Two Zen Koans

Right & Wrong

When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.

Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.

When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."

A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.

The Voice of Happiness

After Bankei had passed away, a blind man who lived near the master's temple told a friend:

"Since I am blind, I cannot watch a person's face, so I must judge his character by the sound of his voice. Ordinarily when I hear someone congratulate another upon his happiness or success, I also hear a secret tone of envy. When condolence is expressed for the misfortune of another, I hear pleasure and satisfaction, as if the one condoling was really glad there was something left to gain in his own world.

"In all my experience, however, Bankei's voice was always sincere. Whenever he expressed happiness, I heard nothing but happiness, and whenever he expressed sorrow, sorrow was all I heard."

Category:

Education

Tags:

• zen
• koans
• Loreleila

[DSXmachine]

Thanks.  :)

[Loreleila]

@DSXmachine :)

[EnordAreven]

makes me think of a band i like, rammstein, a popular band in germany and europe,they sing their songs as if they were announcing a grand truth or declaration of importance... i would love to see a spiritualist with such strength behind their words just like them^^

[Loreleila]

Passion adds weight to anything. It is the fuel that drives any creative act.

[cornbruiser]

Hey isis - not a very enlightened response, with the insults. All I'm saying is why do we always have to dress up the buddha in a quasi-religio-orientalist b.s. with flutes and incense? The koan is supposed to jar the brain out of its routine, not lull it back to sleep like the soundtrack at a Tibetan-themed restaurant.

[Loreleila]

I suspect isimelting was reading what you said to me as an insult, which it was hard not to see it as, though I know from being here some time it's very easy to misinterpret comments, so was unsure myself.

Which of us is to say who is or is not enlightened, or how one should express ones spirituality or way of learning? That strikes me as a pretty self limiting and isolationist approach.

[ParArdua]

@atfatw

It saddens me to see you so lonely

and acting out to gather morsels of attention.

That's all dear boy.

[ParArdua]

One dear little fella has been reading his dictionary again. keep on with wee man, and one day you might well make some sense. TaTa for now.

[Kowdog69]

These are very beautiful.

But I don't think they're koans.

[CBGB42]

I didn't know Salad Fingers was a Zen Buddhist. 

[atfatw]

parardua,

its you again. you very badly need therapy.

[atfatw]

perarduabradybunchy,

Oh, its you again is it? you'are always popping up just like the devil in faust