It is said that soon after his enlightenment the Buddha passed a man on the road who was struck by his extraordinary radiance and peaceful presence. The man stopped and asked, “My…
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Heart of a mouse
According to an ancient Indian fable, a mouse was in constant distress because of its fear of the cat. A magician took pity on it and turned it into a cat. But…
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Calling names
Abraham Lincoln once asked one of his secretaries, “If you call a tail a leg, how many legs does a horse have?” “Five,” replied the secretary. “No,” said the President, “The answer…
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Most valuable thing in the world
Sozan, a Chinese Zen master, was asked by a student: “What is the most valuable thing in the world?” The master replied: “The head of a dead cat.” “Why is the head…
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Frugal life
The great Greek philosopher Socrates believed that the wise person would instinctively lead a frugal life. He himself would not even wear shoes; yet he constantly fell under the spell of the…
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Finest things in life
There was a group of elderly gentlemen in Japan who would meet to exchange news and drink tea. One of their diversions was to search for costly varieties of tea and create…
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True satisfaction
A Quaker had this sign put up on a vacant piece of land next to his home: THIS LAND WILL BE GIVEN TO ANYONE WHO IS TRULY SATISFIED. A wealthy farmer who…
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Detachment
The great Buddhist saint Nagarjuna moved around naked except for a loincloth and, incongruously, a golden begging bowl gifted to him by the King, who was his disciple. One night he was…
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Create and heal
Buddha was once threatened with death by a bandit called Angulimal. “Then be good enough to fulfill my dying wish,” said Buddha. “Cut off the branch of that tree.” One slash of…
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The man who never turned back
Zen master Gudo was the emperor’s teacher of his time. Nevertheless, he used to travel alone as a wandering mendicant. Once, when he was on his was to Edo, the cultural and…