One day, Siddhartha was walking through a village on the edge of the forest. The people had heard about him and came to meet him. They brought food offerings—rice, fruit, vegetables, and bread. Among them was a man who meant well, but did not know the customs of the Sangha. He brought meat as an offering. A woman whispered to him: “Siddhartha's community lives without meat.” The man was startled and wanted to understand for himself. Hesitantly, he approached Siddhartha and sa

Once there was a young monk whose soul was as restless as the waves of a storm-tossed sea. He had read much about “enlightenment” and heard that it was like a mighty wind that sweeps away the old and clears the soul. He wanted to possess this state at any cost. One night, when a powerful storm swept across the mountains, he ran out into the darkness. In his hands he carried a delicate paper lantern. He believed that if he ran fast enough and opened the lantern at just the rig

Chan Master Gasan Jōseki (Japanese: 峨山韶碩, Gasan Jōseki) sat at the bedside of his teacher Tekisui (Japanese: 鉄水, Tekisui). Three days before Tekisui would die. Gasan had already been designated by him as his successor. A temple had recently burned down, and Gasan was working tirelessly on its reconstruction. Tekisui asked him: “What will you do when the temple is rebuilt?” Gasan replied: "When you are well again, you should teach there." Tekisui asked further: “And if I am no