Master Gasan sounds like a fake or a very poor teacher"
"It sounds like Master Gasan has no idea of what he is talking about."
"Different people may be trying to convey the same message to others, but are going about it in different ways. I think that's good - diversity is good."
"We should always be learning. No one knows everything."
"Anyone can be a teacher."
"Gasan realizes that the monk's might become interested in what the Bible says, so he tries to act like he understands and believes in the Bible. He is trying to get the monks to respect him and think that these words and thoughts were also his."
"Cultural prejudices prevent us from seeing the Universals. It is irrational to think that a different truth applies to everyone."
"All races across the world are teaching the same ideas through religion, but one person's way of teaching may differ from another."
"I think the story is trying to say that we can ALL be right - or that sometimes a person needs to leave their usual surroundings in order to see and understand what's in front of their face."
"How could Master Gasan never have read the Bible? Maybe that's the point of the story - even a Zen master can be illiterate."
"I read this story twice and didn't like it. I felt like I needed more, but I wasn't sure what."
"This story seems choppy and unfinished."
"'Lillies of the field' is a rather zen story, encouraging naturalness acceptance of being."
"It is interesting that when presented with the Bible, the Master was open to listening. I don't find the same to be true when the situation is reversed, . It feels very comfortable to me to be Buddhist and still feel at peace with others who do not share my views."
"Maybe the point is that we don't need Bibles OR Zen teachers to find enlightenment. We already have it within ourselves."
"This comment is not about the story but about the other comments: Taken collectively, they illustrate Martin Luther's observation, 'A book is like a mirror -- if an ape looks in, no saint will look out!'"
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
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."
People's reactions to this story:
"To excel one has to focus all energy on the task at hand."
"I think that the Master could be mastered himself by the student. The more moves or strategies that the student knows will only make him stronger, wiser."
"Jack of all trades, master of none."
"Jack of two trades, Master of both".
"Stay focused on one thing, trying to get everything will get you nothing."
"Pretty straight forward... one should master/concentrate on one thing at a time... not as profound as some of your other stories, yet at least makes more sense than some others."
"If the rabbits are sitting close together you can get both with one shot gun blast."
"Reminds you not to take on more than you can handle. It brings to mind a candid camera segment I saw in the early 60's. A little grocery store put a big table outside heaped with oranges, and a sign that said 'FREE', but they purposely didn't leave anything to carry them in. The humor was in watching everyone try to take 3 or 4 more than they could humanly carry. I guess a good tie-in would be that if you get greedy, you might get nothing!"
"This story reminds me of the old Hindu reference to one mountain and the many roads going to the peak. Though they are all valid and effective, one cannot reach the top by trying to follow two at the same time."
"Anyone who puts much stock in this story should read the Tao of Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee. To look at zen, or martial arts, or anything in life as a chase, is to never find peace. I don't like this teacher, but the story has made me think."
"I interpret this as similar to Jesus' saying that you can't serve two masters without hating one and loving the other."
"I think the student cannot improve that which he has not yet mastered."
"First story I read. It made me laugh and feel a little better."
"The lesson is simple; Focus all of your faith and effort into one philosophy. The man who serves two masters, serves none."
"I don't think the master's statement applies for every situation. His statement can be true for some situations, when it is true that if you focus on one subject, goal, etc, you will have more probability in succeeding, but what about the saying that goes something like "1+1 is more than two". If you unite the knowledge or the insight from two masters you are more likely to have a better result than if you focus on one. Another advantage of having two opinions is that you have the possibility of discussing both opinions, which is a usefel mental exercise, this way you can decide on your own which method or idea is better. It is always enlighting to discuss and argue different insights."
"Maybe most vegetarians have more than one teacher."
"If you learn from only one master, not only will you learn all his good traits, you will also learn all his flaws. going with two masters will give you the best of best of both worlds."
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."
People's reactions to this story:
"To excel one has to focus all energy on the task at hand."
"I think that the Master could be mastered himself by the student. The more moves or strategies that the student knows will only make him stronger, wiser."
"Jack of all trades, master of none."
"Jack of two trades, Master of both".
