Inspirational Zen Buddhism Tales

Inspirational Zen Buddhism Tales

Inspirational Zen Buddhism Tales

Zen stories from Japan contain within them the distilled essence of Buddhist philosophy; they emphasize that spiritual awakening comes not through worship or dogma, but through direct experience of the world and turning one's eye inward. Their simplicity is deceptive; there's a will o' the wisp quality about them that teases and pushes the mind into new ways of thinking about the nature of life. Interpret them in myriad ways; what you make of them is a reflection of what you are...

Brimful

Once, a learned professor visited a Zen master. His intention was to learn about Zen. As the professor chatted about Zen and what he wished to accomplish, the master wordlessly served tea. He poured tea into the professor's cup, filled it to the brim, and continued to pour, even though the cup was now overflowing. The astonished visitor watched him for some moments, then no longer able to contain himself, he burst out. "Master, the cup can hold no more! Why are you not stopping?" "You are similar to this brimming cup. Until you empty it, how can I show you Zen?" When our being is filled with ego, where is the space for wisdom?

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?

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?

Chip Tolaney is a writer, designer and a web entrepreneur and specializes in topics related to Hinduism, Buddhism and world cultures. His work can be seen at

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