“Maybe” – Parable of Wisdom
Once upon the time there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years.One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing...
Girl by the river
Two Zen monks, Tanzan (1819-1892) and Ekido, traveling on pilgrimage, came toa muddy river crossing. There they saw a lovely young woman dressed in her...
The Burning Hut
Good Luck Signal
The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and...
The Mirror Principle: How We Create the World Around Us
A parable of the Way We Create Our Reality
There was a king who built a huge palace. It was a palace in which all...
Who Am I? How to Find the True Self. Zen Proverbs
Who are you?
Keiji, a long-time Zen student, approached his master and said: “I don’t see how there can be any enlightenment that sets you...
Wonder of Wonders
A group of American school children were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders Of The World." Though there were...
A Parable on Real Value and Self-Worth
Find Your Right Place in the World
A father told his daughter, “You graduated with honours. Here is a car I acquired many years ago. It...
Everything God does is for the good!
Once Rabbi Akiva was traveling with a donkey, rooster, and lantern.He came to a village seeking lodging. No one took him in.
He...
The Water Bearer
A beautiful flowers
A water bearer had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of...
Entering a Flow State
Entering a Creative State
Cook Ting was cutting up an ox for Lord Wen-hui. At every touch of his hand, every heave of his shoulder, every...
Timeless Wisdom: Rejoice Always!
Rejoice in the Beauty of Orchids
One Chan master loved orchids, and planted all sorts of different orchids.
When his time was not occupied by giving...
Sharpen your saw! — Parable of the Method
A short story about the Necessity of Method
One man who was walking through a forest when he came across a frustrated lumberjack. A lumberjack...