"Stay focused on one thing, trying to get everything will get you nothing."
"Pretty straight forward... one should master/concentrate on one thing at a time... not as profound as some of your other stories, yet at least makes more sense than some others."
"If the rabbits are sitting close together you can get both with one shot gun blast."
"Reminds you not to take on more than you can handle. It brings to mind a candid camera segment I saw in the early 60's. A little grocery store put a big table outside heaped with oranges, and a sign that said 'FREE', but they purposely didn't leave anything to carry them in. The humor was in watching everyone try to take 3 or 4 more than they could humanly carry. I guess a good tie-in would be that if you get greedy, you might get nothing!"
"This story reminds me of the old Hindu reference to one mountain and the many roads going to the peak. Though they are all valid and effective, one cannot reach the top by trying to follow two at the same time."
"Anyone who puts much stock in this story should read the Tao of Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee. To look at zen, or martial arts, or anything in life as a chase, is to never find peace. I don't like this teacher, but the story has made me think."
"I interpret this as similar to Jesus' saying that you can't serve two masters without hating one and loving the other."
"I think the student cannot improve that which he has not yet mastered."
"First story I read. It made me laugh and feel a little better."
"The lesson is simple; Focus all of your faith and effort into one philosophy. The man who serves two masters, serves none."
"I don't think the master's statement applies for every situation. His statement can be true for some situations, when it is true that if you focus on one subject, goal, etc, you will have more probability in succeeding, but what about the saying that goes something like "1+1 is more than two". If you unite the knowledge or the insight from two masters you are more likely to have a better result than if you focus on one. Another advantage of having two opinions is that you have the possibility of discussing both opinions, which is a usefel mental exercise, this way you can decide on your own which method or idea is better. It is always enlighting to discuss and argue different insights."
"Maybe most vegetarians have more than one teacher."
"If you learn from only one master, not only will you learn all his good traits, you will also learn all his flaws. going with two masters will give you the best of best of both worlds."
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
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!
(One reader claimed that Thomas Cleary once told him that the original ending of this story was quite different. According to Cleary, D.T. Suzuki changed the ending because he thought the original would not appeal to Westerners. The story was then picked up by others, such as Paul Reps. In the original version, the strawberry turns out to be, in fact, deadly poison.)
People's reactions to this story:
"After having only 5 hours of sleep I understand now. 'Live life to the fullest!'"
"'Eat, drink, and be merry; for tomorrow we die!' Not sure who to credit the quote, but it seems to apply."
"Live each moment to the full. The plight the man was in was no reason not to enjoy the wild strawberry."
"The man knew that he was about to die, and that there was nothing he could do about it. The strawberry was his last chance to enjoy life so instead of wasting his last moments in fear and frustration he took what little pleasure he could and made the best of it."
"Enlightenment can be found in distraction from distraction. The Universe is now! And strawberries are delicious."
"The most thought provoking story yet. We get so caught up with ourselves we assume the world around us changes. Why should the strawberry taste different?"
"I think most people take meaning of living in present as 'Don't worry about what next'. I think he was not living in present. He was living in past when he liked the fruit very much or future by thinking he may not get the fruit again. But the present was how to save his life."
"Aren't we all hanging from a fragile vine awaiting an inevitable plunge to doom while mice gnaw at our temporary safety? What else should we do but eat a strawberry?"
"This story puts me in mind of the band playing as the Titanic sank. There is something cloyingly 'live in the present moment' about it, BUT, on the other hand, why didn't the man throw the stawberry at the mice?"
"It's clear why the strawberry was delicious. I would think that mice would've been even more delicious at that point."
"The man should have taken those damn mice with him!"
"Perhaps if the man had thought to give the mice the strawberry then they would not knaw on the vine and he would live, but instead he was self absorbed and so he was destined to fall."
"The tiger is the past. The two mice are day and time which slowly kill us. And the cliff is the future. The strawberry is the present. Forget the past, not worry the future, and concentrate in the present moment. Only by that way can we live happily."
