Chan Master Bankei (Japanese: Bankei Yōtaku 盤珪永琢) taught at Ryūmon Temple. One day, a Shinshū priest appeared, who believed that salvation came through endlessly repeating the name of Buddha. He envied Bankei for his large audience and sought to argue with him. While Bankei was speaking, the priest interrupted him and began to boast loudly. “The founder of our school,” he said, "possessed such powers that he could write the entire name of Amida from one riverbank to the other

A student approached Master Weizhen and said:“Master Weizhen, surely we humans are the highest form of life.” Weizhen smiled faintly. “Is that so?” The student replied: “We have created so much. We are intelligent.” Weizhen answered calmly: “Precisely because humans believe this,they overlook the countless forms of life they do not understand.Animals live within spectrumsthat our intellect cannot grasp. Those who consider themselves superioroften see lessthan those who simply

A monk asked the master:“If there is no self,why do you care for posture, breath, and the body?” The master took a simple clay bowl, rinsed it and placed it before the monk. The bowl was empty. The master went to the well, filled it with water and handed it to the monk. “Drink.” After the monk had drunk, the master turned the bowl upside down on the table. The master said: “Precisely because it is empty,it can hold clearly.” The monk asked: “And if it breaks?” The master repl