There was a renowned Chan(Zen) master revered by his neighbors as a man of pure and virtuous life.
(more…)Category: Chan Stories
Chan, Zen, stories, tales, parables, legends, Buddhism, china,
-
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.
(more…) -
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?”
(more…) -
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.
(more…) -
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.
(more…) -
Bodhidharma chooses his successor
In 536 BC, Bodhidharma felt it was time to depart. He gathered his disciples and said, “Share your understanding of enlightenment.”
(more…) -
The Legend of Huike’s Enlightenment
After leaving Nanjing, Bodhidharma, also known as Da Mo in Chinese, crossed the Yangtze River and arrived at the Shaolin Temple on Songshan Mountain. There, he sat facing a wall all day, concentrating deeply and withdrawing from all worldly concerns.
(more…) -
When Bodhidharma meets Emperor Wu
Bodhidharma, also known as Da Mo in Chinese, was the 28th patriarch of Indian Buddhism and the first patriarch of Chinese Chan Buddhism.
(more…)