Lovers – Shigeru Umebayashi

Gossip

From the movie “Doubt”

A woman was gossiping with a friend about a man she hardly knew – I know none of you have ever done this – that night she had a dream. A great hand appeared over her and pointed down at her. She was immediately seized with an overwhelming sense of guilt. The next day she went to confession. She got the old parish priest, Father O’Rourke, and she told him the whole thing.

‘Is gossiping a sin?’ she asked the old man. ‘Was that the hand of God Almighty pointing a finger at me? Should I be asking your absolution? Father, tell me, have I done something wrong?’

‘Yes!’ Father O’Rourke answered her. ‘Yes, you ignorant, badly broughtup female! You have borne false witness against your neighbor, you have played fast and loose with his reputation, and you should be heartily ashamed!’

So the woman said she was sorry and asked for forgiveness.

‘Not so fast!’ says O’Rourke. ‘I want you to go home, take a pillow up on your roof, cut it open with a knife, and return here to me!’

So the woman went home, took a pillow off her bed, a knife from the drawer, went up the fire escape to the roof, and stabbed the pillow. Then she went back to the old parish priest as instructed.

‘Did you gut the pillow with the knife?’ he says.

‘Yes, Father.’

‘And what was the result?’

‘Feathers,’ she said.

‘Feathers?’ he repeated.

‘Feathers everywhere, Father!’

‘Now I want you to go back and gather up every last feather that flew out on the wind!’

‘Well,’ she said, ‘it can’t be done. I don’t know where they went. The wind took them all over.’

‘And that,’ said Father O’Rourke, ‘is GOSSIP!

Siri’s Mindfulness

One day I tested Siri’s mindfulness. I asked, “what is the meaning to life?”
To my surprise, she was pretty mindful indeed.

Some Great Koans

(Koan)

Two monks were arguing about the temple flag waving in the wind.
One said, “The flag moves.”
The other said, “The wind moves.”
They argued back and forth but could not agree.
Hui-neng, the sixth patriarch, said: “Gentlemen! It is not the flag that moves. It is not the wind that moves. It is your mind that moves.”
The two monks were struck with awe.

(Koan) 

A monk asked Kegon, “How does an enlightened one return to the ordinary world?”
Kegon replied, “A broken mirror never reflects again; fallen flowers never go back to the old branches.”

(Koan) 

What is your original face before you were born?

(Koan) 

Shuzan held out his short staff and said, “If you call this a short staff, you oppose its reality. If you do not call it a short staff, you ignore the fact. Now what do you wish to call this?”

(Koan) 

When you can do nothing, what can you do?

(Koan) 

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

(Koan) 

Zen Master Unmon said: “The world is vast and wide. Why do you put on your robes at the sound of a bell?”

(Koan) 

Elder Ting asked Lin-chi,
“Master, what is the great meaning of Buddha’s teachings?”
Lin-chi came down from his seat, slapped Ting and pushed him away.
Ting was stunned and stood motionless.
A monk nearby said, “Ting, why do you not bow?”
At that moment Ting attained great enlightenment.

(Koan) 

When the many are reduced to one, to what is the one reduced?

(Koan) 

One day Banzan was walking through a market. He overheard a customer say to the butcher, “Give me the best piece of meat you have.”
“Everything in my shop is the best,” replied the butcher. “You can not find any piece of meat that is not the best.”
At these words, Banzan was enlightened.

(Koan) 

A monk asked Master Haryo, “What is the way?”
Haryo said, “An open-eyed man falling into the well.”

(Koan) 

One day as Manjusri stood outside the gate, the Buddha called to him, “Manjusri, Manjusri, why do you not enter?”
Manjusri replied, “I do not see myself as outside. Why enter?”

(Koan) 

A monk saw a turtle in the garden of Daizui’s monastery and asked the teacher, “All beings cover their bones with flesh and skin.

Why does this being cover its flesh and skin with bones?” Master Daizui took off one of his sandals and covered the turtle with it.

(Koan) 

After taking the high seat to preach to the assembly, Fa-yen raised his hand and pointed to the bamboo blinds. Two monks went over and rolled them up in the same way. Fa-yen said, “One gains, one loses.”

