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Drop all 'isms'
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Mind of a Sage
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Judging a saint
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The Fake Monk
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Rinzai's Answer
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Mystic Rengetsu
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Zen
Master Sekito
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Zen Sage & Thief
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Zen Master in Jail
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Buddha’s message
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The Game of Chess
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Innocence is Divine
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Master's Compassion
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Knowledge is Trouble
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Respond with awareness
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Tetsugen
3 set of
sutras
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You are already a Buddha
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Sound of one Hand Clapping
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Master waits 4 right Moment
- Stories 1 - 2
- Stories 3 - 4
- Stories 5 - 7
- Stories 8-9
- Stories 10
- Stories 11
- Stories 12-14
- Stories 15-16
- Stories 17-18
- Stories 19 - 21
- Stories 22 - 24
- Stories 25 - 27
- Stories 28 - 32
- Stories 33 - 36
- Stories 37 - 38
- Stories 39 - 41
- Stories 42 - 44
- Stories 45 - 46
- Stories 47 - 48
- Stories 49 - 50
- Stories 51 - 53
- Stories 54 - 56
- Stories 57 - 59
- Stories 60 - 61
- Stories 62 - 64
- Stories 65 - 66
- Stories 67 - 68
- Stories 69 - 72
- Stories 73 - 75
- Stories 76 - 78
- Stories 79 - 82
- Stories 83 - 86
- Stories 87 - 89
- Stories 90 - 91
- Stories 92 - 94
- Stories 95 - 97
- Stories 98 -101
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33. Mokusen's Hand
Mokusen Hiki was living in a temple in the province of Tamba. One of
his adherents complained of the stinginess of his wife.
Mokusen visited the adherent's wife and showed her his clenched fist
before her face. 'What do you mean by that?' asked the surprised
woman.
'Suppose my fist were always like that. What would you call it?' he
asked.
‘Deformed,' replied the woman.
Then he opened his hand flat in her face and asked: 'Suppose it were
always like that. What then?'
'Another kind of deformity,' said the wife.
‘If you understand that much,' finished Mokusen, 'you are a good
wife.' Then he left. After his visit, this wife helped her husband
to distribute as well as to save.
34. A Smile in His Lifetime
Mokugen was never known to smile until his last day on earth. When
his time came to pass away he said to his faithful ones: 'You have
studied under me for more than ten years. Show me your real
interpretation of Zen. Whoever expresses this most clearly shall be
my successor and receive my robe and bowl.'
Everyone watched Mokugen's severe face but no one answered. Encho, a
disciple who bad been with his teacher for a long time, moved near
the bedside. He pushed forward the medicine cup a few inches. This
was his answer to the command.
The teacher's face became even more severe. 'Is that all you
understand?' he asked. Encho reached out and moved the cup back
again.
A beautiful smile broke ova the features of Mokugen. ‘You rascal,'
he told Encho. ‘You worked with me ten years and have not yet seen
my whole body. Take the robe and bowl. They belong to you.'
35. Every-Minute Zen
Zen students are with their masters at last ten 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 Nanin's pupil, and
he studied six more years to accomplish his every-minute Zen.
36. Flower Shower
Subhuti was Buddha's disciple. He was able to understand the potency
of emptiness, the viewpoint that nothing exists accept 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 the true emptiness.' And blossoms
showered upon Subhuti as rain.
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