"I heard this story but it was a little different, not only did he face a lion but a bear jumped at his feet while two ground hogs nibbled at his branch just at the momoment the branch would break he noticed a plump ripe strawberry - aah delicious. My view - no matter the memories of yesterday or the anticipation of tommorrow or even the events of the day remember to always enjoy the moment."
"Hmmm. The story 'Cliffhanger' is very similar to a Jain parable I read once. The parable was supposed to embody the Jainist view of the world. There was also a sword wielding demoness, the cliff was replaced by a pit full of snakes and the strawberry was a dollop of wild honey. the tiger represented old age, the demoness: illness and infirmity. The honey represented the fleeting pleasures of life."
"The vine represents the reality that we live in every day. The tigers are the fear, stress and lack of focus in our lives that interfere with our desire to achieve peace and that is represented by the field. We are forced by our fear out of the paece of our field into grasping to the vine that is reality. The mice are the thoughts of good and evil and the deeper nature of man that we try to ignore but constantly gnaw at our consciousness and effect our grip on reality.The strawberry is the true nature of the smaller things in life. The true value of these things is not truly appreciated unitl we are forced from our stagnat peace by our fears and confront ourselves, then we can truly appreciate what our reality has to offer us."
"People have a tendency to focus too much on the bad things that are happening, and don't take enough time to see that there is beauty right in front of them. If you grasp the beauty in a dark situation, you will be happy."
"Wonderful. I admire the man who is able to embrace the moment, and who, regardless of circumstance, realizes the moment is sweet. If one must die, said one ought to go with pleasure on the toungue. This is wisdom."
"Everything tastes sweeter when you know it is your last."
"Is this what it takes to appreciate wonderful?"
"Life is beautiful! It's a shame that we realize it just in very extreme situations."
"In the worst of adversity, it is always important to enjoy the little pleasures in life. Urgency of life, love, the heat of the soul, warm breath to keep the demons on their toes. Everything seems to go faster and become more important daily, whilst at the same time becoming harder to fathom. -- MORCHEEBA liner notes"
"Enjoy beauty while you can."
"What a story! Indeed, it points out that the essence of zen must be to live until you are dead!"
"Two possibilities: (1) even in the midst of tremendous adversity, a truly enlightened person knows how to Be Here Now; or (2) this guy was in a serious state of denial. These two possibilities seem to be polar opposites leading to the same result."
"IN THE MOMENT IN THE BODY HERE NOW - HOWEVER, I SPEND TO MUCH TIME OVER THERE - IF YOU FIND ME TELL ME WHERE I AM"
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!
(One reader claimed that Thomas Cleary once told him that the original ending of this story was quite different. According to Cleary, D.T. Suzuki changed the ending because he thought the original would not appeal to Westerners. The story was then picked up by others, such as Paul Reps. In the original version, the strawberry turns out to be, in fact, deadly poison.)
People's reactions to this story:
"After having only 5 hours of sleep I understand now. 'Live life to the fullest!'"
"'Eat, drink, and be merry; for tomorrow we die!' Not sure who to credit the quote, but it seems to apply."
"Live each moment to the full. The plight the man was in was no reason not to enjoy the wild strawberry."
"The man knew that he was about to die, and that there was nothing he could do about it. The strawberry was his last chance to enjoy life so instead of wasting his last moments in fear and frustration he took what little pleasure he could and made the best of it."
"Enlightenment can be found in distraction from distraction. The Universe is now! And strawberries are delicious."
"The most thought provoking story yet. We get so caught up with ourselves we assume the world around us changes. Why should the strawberry taste different?"
"I think most people take meaning of living in present as 'Don't worry about what next'. I think he was not living in present. He was living in past when he liked the fruit very much or future by thinking he may not get the fruit again. But the present was how to save his life."
"Aren't we all hanging from a fragile vine awaiting an inevitable plunge to doom while mice gnaw at our temporary safety? What else should we do but eat a strawberry?"
"This story puts me in mind of the band playing as the Titanic sank. There is something cloyingly 'live in the present moment' about it, BUT, on the other hand, why didn't the man throw the stawberry at the mice?"
"It's clear why the strawberry was delicious. I would think that mice would've been even more delicious at that point."
"The man should have taken those damn mice with him!"
