Are You Here? | A Short Zen Story

A visiting monk was taking leave of master Ch’ang Kuan of Wu-feng. 

The master said to him, “When you travel around, don’t slander me by saying that I am here.” The monk said, “I won’t say you’re here.” 

The master asked, “Where would you say I am?” The visiting monk held up one finger (to symbolically express the Zen intuition of oneness). “Ah,” said the master, “you have already slandered me.”

Final Moment "Dream" | A Short Zen Story

Before Japanese Rinzai Zen Master Takuan Soho died, this great scholar-artist-teacher instructed: 

“Bury my body on the mountain behind the temple; throw earth on it and go away. 
No scripture reading, no offerings—go on with your meals. Afterwards, no pagoda, no monument, no posthumous name or title, and certainly no biography full of dates!” 
At his final moment, he wrote the Chinese character for yume ("dream"), put down the brush, and died.

If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)


This website moving to <a href="http://www.zenstories.net/">www.zenstories.net</a> 

Please share a little Zen wisdom with your friends and family. 

Do You Know Yourself As Buddha-Nature | A Short Zen Story

Keiji, a long-time Zen student, approached his master and said:
“I don’t see how there can be any enlightenment that sets you free once and for all. I think we just get ever greater glimpses of Buddha-nature, the vastness that is our true Reality. It’s an ever-expanding process.”

The master, looking penetratingly at Keiji, replied. “That may be what you think. But what is your experience, your experience right now?”
Keiji looked momentarily confused.
“My experience right now, Master?”
“Yes. Do you know yourself as Keiji, having ever-expanding experiences of Buddha-nature? Or do you know yourself as Buddha-nature, having the experience of Keiji?”


If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)

The Truly Wise Old Monk | A Short Zen Story

A young Zen monk was recognized by his teacher as having experienced an initial breakthrough enlightenment. His teacher then told the young man that, for realizing complete, irreversible enlightenment, he would need to study under a certain wise old master whose small temple was situated in another part of the country. And so the young man set off to meet the old master. After several weeks of travel, he finally arrived at the remote temple.

The sentry told him that all the other monks were working at their daily chores, and sent the young man straightaway to the meditation hall to meet the venerable master.

Entering the meditation hall, the young monk espied an old man doing repeated prostrations to a simple statue of the Buddha, softly chanting the name of Buddha Amida (who saves all sentient beings from suffering).

The young man was shocked. Having realized from his teacher the basic truth that the Self or Buddha-nature is formless openness-emptiness, utterly transcendent and all-pervasive, he was a bit disturbed to see the old man apparently still caught up in such “dualistic” practices—ritually bowing to an idol and chanting with devotion to a mythical Buddha.

And so he came up to the aged monk, introduced himself, and, from his “truly enlightened” perspective, proceeded to lecture the old man on the futility and stupidity of worshiping mere forms. Finally, his brief rant over, he realized that, having traveled such a long way to meet the “master,” he should probably ask the old monk for whatever wisdom he had to share. “So, old man, what can you tell me about full enlightenment?”

In response, the master resumed sincerely bowing in gratitude before the statue of the Buddha, gently invoking the Name of Amida on behalf of all beings….

And, in a flash, the young man fully understood the way of true spirituality.

How The Tea-Master Defeated The Assassin | A Short Zen Story

Taiko, a warrior who lived in Japan before the Tokugawa era, studied Cha-no-yu, tea etiquette, with Sen no Rikyu, a teacher of that aesthetical expression of calmness and contentment.

Taiko's attendant warrior Kato interpreted his superior's enthusiasm for tea etiquette as negligence of state affairs, m he decided to kill Sen no Rikyu. He pretended to make a social call upon the tea-master and was invited to drink tea.

The master, who was well skilled in his art, saw at a glance the warrior's intention, so he invited Kato to leave his sword outside before entering the room for the ceremony, explaining that Cha-no-yu represents peacefulness itself. Kato would wouldn't entertain this. 
'I am a warrior,' he said. I always have my sword with me. Cha-no-yu or no Cha-no-yu. I have my sword."

