The wife of a man became very sick. On her deathbed, she said to him, 'I love you so much! I don't want to leave you, and I don't want you to betray me. Promise that you will not see any other women once I die, or I will come back to haunt you.' For several months after her death, the husband did avoid other women, but then he met someone and fell in love. On the night that they were engaged to be married, the ghost of his former wife appeared to him. She blamed him for not keeping the promise, and every night thereafter she returned to taunt him. The ghost would remind him of everything that transpired between him and his fiancee that day, even to the point of repeating, word for word, their conversations. It upset him so badly that he couldn't sleep at all. Desperate, he sought the advice of a Zen master who lived near the village. 'This is a very clever ghost,' the master said upon hearing the man's story. 'It is!' replied the man. 'She remembers every detail of what I say and do. It knows everything!' The master smiled, 'You should admire such a ghost, but I will tell you what to do the next time you see it.' That night the ghost returned. The man responded just as the master had advised. 'You are such a wise ghost,' the man said, 'You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer me one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life.' 'Ask your question,' the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor, 'Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand.' At that moment the ghost disappeared and never returned.

People's reactions to this story: 'Ghosts are just human and can't know or do anything that a human can't.' 'No one knows everything. Not even a spirit. You can be wise in some ways, but not in all ways.' 'The ghost kept coming back because the man was always impressed by how it seemed to know everything. It had power over him. But when he finally stood up to it, and challenged it, the ghost disappeared forever.' 'The ghost is actually a part of the man. So it couldn't know anything that the man himself didn't know.' 'The ghost comes from the man's own mind. He created it. It is his own guilt that came back to haunt him.' 'The reason something haunts us is because we keep our attention on it. When we move on beyond it it will disappear.' 'To me, this story just shows that souls have memories, but not enlightenment.' 'I don't like the ending. I read the story with high expectations, but felt let down in the end.' 'Why didn't the ghost know that the man had seen a Zen master?' 'If the wife really loved the husband, how could she subject him to such a promise?' 'Everything the ghost knew didn't amount to a handful of beans!'

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chasing Two Rabbits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A martial arts student approached his teacher with a question. 'I'd like to improve my knowledge of the martial arts. In addition to learning from you, I'd like to study with another teacher in order to learn another style. What do you think of this idea?' 'The hunter who chases two rabbits,' answered the master, 'catches neither one.'

Cliffhanger -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice. As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine. Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious! (One reader claimed that Thomas Cleary once told him that the original ending of this story was quite different. According to Cleary, D.T. Suzuki changed the ending because he thought the original would not appeal to Westerners. The story was then picked up by others, such as Paul Reps. In the original version, the strawberry turns out to be, in fact, deadly poison.) People's reactions to this story: 'After having only 5 hours of sleep I understand now. 'Live life to the fullest!'' ''Eat, drink, and be merry; for tomorrow we die!' Not sure who to credit the quote, but it seems to apply.' 'Live each moment to the full. The plight the man was in was no reason not to enjoy the wild strawberry.' 'The man knew that he was about to die, and that there was nothing he could do about it. The strawberry was his last chance to enjoy life so instead of wasting his last moments in fear and frustration he took what little pleasure he could and made the best of it.' 'Enlightenment can be found in distraction from distraction. The Universe is now! And strawberries are delicious.' 'The most thought provoking story yet. We get so caught up with ourselves we assume the world around us changes. Why should the strawberry taste different?' 'I think most people take meaning of living in present as 'Don't worry about what next'. I think he was not living in present. He was living in past when he liked the fruit very much or future by thinking he may not get the fruit again. But the present was how to save his life.'