"Perhaps if the man had thought to give the mice the strawberry then they would not knaw on the vine and he would live, but instead he was self absorbed and so he was destined to fall."
"The tiger is the past. The two mice are day and time which slowly kill us. And the cliff is the future. The strawberry is the present. Forget the past, not worry the future, and concentrate in the present moment. Only by that way can we live happily."
"I heard this story but it was a little different, not only did he face a lion but a bear jumped at his feet while two ground hogs nibbled at his branch just at the momoment the branch would break he noticed a plump ripe strawberry - aah delicious. My view - no matter the memories of yesterday or the anticipation of tommorrow or even the events of the day remember to always enjoy the moment."
"Hmmm. The story 'Cliffhanger' is very similar to a Jain parable I read once. The parable was supposed to embody the Jainist view of the world. There was also a sword wielding demoness, the cliff was replaced by a pit full of snakes and the strawberry was a dollop of wild honey. the tiger represented old age, the demoness: illness and infirmity. The honey represented the fleeting pleasures of life."
"The vine represents the reality that we live in every day. The tigers are the fear, stress and lack of focus in our lives that interfere with our desire to achieve peace and that is represented by the field. We are forced by our fear out of the paece of our field into grasping to the vine that is reality. The mice are the thoughts of good and evil and the deeper nature of man that we try to ignore but constantly gnaw at our consciousness and effect our grip on reality.The strawberry is the true nature of the smaller things in life. The true value of these things is not truly appreciated unitl we are forced from our stagnat peace by our fears and confront ourselves, then we can truly appreciate what our reality has to offer us."
"People have a tendency to focus too much on the bad things that are happening, and don't take enough time to see that there is beauty right in front of them. If you grasp the beauty in a dark situation, you will be happy."
"Wonderful. I admire the man who is able to embrace the moment, and who, regardless of circumstance, realizes the moment is sweet. If one must die, said one ought to go with pleasure on the toungue. This is wisdom."
"Everything tastes sweeter when you know it is your last."
"Is this what it takes to appreciate wonderful?"
"Life is beautiful! It's a shame that we realize it just in very extreme situations."
"In the worst of adversity, it is always important to enjoy the little pleasures in life. Urgency of life, love, the heat of the soul, warm breath to keep the demons on their toes. Everything seems to go faster and become more important daily, whilst at the same time becoming harder to fathom. -- MORCHEEBA liner notes"
"Enjoy beauty while you can."
"What a story! Indeed, it points out that the essence of zen must be to live until you are dead!"
"Two possibilities: (1) even in the midst of tremendous adversity, a truly enlightened person knows how to Be Here Now; or (2) this guy was in a serious state of denial. These two possibilities seem to be polar opposites leading to the same result."
"IN THE MOMENT IN THE BODY HERE NOW - HOWEVER, I SPEND TO MUCH TIME OVER THERE - IF YOU FIND ME TELL ME WHERE I AM"
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
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."
People's reactions to this story:
"Having a big ego gets you nowhere. Some people need to be taken down a peg or two. If you boast and brag, sooner or later someone is going to put you in your place."
"I like this story - it has some suspense to it."
"Physical skills are not enough. There also has to be a balance between mind and body. Your mind has to be open and curious."
"You can be highly skilled at something, but still not have a very creative mind."
"There's a big difference between talent and a disciplined mind. A disciplined mind is the most crucial element in mastering an art."
"It's just like my mother always used to tell me. 'EXPERIENCE is the real teacher.' We can learn a lot from our elders."
"The real talent is being able to apply your skills even in the most adverse situation- without fear, hesitation, or doubt."
"The mind can work with you, or against you."
"People who brag usually lack confidence and are insecure on the inside. Eventually, this results in their failing."
"Pride cometh before the FALL (pun intended)."
"The mind is the most powerful weapon."
"Learning is most powerful when your knowledge is tested under many different circumstances. The young archer was skilled under very specific conditions, but he was unable to apply that skill in an unfamiliar environment."
"The boy was a good archer but he seemed to be doing it only for the competition. The old man did it because he enjoyed it, not to prove anything. This gave him a sense of control."
