The Zen Master Ikkyū Sōjun (Japanese: 一休宗純, Ikkyū Sōjun) Even as a young student, Ikkyū was known for his sharp mind. His teacher owned a precious tea bowl, a rare and valuable antique. One day, Ikkyū broke the bowl. Hearing footsteps, he was startledand hid the broken pieces behind his back. His teacher entered the room. Ikkyū asked, “Master, why must people die?” The teacher replied calmly, “It is natural.Everything must dieand lives only as long as it is meant to.” Then I

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

A student asked Master Weizhen: “Why do we care for the bodyif everything is impermanent?” “He is like a mandala, ” said Weizhen.“We spend hours, days, sometimes even weekscreating an almost perfect mandala.But when it is finished,we offer it to the riverand let it dissolve.” The student was confused. “Why all this effortif it is destroyed?” The master replied: “Precisely because it passes,we care for it.This is the practice of life.” Then he continued: “This body is my manda