Zen Story of the One-Eyed Monk: Know Yourself

Management is about encouraging and controlling the behaviour of others. We cannot do that unless we understand, encourage and control our o...

We are Our Own Saviours

One day a young man approached and asked the Buddha, "O lord, my father has died. Please come and say some prayers for him. Raise up hi...

The Lifespan of a Human Being: A Single Breath

The Buddha asked a monk, "How long is the human lifespan?" The monk replied, "It is but a few days." The Buddha said, ...

Khalil Gibran on Perfection in Life

One day Khalil Gibran had a dialogue with his master. Gibran : "Master, how can we get something perfect in this life?" The M...

Hakuin and the Baby: Is That So?

The Zen Master Hakuin was praised and respected by his neighbors as one living a pure life, as well as simplicity and virtue of his life. A...

Story about a Fish and a Turtle: Is Nibbāna Nothingness?

"Nibbāna is bliss supreme." ---Dhammapada Once upon a time there was a fish. And just because it was a fish, it had lived all i...

An Old Legend about Three Men and Their Sacks

There is an old legend about three men and their sacks. Each man had two sacks, one tied in front of his neck and the other tied on his back...

You Have to Take the Medicine Yourself

A man becomes sick and goes to the doctor for help. The doctor examines him and then writes out a prescription for some medicine. The man ha...

You Have to Walk on the Path Yourself

In the city of Sāvatthī in northern India, the Buddha had a large centre where people would come to meditate and to listen to his Dhamma ta...

Zen in a Cup of Tea

A university professor went to visit Nan-in, a famous Japanese Zen master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), to inquire about Zen. While Nan...