Zenhistorier fascinerer meg. De er ofte korte, metaforiske, og innbyr til det som kalles «oppvÃ¥kning». Her har jeg valgt ut mine favoritthistorier, og jeg hÃ¥per du fÃ¥r like mye ut av de som jeg.
1. The other side
One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier. Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, «Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river»?
The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, «My son, you are on the other side».
2. 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.»
3.it will pass
A student went to his meditation teacher and said, «My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I’m constantly falling asleep. It’s just horrible!»
«It will pass,» the teacher said matter-of-factly.
A week later, the student came back to his teacher. «My meditation is wonderful! I feel so aware, so peaceful, so alive! It’s just wonderful!’
«It will pass,» the teacher replied matter-of-factly.
4. The present moment
A Japanese warrior was captured by his enemies and thrown into prison. That night he was unable to sleep because he feared that the next day he would be interrogated, tortured, and executed. Then the words of his Zen master came to him, «Tomorrow is not real. It is an illusion. The only reality is now.» Heeding these words, the warrior became peaceful and fell asleep.
5. 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.
Hentet fra: http://users.rider.edu/~suler/zenstory/egotism.html
og http://www.awakeblogger.com/2008/09/the-10-very-best-zen-stories/
