Stories
Stories of Mr. KeunerBertolt Brecht:
Stories of Mr. Keuner (Excerpts) Hardships of the best “What are you working on?” Mr. K. was asked. Mr. K. replied: “I’m having a hard time; I’m preparing my next mistake.” The question of whether there is a God A man asked Mr. K. whether there is a God. Mr. K. said: “I advise you to consider whether, depending on the answer, your behavior would change. If it would not change, then we can drop the question. If it would change, then I can at... Zen Story - Gutei's FingerTHE 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... Zen Story - No Water, No MoonTHE 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... Zen Story - Is That So?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... 7 times 7For almost two centuries, Spain has hosted an enormously popular Christmas lottery. Based on payout, it is the biggest lottery in the world and nearly all Spaniards play. In the mid 1970s, a man sought a ticket with the last two digits ending in 48. He found a ticket, bought it, and then won the lottery. When asked why he was so intent on finding that number, he replied, "I dreamed of the number seven for seven straight nights. And 7 times 7 is 48." 10 Life TipsNassim Taleb's top life tips:
1 Scepticism is effortful and costly. It is better to be sceptical about matters of large consequences, and be imperfect, foolish and human in the small and the aesthetic. 2 Go to parties. You can't even start to know what you may find on the envelope of serendipity. If you suffer from agoraphobia, send colleagues. 3 It's not a good idea to take a forecast from someone wearing a tie. If possible, tease people who take themselves and their knowledge too... Taoist Story - Seh-Ong Ji Ma"Seh-Ong Ji Ma"
(Seh-Ong's Wise Horse) There was a farmer named Seh-Ong that had a beautiful and strong horse. The neighbors complimented, "You are so lucky to have such a beautiful and strong horse." The farmer replied, "We'll see." Days later, the horse ran away from the farm and could not be found. The neighbors wailed, "You are so unlucky to have lost such a beautiful and strong horse." The farmer replied, "We'll see." Days later, the farmer's horse returned, but had brought... Zen Story - Empty Cup
Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!" "Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?" The few who do versus the many who talk"Bunker Hunt, the Texas oil billionaire, was asked once if he had any one piece of advice he could give people on how to succeed. He said that success is simple. First, you decide what you want specifically; and second, you decide you're willing to pay the price to make it happen — and then pay that price. If you don't take that second step, you'll never have what you want in the long term. I like to call the people who know what they want and are willing to pay the price to get it "the few...
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Wednesday, 27 July 2011 08:53 | 
Written by ExtraCoaching | 
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. 