'Very well. Bring your sword in and have some tea,' consented Sen no Rikyu.

The kettle was boiling on the charcoal fire. Suddenly Sen no Rikyu tipped it over. Hissing steam arose filling the room with smoke and ashes. The startled warrior ran outside.
The tea-master apologized.
‘It is my mistake. Come back in and have some tea. I have your sword here covered with ashes and will clean it and give it to you."

In this predicament the warrior realized he could not very well kill the tea-master, so he gave up the idea.


If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)

Has Your Candle Burned Out? | A Short Zen Story

In early times in Japan, bamboo-and-paper lanterns were used with candles inside. A blind man, visiting a friend one night was offered a lantern to carry home with him.

'I do not need a lantern,' he said. Darkness or light is all the same to me'

‘I know you do not need a lantern to find your way,' his friend replied, 'but if you don't have one someone else may run into you. So you must take it.'

The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked very far someone ran squarely into him. 'Look out where you are going!' he exclaimed to the stranger. 'Can't you see this lantern?'

‘Your candle has burned out brother,' replied the stranger. 


If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)

Tasui's Little Room | A Short Zen Story

Tosui was a Zen master who left the formalism of temples to live under a bridge with beggars. When he was getting very old, a friend helped him to earn his living without begging. He showed Tosui how to collect rice and manufacture vinegar from it and Tosui did this until he passed away.

While Tosui was making vinegar, one of the beggars gave him a picture of the Buddha. Tosui hung it on the wall of his hut and put a sign beside it. The sign read:

‘Mr. Amida Buddha: This little room is quite narrow. I can let you remain as a transient. But don't think I am asking you to help me to be reborn in your paradise.'

Haha...Love this! How kind of him.

Enter The Silent Temple | A Short Zen Story

Hainan, PR China

Been looking in to Buddhist culture a lot more since my visit to the Monastery in Hainan. My background has really been a simple Zen approach without chanting sutras and meditation routines. 

It seems that this varies from teacher to teacher and not just from culture to culture. What structure have you in place?

Reminds me of this story.

Shochi was a one-eyed teacher of Zen, sparkling with enlightenment. He taught his disciple in Tofuku temple.
 
Day and night the whole temple stood in silence. There was no sound at all. Even the reciting of sutras was abolished by the teacher. His pupils had nothing to do but meditate.

What the master passed away, an old neighbor heard the ringing of bells and the recitation of sutras. Then she knew.

If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)

Has Your Light Gone Out? | A Short Zen Story

A student of Tendai a philosophical school of Buddhism, came to the Zen abode of Gasan as a pupil. When he was departing a few years later, Gasan warned him: 

'Studying the truth speculatively is useful as a way of collecting preaching material. But remember that unless you meditate constantly your light of truth may go out.'

The Secret of Sour Miso | A Short Zen Story

This story sprang to mind today whist having a conversation with a friend about how her parents always waited for her and her brother to finish their meals before eating. Not exactly the same but hey that's how this Blog comes together.

I do love those old master and their staunch commitment to their students.

The cook monk Dairyo, at Bankei's monastery, decided that he would take good care of his old teacher's health and give him only fresh miso, a paste of soy beans mixed with wheat and yeast that often ferments. Bankei, noticing that he was being served better miso than his pupils, asked: 
'Who is the cook today?'

Dairyo was sent before him. Bankei learned that according to his age and position he should eat only fresh miso. So he said to the cook: Then you think I shouldn't eat at all.' With this he entered his room and locked the door.

Dairyo, sitting outside the door, asked his teacher’s pardon. Bankei would not answer. For seven days Dairyo sit outside and Bankei within.

Finally in desperation an adherent called loudly to Bankei:

'You may be all right old teacher, but this young disciple here has to eat. He cannot go without food forever!’

At that Bankei opened the door. He was smiling. He told Dairyo:
'I insist on eating the same food as the least of my followers. When you become the teacher I do not want you to forget this.'


If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)

Not far from Buddhahood | A Short Zen Story

I found this dialogue between Gasan and his student regarding the new testament. Enjoy!

A university student while visiting Gasan asked him: "Have you even read the Christian Bible?"

