Buddhist Stories

[Wildfire1992]

Hey,

I've currently been reading a book entitled "The Cow in the Parking Lot" by Leonard Scheff and Susan Edmiston, Copyright 2010. Contained in this book are several stories that really made me think about, and I would like to list some of them here.

I'll post a story in the morning and let me people talk about it and then post the meaning they discuss in the book in the evening.

Enjoy.

[Mystique Enigma]

Let me post one for you right now ......
The philosophers, logicians and doctors of law were drawn up at Court to examine Nasreddin. This was a serious case, because he had admitted going from village to village saying: "The so-called wise men are ignorant, irresolute and confused." He was charged with undermining the security of the state.
"You may speak first," said the King.
"Have paper and pens brought," said the Hoca.
Paper and pens were brought.
"Give some to each of the first seven savants."
They were distributed.
"Have them separately write an answer to this question: "What is bread?"
This was done.
The papers were handed to the King, who read them out:
The first said: "Bread is a food."
The second: "It is flour and water."
The third:" A gift of God."
The fourth:" Baked dough."
The fifth:" Changeable, according to how mean 'bread'."
The sixth:"A nutritious substance."
The seventh:"Nobody really knows."
"When they decide what bread is," said Nasreddin, "it will be possible for them to decide other things. For example, whether I am right or wrong. Can you entrust matters of assessment and judgment to people like this? Is it or is it not strange that they cannot agree about something which they eat each day, yet are unanimous that I am a heretic?"

[Wildfire1992]

Two monks studied under a great master who was known far and wide for his serenity. One day they got into an argument. One of them said that the master sometimes got angry and the other said that the master never got angry. After much discussion, they decided the only thig to do was to ask the master. So they went to the master who was working on a piece of calligraphy and waited quietly until he looked up. The first monk than said, "Master, I say that sometimes you get angry, and he says that you never get angry. Do you get angry?"

"Yes and no," said the master, who than looked down and continued working on his calligraphy.

The students left and began arguing over the master's answer. They become increasingly agitated over the master's failure to resolve their argument. So they went back to the master and the second monk said, "Master, why do you refuse to answer our question?"

The master said, "I've given each of you the answer you wanted."

The first student said, "We need to know who is right."

"If you know who is right," The master replied, "will that feed or clothe you?"

The student though for a moment and said, "No Master, it will not."

"Why do you choose to suffer?" asked the master.

Whereupon the students felt serenity deeper than the ocean.

Nice one, Wildfire! :-) I love stories like this.

[Miss Hepburn]

Now, this will become my favorite thread!
Oh boy!

Can we post stories from the Gita?
Or Hindu stories we have heard?


"Why do you chose to suffer?"

EXACTLY!! ( To those that love to debate, argue and must be right!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A link with excerpts from A Cow in the Parking Lot:

http://books.google.com/books?id=cq_IcM6nCs0C&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq=Scheff +The+Cow+in+the+Parking+Lot&source=bl&ots=_bo-s-an7U&sig=LFhLlaPwHj1nmIKPo8CzPQgXAFI&hl=en&ei=sKDX Tu-mJpGssALLiamQDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resn um=6&ved=0CFEQ6AEwBQ