"An interesting story about how fear can rule one's life."
"This is a great story to teach children who feel that they are stupid or can't do anything right."
"No matter how much you know, there is always more to learn. But also, everyone should be respected for whatever knowledge they have."
"The champion has good raw talent but he doesn't know how to use it properly. He's a show-off and will probably waste his talent. If he used his skill in a constructive way - like teaching archery, or for hunting for food or clothing - maybe someday he too will become wise."
"Just goes to show you - don't show off a talent until you've perfected it."
"If you're talented at something, at least be gracious about it. This kind of boasting person really turns me off. I love to see someone really skilled put them in their place!"
"What IS 'talent' anyway? Being good at one thing in one situation? Seems kind of narrow to me."
"The key is not that the champion was a braggart. He was better at archery than the master. However, everyone excels at something. The master at controlling his fear and the champion at shooting a bow. What makes the master wise is that he could put the champion at such a disadvantage by maximizing his own skills while minimizing the braggarts."
"The idea that came to me was to search for the lesson of the story. The old man in the environment he was in might have experienced defeat. By bringing the man to the area he did, he brought him to his area where he might make the odds more in his favor. The old man must have walked over the vast opening many times and gained confidence in his action. He might have even taken a few shots at the target. The younger man was removed from his comfortable area and put into the comfortable area of the old man. The lesson I learned was if a stuation confronts me, I'm better off trying to give myself the edge. Clint Eastwood..Josie Wales."
"Everyone is better when on solid ground. You're more assertive, more sure of yourself, etc.
But when your stability is taken away, you are simply a child learning everything anew."
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."
People's reactions to this story:
"Having a big ego gets you nowhere. Some people need to be taken down a peg or two. If you boast and brag, sooner or later someone is going to put you in your place."
"I like this story - it has some suspense to it."
"Physical skills are not enough. There also has to be a balance between mind and body. Your mind has to be open and curious."
"You can be highly skilled at something, but still not have a very creative mind."
"There's a big difference between talent and a disciplined mind. A disciplined mind is the most crucial element in mastering an art."
"It's just like my mother always used to tell me. 'EXPERIENCE is the real teacher.' We can learn a lot from our elders."
"The real talent is being able to apply your skills even in the most adverse situation- without fear, hesitation, or doubt."
"The mind can work with you, or against you."
"People who brag usually lack confidence and are insecure on the inside. Eventually, this results in their failing."
"Pride cometh before the FALL (pun intended)."
"The mind is the most powerful weapon."
"Learning is most powerful when your knowledge is tested under many different circumstances. The young archer was skilled under very specific conditions, but he was unable to apply that skill in an unfamiliar environment."
"The boy was a good archer but he seemed to be doing it only for the competition. The old man did it because he enjoyed it, not to prove anything. This gave him a sense of control."
"An interesting story about how fear can rule one's life."
"This is a great story to teach children who feel that they are stupid or can't do anything right."
"No matter how much you know, there is always more to learn. But also, everyone should be respected for whatever knowledge they have."
"The champion has good raw talent but he doesn't know how to use it properly. He's a show-off and will probably waste his talent. If he used his skill in a constructive way - like teaching archery, or for hunting for food or clothing - maybe someday he too will become wise."
"Just goes to show you - don't show off a talent until you've perfected it."
"If you're talented at something, at least be gracious about it. This kind of boasting person really turns me off. I love to see someone really skilled put them in their place!"
"What IS 'talent' anyway? Being good at one thing in one situation? Seems kind of narrow to me."
"The key is not that the champion was a braggart. He was better at archery than the master. However, everyone excels at something. The master at controlling his fear and the champion at shooting a bow. What makes the master wise is that he could put the champion at such a disadvantage by maximizing his own skills while minimizing the braggarts."
"The idea that came to me was to search for the lesson of the story. The old man in the environment he was in might have experienced defeat. By bringing the man to the area he did, he brought him to his area where he might make the odds more in his favor. The old man must have walked over the vast opening many times and gained confidence in his action. He might have even taken a few shots at the target. The younger man was removed from his comfortable area and put into the comfortable area of the old man. The lesson I learned was if a stuation confronts me, I'm better off trying to give myself the edge. Clint Eastwood..Josie Wales."
