Short Stories : Zen Stories - Zen Buddhism
Banishing a Ghost Bell Teacher Books Christian Buddha Chasing Two Rabbits Cliffhanger Concentration Destiny Dreaming Egotism Empty Your Cup Enlightened Full Awareness Gift of Insults Going with the Flow Gutei's Finger Holy Man I Don't Know Is That So? It Will Pass Just Two Words Knowing Fish Learning the Hard Way Masterpiece Maybe The Moon Cannot Be Stolen More Is Not Enough Most Important Teaching Moving Mind The Nature of Things Nature's Beauty No More Questions Not Dead Yet Obsessed Paradise Practice Makes Perfect Present Moment Prosperity Ritual Cat Searching for Buddha Self-Control Sounds of Silence Spider Successor Surprising the Master Tea Combat Tea or Iron Transient True Self Useless Life Wanting God When Tired Without Fear Working Very Hard

Practice Makes Perfect


A dramatic ballad singer studied under a strict teacher who insisted that he rehearse day after day, month after month the same passage from the same song, without being permitted to go any further. Finally, overwhelmed by frustration and despair, the young man ran off to find another profession.

One night, stopping at an inn, he stumbled upon a recitation contest. Having nothing to lose, he entered the competition and, of course, sang the one passage that he knew so well. When he had finished, the sponsor of the contest highly praised his performance. Despite the student's embarrassed objections, the sponsor refused to believe that he had just heard a beginner perform. "Tell me," the sponsor said, "who is your instructor? He must be a great master." The student later became known as the great performer Koshiji.

zen teaching : Zen Stories - Zen Buddhism
Short Stories : Zen Stories - Zen Buddhism - Zen Teaching
Banishing a Ghost Bell Teacher Books Christian Buddha Chasing Two Rabbits Cliffhanger Concentration Destiny Dreaming Egotism Empty Your Cup Enlightened Full Awareness Gift of Insults Going with the Flow Gutei's Finger Holy Man I Don't Know Is That So? It Will Pass Just Two Words Knowing Fish Learning the Hard Way Masterpiece Maybe The Moon Cannot Be Stolen More Is Not Enough Most Important Teaching Moving Mind The Nature of Things Nature's Beauty No More Questions Not Dead Yet Obsessed Paradise Practice Makes Perfect Present Moment Prosperity Ritual Cat Searching for Buddha Self-Control Sounds of Silence Spider Successor Surprising the Master Tea Combat Tea or Iron Transient True Self Useless Life Wanting God When Tired Without Fear Working Very Hard

Tea or Iron


The Zen master Hakuin used to tell his students about an old woman who owned a tea shop in the village. She was skilled in the tea ceremony, Hakuin said, and her understanding of Zen was superb. Many students wondered about this and went to the village themselves to check her out. Whenever the old woman saw them coming, she could tell immediately whether they had come to experience the tea, or to probe her grasp of Zen. Those wanting tea she served graciously. For the others wanting to learn about her Zen knowledge, she hid until they approached her door and then attacked them with a fire poker. Only one out of ten managed to escape her beating.