Buddha Groove: About Buddha | Buddha Teachings | Buddha Inspirations | Buddhism

Zen Story: Anger Management

 A Zen disciple approached his teacher. “Master, I have an uncontrollable temper. Can you help me overcome it?”

 “Hmmm, that’s strange. Can you show it to me?” asked the master.

“Not right now.”

“Why not?”

“It occurs suddenly.”

“Then it can’t be a part of your true nature,” said the master. “If that were the case, you wouldn’t have any difficulty in showing it!  Why do you allow something that isn’t yours to worry you?”

Thereafter, the master’s words would come back to the student whenever his temper rose. Soon, he learned to check his anger and developed a placid temperament.

Lost your temper recently? Don’t go looking for it!

Zen Story: Harmony

There is the story of a young martial arts student who was under the tutelage of a famous master. One day, the master was watching a practice session in the courtyard. He realized that the presence of the other students was interfering with the young man’s attempts to perfect his technique.

The master could sense the young man’s frustration. He went up to the young man and tapped him on his shoulder. “What’s the problem?” he inquired.  “I don’t know”, said the youth, with a strained expression. “No matter how much I try, I am unable to execute the moves properly”. “Before you can master technique, you must understand harmony. Come with me, I will explain”, replied the master.

The teacher and student left the building and walked some distance into the woods until they came upon a stream. The master stood silently on the bank for several moments. Then he spoke. “Look at the stream,” he said. “There are rocks in its way. Does it slam into them out of frustration? It simply flows over and around them and moves on! Be like the water and you will know what harmony is.”

The young man took the master’s advice to heart. Soon, he was barely noticing the other students around him. Nothing could come in his way of executing the most perfect moves.

Go with the flow!

Pictured above: Buddha Wall Canvas

The Concepts of Satori, Mu-shin, Jiyu and Shokokakkya in Zen Buddhism

These are some intrinsic concepts in Zen teachings. Satori is Zen’s spiritual goal, often likened to a brilliant flash, a moment of tremendous clarity that dawns upon the practitioner, revealing the Truth – that we are creatures of joyful spirit, at once human and one with all of creation.

The way to satori lies through Mu-shin (Mu = emptiness). Many Zen stories speak of emptying the mind; to be in a state of mu, you must learn to curtail the ego, that part of our mind which chatters constantly (and is often likened to a monkey!)

Jiyu is the sense of freedom (or self-reliance) that pervades your being when the ego has been tamed.

Shokokakkya is to shine the light, metaphorically speaking, into the ground under your feet, wherein the truth about you lies.

To arrive at these goals, Zen teaches essential Buddhist precepts like respect for living creatures, practicing kindness and honesty, regulating sexual passions and respecting one’s body by avoiding intoxicants and harmful foods. Other fundamental Buddhist teachings like the Eightfold Path and Four Noble Truths are also intrinsically woven into Zen wisdom.

Zen Story: What’s the difference?

Zen master Ryokan was walking on the beach. A storm had just blown over. Hundreds of starfish had been washed up by the waves; they were beginning to die in the sharp sunlight. Ryokan picked up the starfish one by one and threw them back into the sea.

A fisherman who had been observing Ryokan came up to him. “Why do you do this? Every time there’s a storm, this happens. You can’t save them all, so what difference does your attempt make?”

“It will make a difference – to this one,” replied Ryokan, as he flung yet another starfish into the water.

Did you make a difference to someone today ?

Zen Story: Perfection

There once lived a priest whose duty it was to tend the garden of a Zen temple.  The priest loved trees, bushes and flowers and took great pride in his work. A low wall separated the temple from another, smaller shrine next door, where an aged Zen master lived.

One day, the priest was told that  important guests were expected. Immediately, he set about tending the garden. He removed weeds, pruned tree branches and shrubs. He even combed the moss ! Since it was autumn, the ground was untidy with dry leaves which the priest painstakingly raked and arranged into neat mounds.

