Stories, tales and items of amusement

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.
Mara's attendant asked what that was and Mara replied, \"A piece of truth.\" \"Doesn't 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.\"

YOU SPIT, I BOW

The morning after Philip Kapleau and Professor Phillips arrived at Ryutakuji Monastery they were given a tour of the place by Abbot Soen Nakagawa.

Both Americans had been heavily influenced by tales of ancient Chinese masters who'd destroyed sacred texts, and even images of the Buddha, in order to free themselves from attachment to anything.

They were thus surprised and disturbed to find themselves being led into a ceremonial hall, where the Roshi invited them to pay respects to a statue of the temple's founder, Hakuin Zenji, by bowing and offering incense.

On seeing Nakagawa bow before the image, Phillips couldn't contain himself, and burst out: \"The old Chinese masters burned or spit on Buddha statues! Why do you bow down before them?\"

\"If you want to spit, you spit,\" replied the Roshi. \"I prefer to bow.\"

Grant me the stubbornness to change what I can, the laziness to accept what I cannot, and enough beer to sit around and endlessly discuss the difference between the two.

~Dick Dunn

Did you ever notice when you blow in a dog's face he gets mad at you?
But when you take him in a car he sticks his head out the window.

~ Steve Bluestone

Anytime you point the finger of blame at someone, remember that there are 4 fingers pointing back at you.

~ unknown

Self-control
One day there was an earthquake that shook the entire Zen temple.
Parts of it even collapsed. Many of the monks were terrified.

When the earthquake stopped the teacher said, \"Now you have had the opportunity to see how a Zen man behaves in a crisis situation. You may have noticed that I did not panic. I was quite aware of what was happening and what to do.

I led you all to the kitchen, the strongest part of the temple. It was a good decision, because you see we have all survived without any injuries.

However, despite my self-control and composure, I did feel a little bit tense - which you may have deduced from the fact that I drank a large glass of water, something I never do under ordinary circumstances.\"

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

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

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