Concentration -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After winning several archery contests, the young and rather boastful champion challenged a Zen master who was renowned for his skill as an archer. The young man demonstrated remarkable technical proficiency when he hit a distant bull's eye on his first try, and then split that arrow with his second shot. 'There,' he said to the old man, 'see if you can match that!' Undisturbed, the master did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for the young archer to follow him up the mountain. Curious about the old fellow's intentions, the champion followed him high into the mountain until they reached a deep chasm spanned by a rather flimsy and shaky log. Calmly stepping out onto the middle of the unsteady and certainly perilous bridge, the old master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his bow, and fired a clean, direct hit. 'Now it is your turn,' he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the safe ground. Staring with terror into the seemingly bottomless and beckoning abyss, the young man could not force himself to step out onto the log, no less shoot at a target. 'You have much skill with your bow,' the master said, sensing his challenger's predicament, 'but you have little skill with the mind that lets loose the shot.' People's reactions to this story: 'Having a big ego gets you nowhere. Some people need to be taken down a peg or two. If you boast and brag, sooner or later someone is going to put you in your place.' 'I like this story - it has some suspense to it.' 'Physical skills are not enough. There also has to be a balance between mind and body. Your mind has to be open and curious.' 'You can be highly skilled at something, but still not have a very creative mind.' 'There's a big difference between talent and a disciplined mind. A disciplined mind is the most crucial element in mastering an art.' 'It's just like my mother always used to tell me. 'EXPERIENCE is the real teacher.' We can learn a lot from our elders.' 'The real talent is being able to apply your skills even in the most adverse situation- without fear, hesitation, or doubt.' 'The mind can work with you, or against you.'

Destiny -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, 'I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If tails, we shall lose. Destiny will now reveal itself.' He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious. After the battle, a lieutenant remarked to the general, 'No one can change destiny.' 'Quite right,' the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides. People's reactions to this story: 'You have to be optimistic and confident, otherwise you are doomed.' 'If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything.' 'If you believe that a higher power is on your side, you can accomplish anything.' There ain't nothing like the power of positive thinking. It's a power much greater than oneself.' 'Keep the faith!' 'This is a good story for children. You have to TRY if you want to accomplish something. If you don't, you'll never know. To me, 'never to have known' is the worst destiny.' 'You can change your destiny. If you aren't responsible for yourself, who will be?'

Egotism -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty was a national hero for his success as both a statesman and military leader. But despite his fame, power, and wealth, he considered himself a humble and devout Buddhist. Often he visited his favorite Zen master to study under him, and they seemed to get along very well. The fact that he was prime minister apparently had no effect on their relationship, which seemed to be simply one of a revered master and respectful student. One day, during his usual visit, the Prime Minister asked the master, 'Your Reverence, what is egotism according to Buddhism?' The master's face turned red, and in a very condescending and insulting tone of voice, he shot back, 'What kind of stupid question is that!?' This unexpected response so shocked the Prime Minister that he became sullen and angry. The Zen master then smiled and said, 'THIS, Your Excellency, is egotism.' People's reactions to this story: 'The best way to learn something is not by having it explained to you, but by EXPERIENCING it yourself, firsthand.' 'Actions speak louder than words.' 'It's interesting that the Zen master referred to his student as 'Your Excellency' just before he zaps him with the egotism comment. I wonder if he ever called the Prime Minister that before the Prime Minister asked the question about egotism.' 'People need to put aside their petty titles in order to really relate to each other. Titles are very egotistical... But then, you also should never forget who you are.' 'This story illustrates how enlightenment does not put the master above the student. They relate to each other as equals, including BOTH of them acting egotistical.' 'Egotism is a large part of who we be, Without it I'm sure the daily obits would take up most of the paper. I think I was more frightened that a man in his position would ask such a question. Fictional I Hope!' 'I think the message of the story is that people already know the answer to most questions that they ask. Many questions are egotistical in themselves.' 'Whenever we call someone else's question stupid, we are being egotistical. Questions are necessary.'

