See the whole picture. Useful parable
Seeing things holistically
After years of searching, the seeker was told to go to a cave, in which he would find a well. 'Ask the...
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...
Carry your cross. The parable of the uniqueness of fate
Be yourself!One day a crowd of people was walking along the road. Each carried his own cross on his shoulder.One person thought that his...
Donkey in the well
Never giving up!
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well.
The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out...
Dream of a butterfly
Once Chuang Chou dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around,happy with himself and doing as he pleased.
He didn't know he...
The secret of Art
Woodworker Qing carved a piece of wood and made a bell stand, and when it wasfinished, everyone who saw it marvelled, for it seemed to...
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...
“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...
Be Alive! 3 Zen Parables
It is Enough Just to Be Alive
One morning Master Lin-chi was in the temple. Soon a young man came in and sat nearby with...
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 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...
Secret of Happiness
Paulo Coelho. Story from the AlchemistA merchant sent his son to learn the Secret of Happiness from the wisest of men.
The young man wandered...