Stories that are short, sweet, and brilliant.

[Pranaman]

I love very short stories that are extremely "witty", metaphoric, or something else that I can't yet name.

here is an example:

 

“Why must I meditate in order to achieve enlightenment?” demanded the

prince of the teacher. “I can study, I can pray. I can think on issues clearly.

Why this silly emptying of mind?”

 

“I will show you,” said the teacher, taking a bucket of water into the garden

under the full moon. “Now I stir the surface and what do you see?”

“Ribbons of light,” answered the prince. “Now wait,” said the teacher

setting the bucket down.

 

Both teacher and boy watched the calming surface of the water in the

bamboo bucket for many minutes. “Now what do you see?” asked the

teacher. “The moon,” replied the prince.

 

“So, too, young master, the only way to grasp enlightenment is through a

calm and settled mind.”

 

 

 

 

Anyone know of a good resource or book that has many tales like this?

(are they called fables?)

[Ryan T.]

Anyone know of a good resource or book that has many tales like this?

(are they called fables?)

 

"The Way of the Sufi" by Idries Shah

 

Here's a example(chosen for no particular reason in a mostly random fashion):

 

 

Three Candidates

 

 

Three men made their way to the circle of a Sufi, seeking admission to his teachings.

 

One of them almost at once detached himself, angered by the erratic behaviour of the master.

 

the second was told by another disciple(on the master's instructions) that the sage was a fraud. He withdrew very soon afterwards.

 

The third was allowed to talk, but was offered no teaching for so long that he lost interest and left the circle.

 

When they had all gone away, the teacher instructed his circle thus:

 

'The first man was an illustration of the principle: "Do not judge fundamental things by sight." The second was an illustration of the injunction: "Do not judge things of deep importance by hearing." The third was an example of the dictum: "Never judge by speech, or the lack of it."'

 

Asked by a disciple why the applicants could not have been instructed in this matter, the sage retorted:

 

'I am here to give higher knowledge; not to teach what people pretend that they already know at their mothers' knees.'

[Mal]

Our very own Michael writes great stories

http://www.thetaobums.com/Michaeland39s-Mi...ries-t2370.html

 

My favorite is the Untitled Halloween Piece

[forestofsouls]

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

[mat black]

Jus the other day I was watching the DVD 'The yogis of Tibet".

In it HH Dalai Lama told of one monk who had been held captive by the Chinese for almost 18 years. Followig his release, he went and lived with the Dalai Lama in India.

When questioned about his experience of being held captive for 18 years, he replied that at times he faced some danger. The Dalai Lama thought he meant that his life had been in danger, so he asked him 'what type of danger did you face'?

The monk told him 'the danger of losing compassion towards the Chinese.'

 

 

Incidently, the program was very good, and the theme of compassion is well addressed throughout.

Edited March 9, 2009 by mat black

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Story back ground:

 

In the scripture of "Sheung Yuen Ging" - Han dynasty king have once asked the sages "what is the three worst things a house can have for it's fungshui?"

 

The sages replied "1. the land at the front is high and the land at the back is low, 2 there is running water at the north of the house, 3. NE corner high and the NW corner is flat."

 

One day, the king went to the farm for a look.. and there is really a house with all 3 conditions! Now he saw the house is very rich and crowded, 50 family members are in there, lots of stuff growing.. what is the causing them to not be poor but rich!? The king went up and check them out. He then changed to some civil clothings and went into the house to check them out.

 

After a little convo, they noticed that this family is here for 30yrs already and now very rich and wealthy with no problems~

 

The king asked "this house is the worst fungshui house in the world, how can you not be affect by it? what did you do?"

 

The owner replied "long time ago when I first moved in because I really have no choice, no money and no nothing.. so I gotta move here. Then I started to have experience all kinds of disasters, got a fire once, just tragedy... but one day 2 man came and asked for food, so we gave them some food and they told us that we can still stay here and not move and will not have any problems. After that, they taught us this "LaoZi 72 house blessing FU" and we taped it up on the wall. Then.. problems start to reduce to zero.. and soon I started to get rich and wealthy too!"

 

King asked "where are the man?"

 

Owner said "after they taught us, they went out and ascended into a ray of white light.. They also told us that with this FU, in 10yrs we will get super ich, 20 years we get alot of family members and kids, 30 yrs we will have a king or immortal come into the house. now it's 30 yrs but haven't seen any immortals or king come in yet"

 

the king laughed.

 

The king requested for the teachings of this FU and then alter on spreaded it out and print it to let the whole country know about this magical FU passed down by LaoZi.

 

 

 

This FU is done in a big piece and taped at home for blessings of safety, protection, anti bad fungshui and gain wealth and family luck!

 

(just a story to share)