Elephant and Flea -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roshi Kapleau agreed to educate a group of psychoanalysts about Zen. After being introduced to the group by the director of the an*lytic institute, the Roshi quietly sat down upon a cushion placed on the floor. A student entered, prostrated before the master, and then seated himself on another cushion a few feet away, facing his teacher. 'What is Zen?' the student asked. The Roshi produced a banana, peeled it, and started eating. 'Is that all? Can't you show me anything else?' the student said. 'Come closer, please,' the master replied. The student moved in and the Roshi waved the remaining portion of the banana before the student's face. The student prostrated, and left. A second student rose to address the audience. 'Do you all understand?' When there was no response, the student added, 'You have just witnessed a first-rate demonstration of Zen. Are there any questions?' After a long silence, someone spoke up. 'Roshi, I am not satisfied with your demonstration. You have shown us something that I am not sure I understand. It must be possible to TELL us what Zen is.' 'If you must insist on words,' the Roshi replied, 'then Zen is an elephant copulating with a flea.' People's reactions to this story: 'What an image this story brings to mind! I see that the infinite universe as large as that may be, is equally matched by the infinite microscopic world, joining the two in perfect harmony.' 'On a first reading, the final line suggests that Zen is profane or absurd. Surely this cannot be what the Roshi intended to convey. Perhaps what the Roshi means is that putting Zen into words is profane or absurd.' 'Some things are better learned through observation....Words only skew ones ability to establish an honest and personal opinion.' 'Describe the colour red to a man who has been blind from birth. Zen is more than words, fitting it into the confinement of language is like an elephant trying to copulate with a flea. It just wouldn't fit.' 'Zen is Zen and if you understood it you would not ask.' 'He is saying in symbolism how futile it is to understand Zen if you believe you can learn it through words when the only way to truly understand is through actions and feelings. This story realy makes you think.' 'Maybe Its inconceivable!' 'To attempt to put Zen into words is as impossible as an elephant copulating with a Flea.' 'On top of a flagpole a cow gives birth to a calf.'

Enlightened -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One day the Master announced that a young monk had reached an advanced state of enlightment. The news caused some stir. Some of the monks went to see the young monk. 'We heard you are enlightened. Is that true?' they asked. 'It is,' he replied. 'And how do you feel?' 'As miserable as ever,' said the monk. People's reactions to this story: 'The master was either lying or decieved, and the student was at the least lying to himself. As a wise man once said, 'Enlightened people take things lightly.'' 'To be enlightened doesn't mean to be lucky simultaneously.We all know why.' 'Once achieving enlightenment the monk could see the state of the world and life with clarity. What he sees is not good. It is ironic that this wonderful achievement only brings him misery through the enlightened truth he now sees.' 'It doesn't matter if your enlightened or not, you still have the same feelings as before. Only now things are much clearer. ' 'Reality is reality whether you're enlightened or not.'

Full Awareness -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After ten years of apprenticeship, Tenno achieved the rank of Zen teacher. One rainy day, he went to visit the famous master Nan-in. When he walked in, the master greeted him with a question, 'Did you leave your wooden clogs and umbrella on the porch?' 'Yes,' Tenno replied. 'Tell me,' the master continued, 'did you place your umbrella to the left of your shoes, or to the right?' Tenno did not know the answer, and realized that he had not yet attained full awareness. So he became Nan-in's apprentice and studied under him for ten more years. People's reactions to this story: 'Just goes to show you how little we pay attention to the things we do.' 'This story makes me realize how much of my time is wasted by paying little attention to what I am doing at each moment. I'm either focused on the past or future and am not aware of what I'm doing.' 'Do we remember EVERY detail of our day?! Is it possible to be aware at all times?' 'Full awareness includes even the most insignificant things?... Very odd.' 'It's funny how people do things without realizing that they're doing them. I'm a cashier at a convenience store, and when I ask people what kind of sandwich they bought, they forget and have to look down to read the wrapper.' 'Full awareness or great retention? Awareness should flow and not get caught up in what flows through it. Memory isn't attention. Doesn't it involve getting caught up in the flow?' 'How many experiences do we let slip by us in life? It's scary to think about.' 'Sometimes we may think we know or are aware of everything, but someone else comes along to show us that we still have much to learn.' 'No matter how much you know, there is always someone who can teach you more.' 'Whenever you are absolutely sure you are doing something right, it turns out that you are going about it entirely the wrong way.' 'This story is not inspiring! He's not aware of where he put his umbrella, so he lacks full awareness?! Maybe he was just focused on other things at the time!'