(Koan) 

Once Ma-tsu and Pai-chang were walking along and they saw some wild ducks fly by.
“What is that?” the Master asked.
“Wild ducks,” Pai-chang replied.
“Where have they gone?”
“They’ve flown away,” Pai-chang said.
The Master then twisted Pai-chang’s nose, and when Pai-chang cried out in pain, Ma-tsu said, “When have they ever flown away?”

(Koan) 

As the roof was leaking, a zen Master told two monks to bring something to catch the water. One brought a tub, the other a basket. The first was severely reprimanded, the second highly praised.

(Koan) 

One day Chao-chou fell down in the snow, and called out, “Help me up! Help me up!” A monk came and lay down beside him. Chao-chou got up and went away.

(Koan) 

Te-shan was sitting outside doing zazen. Lung-t’an asked him why he didn’t go back home. Te-shan answered, “Because it’s dark.”

Lung-t’an then lit a candle and handed it to him. As Te-shan was about to take it, Lung-t’an blew it out. Te-shan had a sudden realisation, and bowed.

(Koan) 

What is the colour of wind?

(Koan) 

A monk asked Zhao Zhou to teach him.
Zhao Zhou asked, “Have you eaten your meal?”
The monk replied, “Yes, I have.”
“Then go wash your bowl,” said Zhao Zhou.
At that moment, the monk was enlightened.

(Koan) 

If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha.

(Koan) 

A monk asked Tozan when he was weighing some flax, “What is Buddha?”
Tozan said: “This flax weighs three pounds.”

Subjectivity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chuang Tzu
Mao Qiang and Li Ji [two beautiful courtesans] are what people consider beautiful, but if fish see them they will swim into the depths; if birds see them, they will fly away into the air; if deer see them, they will gallop away. Among these four, who knows what is rightly beautiful in the world?

Dream of a Butterfly

Chuang Tzu’s Dream of a Butterfly 

It was a cool evening in ancient China. Chuang Tzu’s friend went looking for him at the local inn. He found Chuang Tzu sitting at a table, sipping his drink in a contemplative mood.

“There you are!” Chuang Tzu’s friend greeted him. “I thought by now you would be telling everybody another one of your stories. Why so quiet?”

“There is a question on my mind,” said Chuang Tzu, “a question about existence.”

“I see. Would you like me to leave you alone to your thoughts?”

“No, let me share it with you. Perhaps you can provide me with your perspective.”

“My perspective is of little value, but I would be glad to listen.” He pulled up a chair.

“I was out for a stroll late in the afternoon,” said Chuang Tzu. “I went to one of my favorite spots under a tree. I sat there, thinking about the meaning of life. It was so warm and pleasant that I soon relaxed, dozed off, and drifted into a dream. In my dream, I found myself flying up above the field. I looked behind me and saw that I had wings. They were large and beautiful, and they fluttered rapidly. I had turned into a butterfly! It was such a feeling of freedom and joy, to be so carefree and fly around so lightly in any way I wished. Everything in this dream felt absolutely real in every way. Before long, I forgot that I was ever Chuang Tzu. I was simply the butterfly and nothing else.”

“I’ve had dreams of flying myself, but never as a butterfly,” Chuang Tzu’s friend said. “This dream sounds like a wonderful experience.”

“It was, but like all things, it had to end sooner or later. Gradually, I woke up and realized that I was Chuang Tzu after all. This is what puzzles me.”

“What is so puzzling about it? You had a nice dream, that’s all there is to it.”

“What if I am dreaming right now? This conversation I am having with you seems real in every way, but so did my dream. I thought I was Chuang Tzu who had a dream of being a butterfly. What if I am a butterfly who, at this very moment, is dreaming of being Chuang Tzu?”

“Well, I can tell you that you are actually Chuang Tzu, not a butterfly.”

Chuang Tzu smiled: “You may simply be part of my dream, no more or less real than anything else. Thus, there is nothing you can do to help me identify the distinction between Chuang Tzu and the butterfly. This, my friend, is the essential question about the transformation of existence.”

Tan Dun – For The World

The Waterfall

The Waterfall

Chuang Tzu 

Confucius and his students went on a hike out in the countryside. He was thinking of using the opportunity to engage the students in a discussion about the Tao when one of them approached and asked: “Master, have you ever been to Liu Liang? It is not far from here.”