"Everyone is better when on solid ground. You're more assertive, more sure of yourself, etc.
But when your stability is taken away, you are simply a child learning everything anew."
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
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.
People's reactions to this story:
"You have to be optimistic and confident, otherwise you are doomed."
"If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything."
"If you believe that a higher power is on your side, you can accomplish anything."
There ain't nothing like the power of positive thinking. It's a power much greater than oneself."
"Keep the faith!"
"This is a good story for children. You have to TRY if you want to accomplish something. If you don't, you'll never know. To me, 'never to have known' is the worst destiny."
"You can change your destiny. If you aren't responsible for yourself, who will be?"
"I'd love to tell this story to my sister. She always has doubts about herself."
"Almost all of the problems I've encountered in my life were due to the fact that I had doubts about myself, or others."
"Often, when I have to make a difficult decision about something, I toss a coin. It does make me feel more confident about my actions.. Funny, though, that I sometimes keep tossing it until I get the answer I want."
"This story is about a charismatic leader manipulating the emotions of his followers to a beneficial effect. I wonder if Hitler flipped a coin."
"Reminds me of pulling the pedals off of a flower.... She loves me, she loves me not..."
"Talk about a self-fulfilling prophesy!"
"Well, the general won his battle, but he lied to his men in the process. I wonder if that's such a good idea."
"I'd be curious to know how the men would have reacted to finding out about the general's trick. Would they ever trust him again?"
"How many leaders are just tricking us into doing what we do?"
"One person's destiny is another's manipulation."
"I guess when someone surrenders himself to destiny, there's another person behind the scenes who has taken charge to make sure that destiny happens."
"If the soldiers' destiny was the trick of the general, then who is playing tricks with MY destiny?"
"Is there such a thing as destiny?.... I wonder."
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.
People's reactions to this story:
"You have to be optimistic and confident, otherwise you are doomed."
"If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything."
"If you believe that a higher power is on your side, you can accomplish anything."
There ain't nothing like the power of positive thinking. It's a power much greater than oneself."
"Keep the faith!"
"This is a good story for children. You have to TRY if you want to accomplish something. If you don't, you'll never know. To me, 'never to have known' is the worst destiny."
"You can change your destiny. If you aren't responsible for yourself, who will be?"
"I'd love to tell this story to my sister. She always has doubts about herself."
"Almost all of the problems I've encountered in my life were due to the fact that I had doubts about myself, or others."
"Often, when I have to make a difficult decision about something, I toss a coin. It does make me feel more confident about my actions.. Funny, though, that I sometimes keep tossing it until I get the answer I want."
"This story is about a charismatic leader manipulating the emotions of his followers to a beneficial effect. I wonder if Hitler flipped a coin."
"Reminds me of pulling the pedals off of a flower.... She loves me, she loves me not..."
"Talk about a self-fulfilling prophesy!"
"Well, the general won his battle, but he lied to his men in the process. I wonder if that's such a good idea."
"I'd be curious to know how the men would have reacted to finding out about the general's trick. Would they ever trust him again?"
"How many leaders are just tricking us into doing what we do?"
"One person's destiny is another's manipulation."
"I guess when someone surrenders himself to destiny, there's another person behind the scenes who has taken charge to make sure that destiny happens."
"If the soldiers' destiny was the trick of the general, then who is playing tricks with MY destiny?"
"Is there such a thing as destiny?.... I wonder."
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
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?"
People's reactions to this story:
"I can identify with this story. Many times I have awakened from a dream and didn't know, for a moment, what was real and what was the dream."
"Dreams are weird. Are they trying to tell us something. If so, how are we to know what they mean?"
"You are who you perceive yourself to be."
"I've sometimes dreamed that I could fly. It's such a wonderful, free feeling. It seemed so real."
"This Zen master had an out-of-body experience, and now isn't sure about his identity."
"When you're a butterfly, there are no worries. You can flutter around without a care in the world. Perhaps this monk is wishing there were not so many responsibilities and barriers in his life."