All this while, the old monk was watching him from across the wall. The priest finished with his labor of love. A look of satisfaction spread across his face. “Doesn’t it look beautiful now?” he said, turning to the monk.

“Indeed it does,” replied the monk, “but something’s not quite right. Here, give me a hand over this wall and I’ll fix it for you.”

Puzzled, the priest did as he was asked. The old master made his way slowly to a tree in the center of the garden, gripped its trunk and shook it hard. Leaves scattered down,  orange, russet and brown. “There...that’s better ! Now, can you help me back across the wall ?”

Perfection is....not always what you think it is!

Zen Story: Mind over Matter

An accomplished though conceited young archer once dared a Zen master famed for his prowess in archery, to a test of their skills. The youth’s proficiency was  extraordinary. His first arrow found its target, a  far off bull’s eye, with ease; with his next shot, he split the first arrow into two.

“Think you can match that ?” he asked the old man condescendingly.

Instead of responding, the elderly monk gestured to the young man to follow him higher up the mountain. After some time, they arrived at a deep gorge. An old and decidedly unsteady log spanned the distance to the other side. The master serenely walked to the middle of the log, aimed at a distant tree and in a clean movement, loosed an arrow that flew straight into the tree trunk.

“Your turn now,” said he, stepping back casually onto the cliff edge.

The youth stared into the chasm yawning below and trembled uncontrollably. He could not put a foot onto the log, much less take aim at anything beyond.

The master observed, “You have great control over your bow, but little with the mind that lets loose the arrow!”

Kill the ego to attain true power and skill.

Zen Teachings

Zen teachings are so deceptively easy, that the novice is likely to wonder what the fuss is all about! Indeed the most fascinating aspect of this “wordless tradition” is its extraordinary purity of concept, a deep simplicity that immediately appeals. No traditions or rituals associated with other branches of Buddhism. So what does Zen have to offer us?

What if you had a toolkit for living – a torch to help you see through darkness, a trusty sword to slash through jungles of illusion, fear and negativity, a soothing balm to heal the cuts and wounds of hate and bitterness? That, in essence, is Zen.

Buddhism’s core belief is that all sentient beings are born enlightened, a state of perfection that gradually recedes as one journeys through life, believing that failure, sorrow and pain are our lot. Zen’s answer to this:

Suffering is rooted in your own mind. It does not have to be so.

 All Zen teachings flow from this basic principle.

Zen Quote

Student says

"I am very discouraged. What should I do?"

Master says

"encourage others."

Where is the Buddha?

A monk embarked on a long pilgrimage to find the Buddha. He wandered fruitlessly for several years until he reached a river. Across the river, it was said, was the home of the Buddha. The monk got into the boat, excited at the prospect of reaching his goal. As the boatman rowed, the monk saw a corpse in the water, floating towards their boat.

The body drifted close to touching distance and the monk saw to his horror that the corpse’s face was – his own! Unable to control himself, he broke down, screaming and crying. That was the beginning of his enlightenment.

The Buddha is everywhere. But how do we find him? With the help of our body or by casting off the body?

Learning – the Zen way

There lived a Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty, a leader celebrated for his statesmanship and military prowess. Rich and powerful though he was, he prided himself on being a humble follower of the Buddha.

He’d often visit a Zen master to further his knowledge. They spent many fruitful hours together as revered teacher and humble student and his position as Prime Minister seemed of little consequence to either of them.

One day, the Prime Minister asked his teacher, “Master, what does the Buddha have to say about egotism?”

The master’s serene expression changed. His face reddening, he asked in a loud, mocking voice, “Now what sort of foolish query is that?”

Taken aback at the insulting tone, the Prime Minister fell silent, his face showing his anger and turmoil.

The Zen master smiled. “Now sir, you know what egotism is.”

A teacher is but a guide – the answers to all questions lie within us. Are we ready for them?