During the Song Dynasty, the renowned Zen master Dahui had a disciple named Daoqian. Despite years of meditation practice, Daoqian remained unenlightened. One evening, he earnestly confided in his senior brother Zongyuan about his frustration and begged for guidance.
(more…)Category: Chan Stories
Chan, Zen, stories, tales, parables, legends, Buddhism, china,
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The River of Life
Once, the Buddha was traveling through a forest on a scorching day. Thirsty, he said to his attendant Ānanda: “We crossed a small stream earlier. Return and fetch me water.”
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What the heart holds, the eye beholds
Su Dongpo, the famed poet, shared a close yet playful rivalry with the Buddhist monk Foyin, often trading barbs—though Su usually lost.
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The Buddha that cannot be found
A fraudulent monk, lacking true enlightenment, called himself the “Master of Silence.” To hide his ignorance, he employed two eloquent attendants to answer questions on his behalf. To maintain an air of mystical profundity, he himself never spoke a word.
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Is That So?
There was a renowned Chan(Zen) master revered by his neighbors as a man of pure and virtuous life.
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The Silent Dialogue
There was a monastery overseen by two brothers. The elder brother was highly learned, while the younger brother was simple-minded and had only one eye.
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The Foolish Question
A man sought to attain the “Dao”, so he went to visit a Zen(Chan) master, asking to become his disciple. To test the man’s insight, the master asked:
“Right now, I have something and yet have nothing. How do you explain this?”
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Polishing a Brick to Make a Mirror
One day, seeing Mazu Daoyi (later a renowned Chan master) sitting rigidly in meditation for hours, his teacher Huairang decided to challenge him.
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Shenhui’s awakening under the Sixth Patriarch
In his childhood, Shenhui studied classics and history under a teacher, mastering the philosophies of Laozi and Zhuangzi. Later, after reading the Book of the Later Han, he encountered Buddhism and devoted himself to its teachings.
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