The Chan disciple Yamaoka Tesshū (Japanese: 山岡鉄舟, Yamaoka Tesshū) wandered from master to master, in search of true insight. Finally, he appeared before Dokuon (Japanese: 独園承珠, Dokuon Jōshu) at Shōkoku Temple. To demonstrate his insight, Tesshū said: "Mind, Buddha, and all beings ultimately do not exist. The true nature of all phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no wisdom, no means. There is no giving and nothing that is received." Dokuon sat silentl

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