Gift of Insults -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation extended far and wide throughout the land and many students gathered to study under him. One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the village. He was determined to be the first man to defeat the great master. Along with his strength, he had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then would strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the first move. Much against the advice of his concerned students, the old master gladly accepted the young warrior's challenge. As the two squared off for battle, the young warrior began to hurl insults at the old master. He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult known to mankind. But the old warrior merely stood there motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself. Knowing he was defeated, he left feeling shamed. Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the insolent youth, the students gathered around the old master and questioned him. 'How could you endure such an indignity? How did you drive him away?' 'If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it,' the master replied, 'to whom does the gift belong?' People's reactions to this story: 'The old warrior must have been thick-skinned!!!!!' 'I would hesitate (he who hesitates is lost) to call insults a gift, but this reminds me of child's saying, 'I'm made of rubber, you're made of glue, everything you say bounces off me and sticks to you.'' 'To win without violence is the greatest victory!' 'Reacting to insulting behavior only serves to give the insulting party EXACTLY what they want.'

More Is Not Enough The Stone Cutter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There was once a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. One day he passed a wealthy merchant's house. Through the open gateway, he saw many fine possessions and important visitors. 'How powerful that merchant must be!' thought the stone cutter. He became very envious and wished that he could be like the merchant. To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever imagined, but envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. Soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. 'How powerful that official is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be a high official!' Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around. It was a hot summer day, so the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. 'How powerful the sun is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be the sun!' Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. 'How powerful that storm cloud is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be a cloud!' Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. 'How powerful it is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be the wind!' Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, feared and hated by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it - a huge, towering rock. 'How powerful that rock is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be a rock!' Then he became the rock, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the hard surface, and felt himself being changed. 'What could be more powerful than I, the rock?' he thought. He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone cutter. People's reactions to this story: 'We all have great power within us. We merely need to know that.' 'This story reminds me of a quote: 'At the end of all our searching we will arrive at the place we began and know it for the first time.'' 'If the stone cutter restart moving backwards, he go from nature in man. So, man flow out into nature, nature flow out into man.There's a fluid , energy ranbling between objects in the earth. It is'nt human ambition;it

Learning the Hard Way -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The son of a master thief asked his father to teach him the secrets of the trade. The old thief agreed and that night took his son to burglarize a large house. While the family was asleep, he silently led his young apprentice into a room that contained a clothes closet. The father told his son to go into the closet to pick out some clothes. When he did, his father quickly shut the door and locked him in. Then he went back outside, knocked loudly on the front door, thereby waking the family, and quickly slipped away before anyone saw him. Hours later, his son returned home, bedraggled and exhausted. 'Father,' he cried angrily, 'Why did you lock me in that closet? If I hadn't been made desperate by my fear of getting caught, I never would have escaped. It took all my ingenuity to get out!' The old thief smiled. 'Son, you have had your first lesson in the art of burglary.' People's reactions to this story: 'This is the sink-or-swim method of teaching someone. In the face of fear, people do things they never thought possible. People are a lot stronger than they give themselves credit for.' 'A challenge brings out the most in a man.' 'Your mind works best and fastest when you have your back to the wall. It's the old fight-or-flight response. It's basic instinct.' 'This is how I learned to speak English. As a five year old, I found myself in a class where everyone spoke English except me. Had I just tried to learn English on my own, I would never have learned as fast. This is why foreign language courses in this country are unsuccessful.' 'The best way to respect and appreciate what one has accomplished is by learning it the hard way and doing it on one's own.' 'There is, of course, no better way to teach than to force one to teach oneself.' 'When we learn from a master, we learn by imitation. When we learn on our own, we REALLY learn.' 'In some lifestyles a man has to stand on his own. Even his own father may not be there to help him.'