"I think this Zen master wants some peace and quiet in his life. He wishes he were a normal person and not a Zen master with so many demands put on him by others."
"I think it's important for us to have dreams, but always remember that reality is much more important."
"Sounds like this guy conforms to what others think of him and allows them to govern his life."
"In my opinion, this is the kind of question asked by people who are struggling with their sense of individuality and self esteem."
"Only you know who you are - and sometimes it takes some soul-searching to find that identity."
"We should be content with who we are. If we try to be someone or something else, we will lose our sense of identity."
"I sometimes wonder whether we really exist as people, or whether we are only dreaming our lives. And if we are dreaming, when and how will we wake up?"
"It would be strange if our life were really part of someone else's dream. Our lives might seem long and tedious, but it would pass in the blink of an eye for that dreaming person."
"Are we really just living out someone else's dream or fantasy? I think that everyone at one time or another feels this kind of detachment from their lives."
"It's funny how we sometimes have to pinch ourselves to make sure we're really ourselves, to make sure we really exist. It's just like watching a movie, except in real life you don't follow a script."
"This reminds me of a philosophy course I once took. We discussed reality and how we know that we really exist. All I can remember from the course is 'I think therefore I am.'"
"Is this really reality? Or are we ALL dreaming this?"
"Thinking about this kind of thing for too long can drive you crazy."
"Blah, blah, blah. Philosophical babble..."
"I think this story has to do with being close to nature, and not forgetting that humans are as much a part of nature as a butterfly. Ultimately, we are all equal and should treat each other as equals."
"This story reminds me of Kafka's Metamorphosis. What would it be like if I woke up one morning and found that I had been completed transformed? Could I make a smooth transition into my new existence, or would I be really screwed up?"
"This story is a wake-up call for all those preoccupied with materialism and the mundane."
"I think that this Zen master is thinking too much. How can a butterfly dream?"
"This person is schizophrenic, and is having trouble distinguishing reality."
"Dumb! How can he not know whether he is a butterfly or not!?"
"Do butterflies really dream like humans, or is this monk just anthropomorphizing?"
"I can't think about this too long, because it will control my mind for the rest of the week."
"It's not important if what I perceive is a dream or if I'm someone elses reality or not. What matters is the principle of doing the right thing with the situations, real or not, I am confronted with."
"Why would a man want to be a butterfly, or a butterfly a man?"
"Reality is one's perception of reality, nothing more."
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?"
People's reactions to this story:
"I can identify with this story. Many times I have awakened from a dream and didn't know, for a moment, what was real and what was the dream."
"Dreams are weird. Are they trying to tell us something. If so, how are we to know what they mean?"
"You are who you perceive yourself to be."
"I've sometimes dreamed that I could fly. It's such a wonderful, free feeling. It seemed so real."
"This Zen master had an out-of-body experience, and now isn't sure about his identity."
"When you're a butterfly, there are no worries. You can flutter around without a care in the world. Perhaps this monk is wishing there were not so many responsibilities and barriers in his life."
"I think this Zen master wants some peace and quiet in his life. He wishes he were a normal person and not a Zen master with so many demands put on him by others."
"I think it's important for us to have dreams, but always remember that reality is much more important."
"Sounds like this guy conforms to what others think of him and allows them to govern his life."
"In my opinion, this is the kind of question asked by people who are struggling with their sense of individuality and self esteem."
"Only you know who you are - and sometimes it takes some soul-searching to find that identity."
"We should be content with who we are. If we try to be someone or something else, we will lose our sense of identity."
"I sometimes wonder whether we really exist as people, or whether we are only dreaming our lives. And if we are dreaming, when and how will we wake up?"
"It would be strange if our life were really part of someone else's dream. Our lives might seem long and tedious, but it would pass in the blink of an eye for that dreaming person."
"Are we really just living out someone else's dream or fantasy? I think that everyone at one time or another feels this kind of detachment from their lives."
"It's funny how we sometimes have to pinch ourselves to make sure we're really ourselves, to make sure we really exist. It's just like watching a movie, except in real life you don't follow a script."