Confucius said: “I have heard about it but never actually seen it with my own eyes. It is said to be a place of much natural beauty.”

“It is indeed,” the student said. “Liu Liang is known for its majestic waterfalls. It is only about two hours’ trek from here, and the day is still young. Master, if you would like to go there, I would be honored to serve as your guide.”

Confucius thought this was a splendid idea, so the group set off toward Liu Liang. As they were walking and chatting, another student said: “I grew up near a waterfall myself. In summertime, I would always go swimming with the other children from the village.”

The first student explained: “These waterfalls we will see aren’t quite like that. The water comes down from such a great height that it carries tremendous force when it hits the bottom. You definitely would not want to go swimming there.”

Confucius said: “When the water is sufficiently powerful, not even fish and turtles can get near it. This is interesting to ponder, because we are used to thinking of water as their native element.”

After a while, they could see the waterfall coming into view in the hazy distance. Although it was still far away, they could see that it was indeed as majestic as the first student described. Another hour of walking brought them even closer, and now they could clearly hear the deep, vibrating sound it made.

They topped a rise and were able to see the entire waterfall. Then they gasped collectively, because at the bottom of it, they saw a man in the ferociously churning water, being spun around and whipped this way and that by the terrifying currents.

“Quickly, to the waterfall!” Confucius commanded. “He must have fallen in by accident, or perhaps he is a suicide. Either way, we must save him if we can.”

They ran as fast as they could. “It’s useless, Master,” one the students said. “By the time we get down there, he’ll be too far gone for us to do him any good.”

“You may well be right,” Confucius replied. “Nevertheless, when a man’s life is at stake, we owe it to him to make every effort possible.”

They lost sight of the man as they descended the hillside. Moments later, they broke through the forest to arrive at the river, a short distance downstream from the waterfall. They expected to see the man’s lifeless body in the river. Instead, they saw him swimming casually away from the waterfall, spreading his long hair out and singing loudly, evidently having a great time. They were dumbfounded.

When he got out of the river, Confucius went to speak with him: “Sir, I thought you must be some sort of supernatural being, but on closer inspection I see you are an ordinary person, no different from us. We sought to save you, but now I see it is not necessary.”

The man bowed to Confucius: “I am sorry if I have caused you any grave concerns on my behalf. This is merely a trivial recreational activity I enjoy once in a while.”

Confucius bowed back: “You say it is trivial, but to me it is incredible. How can it be that you were not harmed by the waterfall? Are there some special skills that you possess?”

“No, I have no special skills whatsoever,” the man replied. “I simply follow the nature of the water. That’s how I started with it, developed a habit out of it, and derived lifelong enjoyment from it.”

“This follow the nature of the water’ – can you describe it in greater detail? How exactly does one follow the nature of water?”

“Well… I don’t really think about it very much. If I had to describe it, I would say that when the powerful torrents twist around me, I turn with them. If a strong current  drives me down, I dive alongside it. As I do so, I am fully aware that when we get to the riverbed, the current will reverse course and provide a strong lift upward. When this occurs, I am already anticipating it, so I rise together with it.”

“So you are working with the water and not just letting it have its way with you?”

“That’s right. Although the water is extremely forceful, it is also a friend that I have  gotten to know over the years, so I can sense what it wants to do, and I leverage its flow without trying to manipulate it or impose my will on it.”

“How long did it take for you to make all this an integrated part of your life?”

“I really can’t say. I was born in this area, so the waterfalls have always been a  familiar sight to me. I grew up playing with these powerful currents, so I have always felt comfortable with them. Whatever success I have with water is simply a natural result of my lifelong habit. To be quite frank, I have no idea why this approach works so well. To me, it’s just the way life is.”

Confucius thanked him and turned back to his students. He smiled, because he suddenly knew exactly what they could talk about on their trip home.

The Farmer and The Hunter

The Farmer & The Hunter

By Derek Lin
http://www.taoism.net/

Once upon a time in ancient China, there was a farmer who lived next door to a hunter. The farmer’s primary means of livelihood was raising sheep. He had a small flock that he tended with much care.