"No, read it to me," said Gasan.

The student opened the Bible and read from St Matthew:

"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these...Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."

Gasan said: "Whoever uttered those words I consider an enlightened man."

The student continued reading:

"Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

Gasan remarked: 

"That is excellent. Whoever said that is not far from Buddhahood."

Thanks for reading

If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)

Little Monk Portrait

This piece took 3 hours in Adobe Illustrator. I added the metropolis-esk landscape just because it felt right at the time. 

No idea what the floppy sleeves are all about. :)

If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)

The Secret to Ryonen's Clear Realization | A Short Zen Story

Check out this wonderful story about Ryonen. And how she gave enough to for-fill her life's quest.

The Buddhist nun known as Ryonen was born in 1797. She was a granddaughter of the famous Japanese warrior Shingen. Her poetical genius and alluring beauty were such that at seventeen she was serving the empress as one of the ladies of the court. Even at such a youthful age fame awaited her.


The beloved emperor died suddenly and Ryonen's hopeful dreams vanished. She became acutely aware of the impermanency of life in this world. I was then that she desired to study Zen.


Her relatives disagreed, however, and practically forced her into marriage. With a promise that she might become a nun after she had borne three children. Ryonen assented. Before she was twenty-five she had accomplished this condition. Then her husband and relatives could no longer dissuade her from her desire. She shaved her had took the name of Ryonen which means to realize clearly, and stated on her pilgrimage. She came to the city of Edo and asked Tetsugyu to accept her as a disciple. At one glance the master rejected her because she was too beautiful.

Ryonen then went to another master, Hakuo. Hakuo refused her for the same reason, saying that her beauty would only make trouble. Ryonen obtained a hot iron and placed it against her face. In a few moments her beauty had vanished forever.

Hakuo then accepted her as a disciple.

Commemorating this occasion. Ryonen wrote a poem on the back of a little mirror:

"In the service of my Empress I burned incense to perfume my exquisite clothes,
Now as a homeless mendicant I burn my face to enter a Zen temple." Ryonen

When Ryonen was about to pass from this world she wrote another poem:

"Sixty-six times have these eyes beheld the changing scene of autumn.
I have had enough about moonlight,
Ask no more.
Only listen to the voice of pines and cedars when no wind stirs." Ryonen

If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)

Drinking Tea With A Zen Master | A Short Zen Story

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.


Nan-in saved tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.
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? '

Warning: Black-Nosed Buddha | A Short Zen Story

A nun who was searching for enlightenment made a statue of Buddha and covered it with gold leaf. Wherever she went she carried this golden Buddha with her.

Years passed and, still carrying her Buddha, the nun came to live in a small temple in a country where there were many Buddha’s, each one with its own particular shrine.

The nun wished to burn incense before her golden Buddha. Not liking the idea of the perfume straying to the others, she devised a funnel through which the smoke would ascend only to her statue. This blackened the nose of the Golden Buddha making it especially ugly.

If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)

Now You Can Have A Beautiful Vision | A Short Zen Story

Hakuun Yasutani declared: “To see a beautiful vision of a celestial Buddha does not mean that you are any nearer to becoming one yourself!”

Now You Can Have A Beautiful Vision

Now You Can Say Farewell | A Short Zen Story

Old Japanese master Hoshin told his disciples: “It is not necessary for a Zen master to predict his passing, but if he really wishes to do so, he can.” “Can you?” asked a student. “Yes. I will show you what I can do seven days from now.” 

None of the disciples believed him, and most had forgotten his words when he called them together again. 
“Seven days ago, I said I was going to leave you. It is customary to write a farewell poem, but I am neither a poet nor calligrapher. One of you please inscribe my last words.” 

His disciples thought he was joking, but one started to write. Hoshin dictated: 
“I came from brilliancy / and return to brilliancy. / What is this?” 

The poem was one line short of the customary four, so the disciple said, 
“Master, we are short by one line.” Hoshin, with the roar of a conquering lion, shouted “Kaa!” and was gone.

If you enjoyed this story Please tweet me or RT the story. Thank you! :)