Without Fear : Zen Master

GoodnightNina.

Without Fear

During the civil wars in feudal Japan, an invading army would quickly sweep into a town and take control. In one particular village, everyone fled just before the army arrived – everyone except the Zen master. Curious about this old fellow, the general went to the temple to see for himself what kind of man this master was. When he wasn’t treated with the deference and submissiveness to which he was accustomed, the general burst into anger. “You fool,” he shouted as he reached for his sword, “don’t you realize you are standing before a man who could run you through without blinking an eye!” But despite the threat, the master seemed unmoved. “And do you realize,” the master replied calmly, “that you are standing before a man who can be run through without blinking an eye?”

“”Happy are those who do not fear death. They know no…

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Zen and Meditation. Ancient Poetry

 

The Third Zen Patriarch, Janzhi Sengcan, wrote in his poem Xinxin Ming:

 

“The more you talk and think about it, the further astray you wander from the truth. Stop talking and thinking, and there is nothing you will not be able to know. To return to the root is to find the meaning, but to pursue appearances is to miss their source. At the moment of inner enlightenment there is a going beyond appearances and emptiness.”

These words were written almost 1,500 years ago in China.

Teacup. A zen story.

Ikkyu, the Zen master, was very clever even as a boy. His teacher had a precious teacup, a rare antique. Ikkyu happened to break this cup and was greatly perplexed. Hearing the footsteps of his teacher, he held the pieces of the cup behind him. When the master appeared, Ikkyu asked: “Why do people have to die?”

“This is natural,” explained the older man. “Everything has to die and has just so long to live.”

Ikkyu, producing the shattered cup, added: “It was time for your cup to die.”

Zen. When you have reached the top.

Zen Stories : The Gift of Insults

GoodnightNina.

There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation extended far and wide throughout the land and many students gathered to study under him. One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the village. He was determined to be the first man to defeat the great master. Along with his strength, he had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then would strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the first move. Much against the advice of his concerned students, the old master gladly accepted the young warrior’s challenge. As the two squared off for battle, the young warrior began to hurl insults at the old master. He…

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Tea . A Zen Story; rewritten by – Nina



A Buddhist monk who studied and meditated on the teachings of Buddha for over a decade wanted to speak with an enlightened one who dwelled alone in a small temple high in the mountains. He prepared for his journey eager to hear his teaching. After 7 days of rigorous hiking he reached the temple.

The master greeted him and welcomed him inside. The master put some tea on to boil and they sat in silence. The monk became very eager and unsettled in not hearing his teaching. The master poured the tea and sat with the monk. The monk didn’t drink his tea and began questioning his master of Buddha.

The master replied.. “You have studied Buddhism for 20 years and can not simply enjoy this cup of tea?” The monk wept…. as another step to enlightenment lay under his feet….

Nina Yin

reblogged on WordPress.com

Source: Tea . A Zen Story; rewritten by Nina Vestergaard.

Zen Stories : The Gift of Insults

There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation extended far and wide throughout the land and many students gathered to study under him. One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the village. He was determined to be the first man to defeat the great master. Along with his strength, he had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then would strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the first move. Much against the advice of his concerned students, the old master gladly accepted the young warrior’s challenge. As the two squared off for battle, the young warrior began to hurl insults at the old master. He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult known to mankind. But the old warrior merely stood there motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself. Knowing he was defeated, he left feeling shamed. Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the insolent youth, the students gathered around the old master and questioned him. “How could you endure such an indignity? How did you drive him away?” “If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it,” the master replied, “to whom does the gift belong?”

Tea . A Zen Story; rewritten by Nina Vestergaard.

GoodnightNina.

A Buddhist monk who studied and meditated on the teachings of Buddha for over a decade wanted to speak with an enlightened one who dwelled alone in a small temple high in the mountains. He prepared for his journey eager to hear his teaching. After 7 days of rigorous hiking he reached the temple.

The master greeted him and welcomed him inside. The master put some tea on to boil and they sat in silence. The monk became very eager and unsettled in not hearing his teaching. The master poured the tea and sat with the monk. The monk didn’t drink his tea and began questioning his master of Buddha.

The master replied.. “You have studied Buddhism for 20 years and can not simply enjoy this cup of tea?” The monk wept…. as another step to enlightenment lay under his feet….

Nina Yin

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Laughing With Heaven and Earth. A Zen Cartoon. :)

 

 

Fung Shui: Balancing energy in home and life.

My girlfriend got me a Fung Shui book for Christmas and not long after the intro the author explained that the closet… ” No! Not the closet!” It’s energy would be negative on my life; chaotic if messy. The mess, the mess! ….The closet… it was a mess…. I ran into the bedroom! Folded everything neatly and placed the clothes against the wall (we just moved in) and breathing a sigh of relief I sat down and picked up the book again; feeling calmer than before; Flowing Chi.

 

There’s a chi story in the book.

“A man has to stoop under an overgrown branch to get in his front door. He doesn’t trim the branch, and has to stoop every day for a year to get in his door. Soon he begins to walk in a stooped posture everywhere he goes. One branch in need of trim has changed a mans gait. His stoop leads to illness, loss of work, and financial problems.

Now the man’s neighbor comes to the door with fresh vegetables from his garden. The branch hinders the neighbors easy access to the door, so instead of putting his basket down and stooping to get to the door, he decides to take his produce to someone else. What’s more, the neighbor leaves with the impression that the man isn’t very friendly. Why would he let the branch grow in front of his door if he were? He decides that he won’t visit the man again. In the days that follow, the neighbor mentions his experience to several people. Each time the story is told it gets more exaggerated, with everyone concluding that the man is an embarrassment to the neighborhood because of his poorly kept property and unwelcoming demeanour.

The compounded impact of one seemingly insignificant thing in the man’s life has become great indeed.” – T.K. Collins

Fung shui is acquired knowledge and perception of yin and yang as well as the 5 elements flowing chi’. This is very new to me. The above chart is a little over my head and probably more geared towards chi as a whole and not as a flowing space called home. But I like to view Chi’ in a simple way: Simple energies; creating a place to be productive, spiritual, happy…. far from a zen or fung shui master, I try to balance room; and thus is all I have practiced so far.

I find it similar to my zen studies as not to be messy, enjoy change and every moment and that everything has its order and it’s place. Fung shui teaches us that the energy is important; causing effects on all aspects of our lives, moving and flowing through the elements and I’m starting to see and understand, (a little).

Cleaning and arranging can be a spiritual and enjoyable processes if you let it be, “every step in life you may only take once,”. – Zen saying.

Enjoy brightening your life.

Nina Yin