"This reminds me of a philosophy course I once took. We discussed reality and how we know that we really exist. All I can remember from the course is 'I think therefore I am.'"
"Is this really reality? Or are we ALL dreaming this?"
"Thinking about this kind of thing for too long can drive you crazy."
"Blah, blah, blah. Philosophical babble..."
"I think this story has to do with being close to nature, and not forgetting that humans are as much a part of nature as a butterfly. Ultimately, we are all equal and should treat each other as equals."
"This story reminds me of Kafka's Metamorphosis. What would it be like if I woke up one morning and found that I had been completed transformed? Could I make a smooth transition into my new existence, or would I be really screwed up?"
"This story is a wake-up call for all those preoccupied with materialism and the mundane."
"I think that this Zen master is thinking too much. How can a butterfly dream?"
"This person is schizophrenic, and is having trouble distinguishing reality."
"Dumb! How can he not know whether he is a butterfly or not!?"
"Do butterflies really dream like humans, or is this monk just anthropomorphizing?"
"I can't think about this too long, because it will control my mind for the rest of the week."
"It's not important if what I perceive is a dream or if I'm someone elses reality or not. What matters is the principle of doing the right thing with the situations, real or not, I am confronted with."
"Why would a man want to be a butterfly, or a butterfly a man?"
"Reality is one's perception of reality, nothing more."
bonddonraj
Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
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."
People's reactions to this story:
"The best way to learn something is not by having it explained to you, but by EXPERIENCING it yourself, firsthand."
"Actions speak louder than words."
"It's interesting that the Zen master referred to his student as 'Your Excellency' just before he zaps him with the egotism comment. I wonder if he ever called the Prime Minister that before the Prime Minister asked the question about egotism."
"People need to put aside their petty titles in order to really relate to each other. Titles are very egotistical... But then, you also should never forget who you are."
"This story illustrates how enlightenment does not put the master above the student. They relate to each other as equals, including BOTH of them acting egotistical."
"Egotism is a large part of who we be, Without it I'm sure the daily obits would take up most of the paper. I think I was more frightened that a man in his position would ask such a question. Fictional I Hope!"
"I think the message of the story is that people already know the answer to most questions that they ask. Many questions are egotistical in themselves."
"Whenever we call someone else's question stupid, we are being egotistical. Questions are necessary."
"I hope the Prime Minister had a good sense of humor."
"Was the Zen master really insulted by the question, or was it just an act?"
"If the question got the Zen master angry, it must be because he thought the Prime Minister should know better. Maybe he really thought he was better than the Prime Minister. Or maybe the master felt inadequate because he thought he had taught the Prime Minister better. In either case, HE was the one being egotistical."
"People of status sometimes try to pretend that it's no big deal, but it is... to them."
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."
People's reactions to this story:
"The best way to learn something is not by having it explained to you, but by EXPERIENCING it yourself, firsthand."
"Actions speak louder than words."
"It's interesting that the Zen master referred to his student as 'Your Excellency' just before he zaps him with the egotism comment. I wonder if he ever called the Prime Minister that before the Prime Minister asked the question about egotism."
"People need to put aside their petty titles in order to really relate to each other. Titles are very egotistical... But then, you also should never forget who you are."
"This story illustrates how enlightenment does not put the master above the student. They relate to each other as equals, including BOTH of them acting egotistical."
"Egotism is a large part of who we be, Without it I'm sure the daily obits would take up most of the paper. I think I was more frightened that a man in his position would ask such a question. Fictional I Hope!"
"I think the message of the story is that people already know the answer to most questions that they ask. Many questions are egotistical in themselves."
"Whenever we call someone else's question stupid, we are being egotistical. Questions are necessary."
"I hope the Prime Minister had a good sense of humor."
"Was the Zen master really insulted by the question, or was it just an act?"
"If the question got the Zen master angry, it must be because he thought the Prime Minister should know better. Maybe he really thought he was better than the Prime Minister. Or maybe the master felt inadequate because he thought he had taught the Prime Minister better. In either case, HE was the one being egotistical."
"People of status sometimes try to pretend that it's no big deal, but it is... to them."