Thursday, September 29, 2011

Zen Stories # 29 - The Moon Cannot be Stolen


Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing in it to steal.

Ryokan returned and caught him. "You may have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift."

The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.

Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow, " he mused, "I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."

Reflection: A feeling of lack is one of the most pervasive emotions in our lives. Sometimes we don't even fully recognize it, but immediately run for what we believe will fill our lives, thinking that the next thing on our agenda will make us happy or satisfied. 

Cheers!

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