Zen. Annoucement. Zen Stories » Ancient Words of Wisdom « Deep Spirits. Not Far From Buddhahood 16. Stingy in Teaching 17. 101 Zen Stories A young physician in Tokyo named Kusuda met a college friend who had been studying Zen. The young doctor asked him what Zen was. "I cannot tell you what it is," the friend replied, "but one thing is certain. If you understand Zen, you will not be afraid to die. " "That's fine," said Kusuda. "Go to the master Nan-in," the friend told him. So Kusuda went to call on Nan-in.
When Nan-in saw Kusuda he exclaimed: "Hello, friend. This perplexed Kusuda, who replied: "We have never met before. " "That's right," answered Nan-in. With such a beginning, Kusuda lost his chance to test the master, so reluctantly he asked if he might receive Zen instruction.
Nan-in said: "Zen is not a difficult task. Kusuda visited Nan-in three times. It was not yet clear to Kusuda how such teaching could remove the fear of death. Nan-in smiled and patted the doctor. Kusuda pondered this problem of Mu (No-Thing) for two years. Kusuda continued in concentration for another year and a half. The Last Poem of Hoshin 11. 101 Zen Stories The Zen master Hoshin lived in China many years. Then he returned to the northeastern part of Japan, where he taught his disciples.
When he was getting very old, he told them a story he had heard in China. This is the story: One year on the twenty-fifth of December, Tokufu, who was very old, said to his disciples: "I am not going to be alive next year so you fellows should treat me well this year. " The pupils thought he was joking, but since he was a great-hearted teacher each of them in turn treated him to a feast on succeeding days of the departing year. On the eve of the new year, Tokufu concluded: "You have been good to me. The disciples laughed, thinking he was aging and talking nonsense since the night was clear and without snow.
Hoshin, who related this story, 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? " "Yes," answered Hoshin. "Are you ready? " "Yes, sir," replied the writer. Happy Chinaman 12. 101 Zen Stories Anyone walking about Chinatowns in America will observe statues of a stout fellow carrying a linen sack. Chinese merchants call him Happy Chinaman or Laughing Buddha. This Hotei lived in the T'ang dynasty. He had no desire to call himself a Zen master or to gather many disciples around him. Instead he walked the streets with a big sack into which he would put gifts of candy, fruit, or doughnuts. Whenever he met a Zen devotee he would extend his hand and say: "Give me one penny.
" Once as he was about to play-work another Zen master happened along and inquired: "What is the significance of Zen? " Hotei immediately plopped his sack down on the ground in silent answer. "Then," asked the other, "what is the actualization of Zen? " At once the Happy Chinaman swung the sack over his shoulder and continued on his way.
Previous Zen story: The Story of Shunkai Next Zen story: A Buddha. A Buddha 13. 101 Zen Stories In Tokyo in the Meiji era there lived two prominent teachers of opposite characteristics. One, Unsho, an instructor in Shingon, kept Buddha's precepts scrupulously. He never drank intoxicants, nor did he eat after eleven o'clock in the morning. The other teacher, Tanzan, a professor of philosophy at the Imperial University, never observed the precepts. When he felt like eating, he ate, and when he felt like sleeping in the daytime, he slept. One day Unsho visited Tanzan, who was drinking wine at the time, not even a drop of which is supposed to touch the tongue of a Buddhist. "Hello, brother," Tanzan greeted him. "I never drink! " "One who does not drink is not even human," said Tanzan. "Do you mean to call me inhuman just because I do not indulge in intoxicating liquids!
" "A Buddha," answered Tanzan. Muddy Road 14. Shoan and His Mother 15. 101 Zen Stories Shoun became a teacher of Soto Zen. When he was still a student his father passed away, leaving him to care for his old mother. Whenever Shoun went to a meditation hall he always took his mother with him. Since she accompanied him, when he visited monasteries he could not live with the monks. So he would build a little house and care for her there.
He would copy sutras, Buddhist verses, and in this manner receive a few coins for food. When Shoun bought fish for his mother, the people would scoff at him, for a monk is not supposed to eat fish. Shoun was fond of music and was a master of the harp, which his mother also played. One night a young lady passed by their house and heard music. One day Shoun left for a distant temple to deliver a lecture. Shoun walked up and hit the coffin with his staff. "I am glad to see you have returned, son," he answered for his mother. "Yes, I am glad too," Shoun responded. When Shoun was old he knew his end was approaching. No Loving - Kindness 6. 101 Zen Stories There was an old woman in China who had supported a monk for over twenty years. She had built a little hut for him and fed him while he was meditating. Finally she wondered just what progress he had made in all this time.
To find out, she obtained the help of a girl rich in desire. "Go and embrace him," she told her, "and then ask him suddenly: 'What now? '" The girl called upon the monk and without much ado caressed him, asking him what he was going to do about it. "An old tree grows on a cold rock in winter," replied the monk somewhat poetically. The girl returned and related what he had said. "To think I fed that fellow for twenty years! " She at once went to the hut of the monk and burned it down. Annoucement 7. Great Waves 8. 101 Zen Stories In the early days of the Meiji era there lived a well-known wrestler called O-nami, Great Waves. O-nami was immensly strong and knew the art of wresting. In his private bouts he defeated even his teacher, but in public was so bashful that his own pupils threw him. O-nami felt he should go to a Zen master for help. "Great Waves is your name," the teacher advised, "so stay in this temple tonight.
The teacher retired. In the morning the teacher found O-nami meditating, a faint smile on his face. The same day O-nami entered the wrestling contests and won. The Moon Cannot Be Stolen 9. The Last Poem of Hoshin 10. A Cup of Tea 1. Finding a Diamond on a Muddy Road 2. 101 Zen Stories Gudo was the emperor's teacher of his time. Nevertheless, he used to travel alone as a wandering mendicant.
Once when he was on his was to Edo, the cultural and political center of the shogunate, he approached a little village named Takenaka. It was evening and a heavy rain was falling. The woman who offered him the sandals, seeing how wet he was, invited him in to remain for the night at her home. "My husband is a gambler and a drunkard," the housewife told him. I will help him," said Gudo.
When the man of the house returned about midnight, quite drunk, he bellowed: "Hey, wife, I am home. "I have something for you," said Gudo. The man was delighted. In the morning when the husband awoke he had forgotten about the previous night. "I am Gudo of Kyoto and I am going on to Edo," replied the Zen master. The man was utterly ashamed. Gudo smiled. The perception of the husband awoke as if from a dream. "If you wish," assented Gudo. The two started out.
Is That So? 3. 101 Zen Stories 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. After the child was born it was brought to Hakuin. A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. 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. Obedience 4. 101 Zen Stories The master Bankei's talks were attended not only by Zen students but by persons of all ranks and sects. He never quoted sutras nor indulged in scholastic dissertations. Instead, his words were spoken directly from his heart to the hearts of his listeners. His large audiences angered a priest of the Nichiren sect because the adherents had left to hear about Zen. The self-centered Nichiren priest came to the temple, determined to debate with Bankei.
"Hey, Zen teacher! " "Come up beside me and I will show you," said Bankei. Proudly the priest pushed his way through the crowd to the teacher. Bankei smiled. The priest obeyed. "No," said Bankei, "we may talk better if you are on the right side. The priest proudly stepped over to the right "You see," observed Bankei, "you are obeying me and I think you are a very gentle person. If You Love, Love Openly 5.