In the sinking Titanic there were three types of people on board. The first type refused to believe the ship was sinking and sat in the bar enjoying the luxurious apertifs. The second panicked and went crazy trying to save themselves. The third, asked, 'How can we build a lifeboat?'

 

Michael Ruppert

THE ZEN MASTER GUTEI MADE A PRACTICE OF RAISING HIS FINGER WHENEVER HE
EXPLAINED A QUESTION ABOUT ZEN.

A VERY YOUNG DISCIPLE BEGAN TO IMITATE HIM, AND WHENEVER ANYONE ASKED THE
DISCIPLE WHAT HIS MASTER HAD BEEN PREACHING ABOUT, THE BOY WOULD RAISE HIS FINGER.

GUTEI GOT TO HEAR ABOUT THIS, AND WHEN HE CAME UPON THE BOY AS HE WAS DOING
IT ONE DAY, HE SEIZED THE BOY, WHIPPED OUT A KNIFE, CUT OFF HIS FINGER, AND
THREW IT AWAY.

AS THE BOY RAN OFF HOWLING GUTEI SHOUTED, "STOP!"

THE...

THE NUN CHIYONO STUDIED FOR YEARS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND ENLIGHTENMENT.

ONE NIGHT, SHE WAS CARRYING AN OLD PAIL FILLED WITH WATER. AS SHE WAS WALKING
ALONG, SHE WAS WATCHING THE FULL MOON REFLECTED IN THE PAIL OF WATER.

SUDDENLY, THE BAMBOO STRIPS THAT HELD THE PAIL TOGETHER BROKE, AND THE PAIL
FELL APART. THE WATER RUSHED OUT; THE MOON'S REFLECTION DISAPPEARED - AND
CHIYONO BECAME ENLIGHTENED.

SHE WROTE THIS VERSE:

"THIS WAY AND THAT WAY I TRIED TO KEEP THE PAIL TOGETHER...

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 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. 'Is that so?' was all he would say.

After the child was born it was brought to...