Not Dead Yet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Emperor asked Master Gudo, 'What happens to a man of enlightenment after death?' 'How should I know?' replied Gudo. 'Because you are a master,' answered the Emperor. 'Yes sir,' said Gudo, 'but not a dead one.' People's reactions to this story: 'Knowledgeable people are not afraid to say 'I don't know' regarding things that they _cannot_ know. Observe all that you can. Do not invent what you cannot know.' 'This story seems to me to be saying that we should rely on our own experience. That is the only thing that we truly 'know'. The master could not talk about what happened to an enlightened man after death because he had never experienced death.' Why should the emperor care? If he doesn't know, he's not enlightened and shouldn't try to act enlightened because he's not!!! 'I believe that this story is trying to tell us that first hand experience is the only kind of knowlage we can truely have.' 'I guess that the master is still not enlightened completely.' A wise man knows that he is not wise-just like Socrates. The truely wise are not afraid to say 'I don't know.' To know that you know what you know is all anyone can really know!!

Practice Makes Perfect -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A dramatic ballad singer studied under a strict teacher who insisted that he rehea*se day after day, month after month the same passage from the same song, without being permitted to go any further. Finally, overwhelmed by frustration and despair, the young man ran off to find another profession. One night, stopping at an inn, he stumbled upon a recitation contest. Having nothing to lose, he entered the competition and, of course, sang the one passage that he knew so well. When he had finished, the sponsor of the contest highly praised his performance. Despite the student's embarrassed objections, the sponsor refused to believe that he had just heard a beginner perform. 'Tell me,' the sponsor said, 'who is your instructor? He must be a great master.' The student later became known as the great performer Koshiji. People's reactions to this story: 'Hard work will always pay off sometime in the future. I can see myself telling this story to someone who wants to quit something before they've really gotten into it.' 'You can always take your abilities one step further, one inch closer to perfection.We should never be satisfied with a good or even a great performance. Let's be patient and strive for ultimate perfection, no matter what the cost.' 'I can relate to this. I play golf. If you can develop an incredibly good short game, your performance on all 18 holes will improve greatly. It's also important to have one really impressive skill because it gives you the confidence to tackle other skills.' 'He practiced so much that it became part of him. To really master something, it has to become part of you.' 'People sometimes spread themselves too thin by trying to do too many things at once. You have to master one thing at a time. That builds a solid foundation that you can then build on.' 'This reminds me of studying philosophy. You have to intensely study one small portion, master it, and then gradually build up your knowledge in new areas.' 'Practice doesn't make perfect - perfect practice makes perfect.' 'My dad brought me up with a quote - 'Only those who attempt the absurd achieve the impossible.'' 'You can't practice all the time. If you do, you'll eventually burn out!' 'Just practicing isn't always enough. You have to be involved in what you are doing. You have to learn from the heart.' 'I don't think this teacher could have been very good. If he was, the student would not have become so frustrated that he quit.'

Prosperity -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A rich man asked a Zen master to write something down that could encourage the prosperity of his family for years to come. It would be something that the family could cherish for generations. On a large piece of paper, the master wrote, 'Father dies, son dies, grandson dies.' The rich man became angry when he saw the master's work. 'I asked you to write something down that could bring happiness and prosperity to my family. Why do you give me something depressing like this?' 'If your son should die before you,' the master answered, 'this would bring unbearable grief to your family. If your grandson should die before your son, this also would bring great sorrow. If your family, generation after generation, disappears in the order I have described, it will be the natural course of life. This is true happiness and prosperity.' People's reactions to this story: 'The man should be happy because he has his life. The greatest prosperity in life is not any material thing, but life itself.' 'True prosperity in life is to avoid tragedy - and to have your child die before you is probably the greatest tragedy.' 'A close friend of the family had a one year old baby who died. It destroyed the family. I can see myself telling this story to my children someday.' 'This story makes me think of my Mom because she always tells me that the worst thing that could happen to her would be me or my brother dying before her.' 'The simplest things that we often take for granted are the things that can bring us the greatest happiness.' 'We often take life for granted, especially how true happiness is being able to live our lives fully, then die naturally, without having to experience tragedy.' 'This story makes me realize how backwards our society is about money.' 'I'd like to tell this story to my boyfriend. He's always working so hard for prosperity that he loses sight of the fact that life itself is happiness