Spiritual Light
A man came, a monk, not belonging to the Zen people. He wanted to be initiated by the master, a Zen master. He was asked, ’From where are you coming?’ He said, ’I come from a monastery which is called ”the monastery … Continued
The Stone Mind
Hogen, a Chinese Zen teacher, lived alone in a small temple in the country. One day four traveling monks appeared and asked if they might make a fire in his yard to warm themselves. While they were building the fire, … Continued
The Real Miracle
When Bankei was preaching at Ryumon temple, a Shinshu priest, who believed in salvation through repetition of the name of the Buddha of Love, was jealous of his large audience and wanted to debate with him. Bankei was in the … Continued
Storyteller’s Zen
Encho was a famous storyteller. His tales of love stirred the hearts of his listeners. When he narrated a story of war, it was as if the listeners themselves were in the field of battle. One day Encho met Yamaoka … Continued
Learning to Be Silent.
The pupils of the Tendai school used to study meditation before Zen entered Japan. Four of them who were intimate friends promised one another to observe seven days of silence. On the first day all were silent. Their meditation … Continued