Mr. Charlie

I enjoy a good parable. And I enjoy a good fable.

If you know any, please share them here. Native American, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, doesn't matter.

Here are some I like.



The 84th Problem

Once a man sought the Buddha for help with his life's problems. When the man found the Buddha he presented one of his problems and waited for the Buddha's solution. Much to his surprise, the Buddha simply replied that he cannot help the man with that problem.

The man tried a second problem and was given the same reply by the Buddha. And again to his third problem.
Growing impatient the man spoke, "How can you be the Buddha, the perfectly Enlightened One, and not be able to help me with my problems?"

The Buddha replied, "You will always have 83 problems in your life. Some will go, others will come to replace them. I cannot help you with those."

The man was even more frustrated and confused, he asked the Buddha, "Then what can you help me with?"

The Buddha replied, "I can help you with your 84th problem."

The man, who was growing weary, asked, "What is my 84th problem?"

With great wisdom the Buddha said, "That you want to get rid of your 83 problems."





The Gates of Paradise

A soldier named Nobushige came to Zen Master Hakuin, and asked: "Is there really a paradise and a hell?"
"Who are you?" inquired Hakuin.
"I am a samurai," the warrior replied.
"You, a soldier!" exclaimed Hakuin. "What kind of ruler would have you as his guard? Your face looks like that of a beggar."
Nobushige became so angry that he began to draw his sword, but Hakuin continued: "So you have a sword ! Your weapon is probably much too dull to cut off my head."
As Nobushige drew his sword Hakuin remarked: "Here open the gates of hell!"
At these words the samurai, perceiving the master's discipline, sheathed his sword and bowed.
"Here open the gates of paradise," said Hakuin.



Who is Buddha?

Disciple: “Who is Buddha?”

Master: “Who is asking?”




True Nature

A monk asked Master Ts'ui-wei about the meaning of Buddhism.
Ts'ui-wei answered: "Wait until there is no one around, and I will tell you."
Some time later the monk approached Ts'ui-wei again, saying, "There is nobody here now. Please answer me."
Ts'ui-wei led him out into the garden and went over to the bamboo grove, saying nothing.
Still the monk did not understand.
At last Ts'ui-wei said, "Look, here is a tall bamboo; there is a short one!"



Zen Parable

A Zen Master who, out walking one day, is confronted by a ferocious, man-eating tiger. He slowly backs away from the animal, only to find that he is trapped at the edge of a high cliff; the tiger snarls with hunger, and pursues the Master. His only hope of escape is to suspend himself over the abyss by holding onto a vine that grows at its edge. As the Master dangles from the cliff, two mice – one white and one black – begin to gnaw on the vine he is clutching on. If he climbs back up, the tiger will surely devour him, if he stays then there is the certain death of a long fall onto the jagged rocks. The slender vine begins to give way, and death is imminent. Just then the precariously suspended Zen Master notices a lovely ripe wild strawberry growing along the cliff’s edge. He plucks the succulent berry and pops it into his mouth. He is heard to say: “This lovely strawberry, how sweet it tastes.”



A Very Old Zen Koan

There’s a man way high up in a tree and he’s hanging from a branch by his teeth. And of course if he lets go he’ll fall to his death, and so he’s in quite a predicament, and his hands are tied behind him so he can’t reach up and grab the branch. And so just imagine there you are, holding onto a branch way high up in a tree by your teeth, and you’re weakening and you can feel your impending death coming because you’re just about to have to let go of this branch. And just about that time some little Zen master walks in, walks in the scene, looks up at you and says ‘Say the one true thing that can save your life'.





Time To Learn

A young but earnest Zen student approached his teacher, and asked the Zen Master:
"If I work very hard and diligent how long will it take for me to find Zen."
The Master thought about this, then replied, "Ten years."
The student then said, "But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast -- How long then ?"
Replied the Master, "Well, twenty years."



Obsessed

Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young woman. Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported her across the water, and put her down on the other bank. She thanked him and departed.

As the monks continued on their way, the one was brooding and preoccupied. Unable to hold his silence, he spoke out. "Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulders and carried her!"

"Brother," the second monk replied, "I set her down on the other side, why are you are still carrying her?"




The Taoist Farmer

An old farmer worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically.

"Maybe," the farmer replied.

The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed.

"Maybe," replied the old man.

The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.

"Maybe," answered the farmer.

The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.

"Maybe," said the farmer.




Ritual Cat

When the spiritual teacher and his disciples began their evening meditation, a cat who lived in the monastery made such noise that it distracted them. One day the teacher ordered that the cat be tied up during the evening practice.

Years later, when the teacher died, the cat continued to be tied up during the meditation session. And when the cat eventually died, another cat was brought to the monastery and tied up. Centuries later, learned descendants of the spiritual teacher wrote scholarly treatises about the religious significance of tying up a cat for meditation practice.