Archive for July 2nd, 2008
Posted by kathavarta on July 2, 2008
“Our schoolmaster used to take a nap every afternoon,” related a disciple of Soyen Shaku. “We children asked him why he did it and he told us: ‘I go to dreamland to meet the old sages just as Confucius did.’ When Confucius slept, he would dream of ancient sages and later tell his followers about them.
“It was extremely hot one day so some of us took a nap. Our schoolmaster scolded us.
‘We went to dreamland to meet the ancient sages the same as Confucius did,’ we explained.
‘What was the message from those sages?’ our schoolmaster demanded.
One of us replied: ‘We went to dreamland and met the sages and asked them if our schoolmaster came there every afternoon, but they said they had never seen any such fellow.’
Posted in Moral story, Varta, Zen story | Tagged: Affection, Compassion, Devotion, Education, Lazy, Lie, Pleasure, Revenge, Short Story, Soyen Shaku, Story for Adult, Truth, Varta, Zen story | Leave a Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on July 2, 2008
The master Soyen Shaku passed from this world when he was sixty-one years of age. Fulfilling his life’s work, he left a great teaching, far richer than that of most Zen masters. His pupils used to sleep in the daytime during midsummer, and while he overlooked this he himself never wasted a minute.
When he was but twelve years old he was already studying Tendai philosophical speculation. One summer day the air had been so sultry that little Soyen stretched his legs and went to sleep while his teacher was away.
Three hours passed when, suddenly waking, he heard his master enter, but it was too late. There he lay, sprawled across the doorway.
“I beg your pardon, I beg your pardon,” his teacher whispered, stepping carefully over Soyen’s body as if it were that of some distinguished guest. After this, Soyen never slept again in the afternoon.
Posted in Moral story, Varta, Zen story | Tagged: Affection, Body, Education, Hard work, Labour, Lazy, Life, Opportunity, Short Story, Soyen Shaku, Varta, Zen story | Leave a Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on July 2, 2008
Gisho was ordained as a nun when she was ten years old. She received training just as the little boys did. When she reached the age of sixteen she traveled from one Zen master to another, studying with them all.
She remained three years with Unzan, six years with Gukei, but was unable to obtained a clear vision. At last she went to the master Inzan.
Inzan showed her no distinction at all on account of her sex. He scolded her like a thunderstorm. He cuffed her to awaken her inner nature.
Gisho remained with Inzan thirteen years, and then she found that which she was seeking!
In her honor, Inzan wrote a poem:
This nun studied thirteen years under my guidance.
In the evening she considered the deepest koans,
In the morning she was wrapped in other koans.
The Chinese nun Tetsuma surpassed all before her,
And since Mujaku none has been so genuine as this Gisho!
Yet there are many more gates for her to pass through.
She should receive still more blows from my iron fist.
After Gisho was enlightened she went to the province of Banshu, started her own Zen temple, and taught two hundred other nuns until she passed away one year in the month of August.
Posted in Moral story, Varta, Zen story | Tagged: Affection, Counsel, Devotion, Education, Gukei, Hard work, Inzan, Life, Love, Nun Gisho, Self-Confidence, Short Story, Teacher, Unzan, Varta, Zen master, Zen story | Leave a Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on July 2, 2008
Tetsugen, a devotee of Zen in Japan, decided to publish the sutras, which at that time were available only in Chinese. The books were to be printed with wood blocks in an edition of seven thousand copies, a tremendous undertaking.
Tetsugen began by traveling and collecting donations for this purpose. A few sympathizers would give him a hundred pieces of gold, but most of the time he received only small coins. He thanked each donor with equal gratitude. After ten years Tetsugen had enough money to begin his task.
It happened that at that time the Uji River overflowed. Famine followed. Tetsugen took the funds he had collected for the books and spent them to save others from starvation. Then he began again his work of collecting.
Several years afterwards an epidemic spread over the country. Tetsugen again gave away what he had collected, to help his people.
For a third time he started his work, and after twenty years his wish was fulfilled. The printing blocks which produced the first edition of sutras can be seen today in the Obaku monastery in Kyoto.
The Japanese tell their children that Tetsugen made three sets of sutras, and that the first two invisible sets surpass even the last.
Posted in Moral story, Varta, Zen story | Tagged: Ancient peoples, Devotion, Hard work, Help, Humanity, Labour, Life, Love, Mercy, Necessity, Short Story, Story for Adult, Tetsugen, Truth, Varta, Zen story | Leave a Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on July 2, 2008
Subhuti was Buddha’s disciple. He was able to understand the potency of emptiness, the viewpoint that nothing exists except in its relationship of subjectivity and objectivity.
One day Subhuti, in a mood of sublime emptiness, was sitting under a tree. Flowers began to fall about him.
“We are praising you for your discourse on emptiness,” the gods whispered to him.
“But I have not spoken of emptiness,” said Subhuti.
“You have not spoken of emptiness, we have not heard emptiness,” responded the gods. “This is true emptiness.” And blossoms showered upon Subhuto as rain.
Posted in Moral story, Varta, Zen story | Tagged: Act, Affection, Buddha, Compassion, Devotion, Education, Emptiness, Experience, Life, Love, Relationship, Short Story, Story for Adult, Subhuti, Success, Varta, Zen story | Leave a Comment »
Posted by kathavarta on July 2, 2008
Zen students are with their masters at least two years before they presume to teach others. Nan-in was visited by Tenno, who, having passed his apprenticeship, had become a teacher. The day happened to be rainy, so Tenno wore wooden clogs and carried an umbrella. After greeting him Nan-in remarked: “I suppose you left your wooden clogs in the vestibule. I want to know if your umbrella is on the right or left side of the clogs.”
Tenno, confused, had no instant answer. He realized that he was unable to carry his Zen every minute. He became Nan-in’s pupil, and he studied six more years to accomplish his every-minute Zen.
Posted in Moral story, Varta, Zen story | Tagged: Act, Body, Compassion, Death, Devotion, Education, Experience, Life, Nan-in, Process, Short Story, Story for Adult, Success, Tenno, Think, Varta, Zen, Zen story | Leave a Comment »
