Zen Stories

Time to Die

Ikkyu, the Zen master, was very clever even as a boy. His teacher had a precious teacup, a rare antique. Ikkyu happened to break this cup and was greatly perplexed. Hearing the footsteps of his teacher, he held the pieces of the cup behind him. When the master appeared, Ikkyu asked: "Why do people have to die?"

"This is natural," explained the older man. "Everything has to die and has just so long to live."

Ikkyu, producing the shattered cup, added: "It was time for your cup to die."

While the use of parables is not unique among cultures and religions, Zen takes a slightly different perspective with its use of stories. The first noticeable trait is that the Zen story is meant to be contemplated. In fact, the point is not always clear on the first, second, or twentieth read. The lack of overt bludgeoning of the reader with the "moral" lends the tale power by forcing the reading to be the moment--Ah! the suddeness of understanding.

Another feature of the Zen story is the use of humor. Many Zen stories elicit a good chuckle (the introductory story is a good example). In some sense, the need for duality always permeates. For every serious truth, there must be an equal measure of humor. You laugh, and then somewhere later, an insight breaks through a previously not considered layer.

I find the most striking feature of the stories is the sense that they are stories, a sequence of words put together which should be discaded, like training wheels, when necessary. Any sense of truth is not fixed in a tablet but lies in space between the words and the reader. Again, the moment is where everything falls apart and becomes whole.

A good example of that perspective is the following:
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, Hogen heard them arguing about subjectivity and objectivity. He joined them and said: "There is a big stone. Do you consider it to be inside or outside your mind?"

One of the monks replied: "From the Buddhist viewpoint everything is an objectification of mind, so I would say that the stone is inside my mind."

"Your head must feel very heavy," observed Hogen, "if you are carrying around a stone like that in your mind."

A listing of the tales which were compiled in 1919 can be found at 101 Zen Stories. For a more spontaneous touch, there is a link which will show a random story if you'd like to read and think without consciously sorting through the list.

Explore. I think the site is worth a look and a thought.