One night, the hunter’s dogs discovered a hole in the fence. They broke through and attacked the sheep, causing much damage. The farmer was dismayed and notified his neighbor the next morning. The hunter was apologetic: “I am sorry. I will have my sons keep the dogs in the house from now on. That ought to fix the problem.”

The hunter was mistaken. The dogs got out somehow and more chaos ensued. The farmer appeared at the hunter’s door the next morning, tired from lack of sleep and angry: “Is this how you fix your problems?”

Again the hunter was apologetic: “My boys tell me the dogs got out by climbing through an open window. I’ll have them lock up all the windows at night from now on.”

This still did not stop the trouble. These hunting dogs were highly intelligent, and once every few days, they would figure out a new way to break out of the house. Each time the farmer would confront the hunter, and the hunter would make promises, but there were just too many ways for the dogs to get out, so the hunter was not able to cover all the possibilities. This situation continued for weeks.

One morning, the farmer regarded his loss from the previous night, and decided he had enough. Like most Chinese people, he preferred to resolve disputes privately, but in this case he felt he had no choice but to go before the judge.

Judges held tremendous power in ancient China. They could not only interpret the law, but also conduct investigation, render verdict, decide punishment, and enforce sentence. In the right hands, these powers made them extremely effective as agents of justice; in the wrong hands, such powers could be highly corrupting.

At the courthouse, the judge probed the farmer with questions and considered the matter. After a while, he said: “We can solve this problem in two ways. Certainly I can punish your neighbor and order him to compensate you. However, this will no doubt turn him against you. Do you wish to live next door to an enemy?”

“Of course not, your honor,” said the farmer. “But I don’t see any other way out of this problem.”

“There is always another way,” said the judge. “I can point it out to you. However, if you wish to hear of this alternative, you must first give me your word to do exactly what I tell you.”

Something about the judge’s quiet confidence compelled the farmer to nod his head in agreement. “Very well,” the judge said. “Here are the steps I want you to follow…”

The judge’s instructions were brief. They were also shocking to the farmer. He stuttered: “But… your honor! This is preposterous! Have I not already lost enough?”

The judge’s face was stern: “Do you wish to go back on your word and risk my wrath?”

“Of course not! Of course not!” The farmer was frightened. “I will carry out your instructions immediately, your honor.”

The farmer went home feeling depressed. He selected two of the youngest and most adorable lambs from his flock. Then, still following the judge’s instructions to the letter, he went to the hunter’s house and knocked on the door.

The hunter answered with much annoyance: “What is it now?”

The farmer cleared his throat and recalled what the judge told him to say: “For the past few weeks I have bothered you many times, and you have worked hard to contain your dogs as a favor to me. I would like to give you something for your trouble. Here are two of my best lambs for your two sons.”

The two boys overheard this and could hardly believe their ears. They crowded the doorway and looked at their father with pleading eyes. The hunter shooed them away, thanked the farmer, and accepted the gift. As the farmer walked back to his house, he could hear the excited voices of the youngsters as they eagerly took their new pets.

Early next morning, the farmer got up to check the sheep. He expected more problems, but found none. Everything was peaceful and quiet. He looked toward the hunter’s house, and an amazing sight greeted his eyes: the hunter had built a large cage outside his house. The dogs were sleeping in it, locked up and leashed securely.

After several more uneventful days, the hunter came by the farmer’s house, bringing with him fresh kills. He had selected his best to give to the farmer as a reciprocal present. The farmer was touched, and realized that the hunter was actually quite a decent fellow. “The judge was right,” he thought to himself. “There is always another way – a much, much better way!”

The Zen Master, The Boy, & The Horse

In this village, a little boy is given a gift of a horse. The villagers all say, “Isn’t that fabulous? Isn’t that wonderful? What a wonderful gift.”

The Zen master says, “We’ll see.”

A couple years later the boy falls off the horse and breaks his leg. The villagers all say, “Isn’t that terrible? The horse is cursed! That’s horrible!”

The Zen master says, “We’ll see.”

A few years later the country goes to war and the government conscripts all the males into the army, but the boy’s leg is so screwed up, he doesn’t have to go. The villagers all say, “Isn’t that fabulous? Isn’t that wonderful?”

The Zen master says, “We’ll see.”