Enlight Awakening One day the Zen master Setsugen said to his student Jijo: “If for seven days and seven nights you devote yourself completely to meditation, but do not achieve awakening, then you can cut off my head a... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Last will and testament Ikkyu, the famous Zen teacher of the Ashikaga era, was the son of an emperor. When he was very young, his mother left the palace and went to a temple to study Zen. Then Prince Ikkyu also became a stud... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Waiting for gratitude Takuan had many followers from Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, to ordinary peasants. Among them was an old man whose name no one remembered. He was a little eccentric. One day thi... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Reincarnation The emperor, wanting to see Nan-In, came to the monastery. Having met a woodcutter there chopping wood, he asked: — The monastery is big, where can I find Teacher Nan-In? The man thought for a few mom... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Zen's answer One student came to Bokuju. Bowing, he touched his feet and asked: - How long should I wait for my enlightenment? Bokuju turned his serene eyes to him and did not look away for a long time. The studen... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Hoshina's last verse Zen Master Hoshin lived in China for many years. Returning later, he settled in northeast Japan, where he taught students. Having already become quite old, he told them a story he had heard in China. ... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Gadzana Pot One day Gadzan was asked to perform a service at the funeral of a provincial landowner. Until then, he had never seen high-born and noble gentlemen and therefore was very nervous. When the ceremony be... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Transfiguration Ryonan dedicated his life to the study of Zen. One day he heard that his nephew, despite the admonitions of his relatives, was spending money on courtesans. Since the nephew had taken Ryonan's place i... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Dangerous place One day, the ruler of the region visited a Zen teacher, popularly nicknamed Bird's Nest because he was meditating while sitting on a tree among the dense foliage. The ruler examined the place of medit... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight First Principle Everyone who comes to the Obaku Temple in Kyoto sees the inscription carved on the gate: “First Principle.” The unusually large hieroglyphs of the inscription always delight calligraphy connoisseurs. ... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Obedience Master Bankei's conversations were attended not only by Zen students, but also by persons of all ranks and different sects. He never quoted sutras or entered into scholastic discussions. But the words... Parables Zen Parables
Enlight Dead Man's Answer When Mamiya, who later became a famous preacher, came to a teacher to study, the teacher asked him to explain what one palm clap was. Mamiya began to concentrate on the question, what is the clap of o... Parables Zen Parables
