22,428,878 members doing good!
share your passions, stories, inspirations, and more
Jul 3, 2010


 (image: Zen painting of Hakuin).
Hakuin, the fiery and intensely dynamic Zen master, was once visited by a samurai warrior.
“I want to know about heaven and hell,” said the samurai. “Do they really exist?” he asked Hakuin.
Hakuin looked at the soldier and asked, “Who are you?”
“I am a samurai,” announced the proud warrior.
“Ha!” exclaimed Hakuin. “What makes you think you can understand such insightful things? You are merely a callous, brutish soldier! Go away and do not waste my time with your foolish questions,” Hakuin said, waving his hand to drive away the samurai.
The enraged samurai couldn’t take Hakuin’s insults. He drew his sword, readied for the kill, when Hakuin calmly retorted, “This is hell.”
The soldier was taken aback. His face softened. Humbled by the wisdom of Hakuin, he put away his sword and bowed before the Zen Master.
“And this is heaven,” Hakuin stated, just as calmly.
We create our own heaven and hell.

http://www.facebook.com/BuddhaGroove#!/notes/wwwbuddhagroovecom/zen-story-heaven-and-hell/404528272876

Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted: Jul 3, 2010 6:50pm

 

 
 
Content and comments expressed here are the opinions of Care2 users and not necessarily that of Care2.com or its affiliates.

Author

Thubten Chokyi
female , committed relationship, 2 children
Sydney, Australia
Shares by Type:
All (348) | Blog (298) | Alert (14) | Top 10 List (1) | Recipe (8) | Photo (1) | Tribute (1) | Message (25)

Showing shares tagged with: heaven [show all]
SHARES FROM THUBTEN'S NETWORK
May
24
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Another beautiful Fairy.
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Wouldn't you?
(0 comments  |  discussions )
I would love to sleep
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Love Cats.
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Always remember, look behind you, you may have a fairy with you
(0 comments  |  discussions )
What a lovely saying.
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Imagine a world with endless imagination.
by Greg V.
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Three days of travel by Whimsical Art Bicycles over Land, Sea and Sand. IMHO: The best place to see the Kinetic Sculpture Race is at the Manila Community Center on Saturday at about 1 PM. They have live music, beverages, food, bathrooms and Kiddee r...
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Ginger. It’s hot, it’s delicious and it may just open new and important frontiers in treating that common and dangerous ailment: asthma. Asthma presents itself with a tightening of the airways due to inflammation of surrounding tissue, mu...
May
23
(0 comments  |  0 discussions )
This is the Fairy World how I see it.

Copyright © 2013 Care2.com, inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved