Taoist Stories

I want to open a thread for sharing wise texts, stories or poems of Taoist, Confucian or Buddhist Origin, so here is one already, told with my own words:

Two monks are walking their walk, wandering and searching for Oneness all over the world. Then they arrive at a big river, but they do not see a bridge.
Walking along, they see two monks at the other side of the river.
They shout to them: 'How do we get to the other side?'
The two monks shout back: 'You are at the other side!'

Two monks were arguing, they were both very angry at each other, and insulted each other.
The master told them to come to him, one by one.

The first came in, sat down before the master and told the story of why he was so angry at the other.
And the master said: "You're right."
The monk went away satisfied.

Then the other monk came to the master and he told his story why he was so angry.
And the master said: "You're right."
And the monk went away satisfied.


A third monk had listened to both talks, behind a door, and went indignant to the master.
"Master, forgive me, I listened at the door, but now I am very confused.
First came the first monk and you agreed with him, then the other monk came and you agreed with him too, but that cannot be, can it? "
The master said: "You're right."

[bird*]

"The ruler Yü an of Sung wishing to have a map drawn, the masters of the pencil all came (to undertake the task). Having received his instructions and made their bows, they stood, licking their pencils and preparing their ink. Half their number, however, remained outside. There was one who came late, with an air of indifference, and did not hurry forward. When he had received his instructions and made his bow, he did not keep standing, but proceeded to his shed. The duke sent a man to see him, and there he was, with his upper garment off, sitting cross-legged, and nearly naked. The ruler said,

'He is the man; he is a true draughtsman.'"

[space2b]

A man falls into an old empty well.
in the last minute he grabs a some plant growing from the edge of the well into the well, and is able to hang in between the bottom and the outer world... he looks down and sees a giant Crocodile waiting down in the bottom of the well. He grabs the root he is holding even tighter. suddenly he hears a sound... he looks up- and sees two rats, eating the root of the plant on which he is hanging onto. he is terrified, but suddenly he feels a drop, falling on his forehead. then another. he notices a bee-hive on a tree above, and drops of honey, dripping slowly from there... the man opens his mouth and tries to catch the next drop... mmm, yes, it is honey. our man is hanging still... bellow is the crocodile, above the two rats, biting the root he is hanging on. But our man is happy now, waiting with his mouth open, for the next drop, and then the next one... he forgets everything else. the rats still biting the plant, bit by bit. the crocodile waiting below...

[space2b]

this is us humans, enjoying little desires fulfilled... the 2 rats are Day and Night, passing by.
The crocodile is death...
and the honey comb is eternal wisdom, or the knowledge of who we are...
instead of enjoying drops of honey... go up, climb the shrub and then the tree,
find the source of the honey. and then be happy.

[moonincancer]

Originally Posted by space2b

this is us humans, enjoying little desires fulfilled... the 2 rats are Day and Night, passing by.
The crocodile is death...
and the honey comb is eternal wisdom, or the knowledge of who we are...
instead of enjoying drops of honey... go up, climb the shrub and then the tree,
find the source of the honey. and then be happy.

I really liked this story! Can completely relate to it.

A big, tough samurai once went to see a little monk.


"Monk!"

He barked, in a voice accustomed to instant obedience.


"Teach me about heaven and hell!"

The monk looked up at the mighty warrior and replied with utter disdain,


"Teach you about heaven and hell? I couldn't teach you about anything. You're dumb. You're dirty. You're a disgrace, an embarrassment to the samurai class. Get out of my sight. I can't stand you."

The samurai got furious. He shook, red in the face, speechless with rage. He pulled out his sword, and prepared to slay the monk.

Looking straight into the samurai's eyes, the monk said softly,


"That...is hell."

The samurai froze, his face changed from anger to understanding, realizing the compassion of the monk who had risked his life to show him hell! He put down his sword and fell to his knees, filled with gratitude.
"And that....is heaven."

[Within Silence]

The Wise Fisherman

An investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.
Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The investment banker looked inside the boat and complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

The man replied; “Only a little while.”

Banker asked; “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”

“With this I have more than enough to support my family’s needs.”

Banker; “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The wise fisherman said; “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a nap, and then stroll into the village each evening with my wife where we sip wine and dance to live music, I have a very full and busy life.”

The investment banker scoffed; “I am a Harvard MBA, an expert at business and could help you. Here's what you need to do; you spend all your time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat, and then with those proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you could have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you could sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this tiny coastal village and move to a major city, then work your way up to New York where you will run your ever expanding business."

The wise fisherman asked; “How long would all this take?”

The banker replied; “Only 15-20 years.”

“Then what?” asked the fisherman.

The banker laughed and said; “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would be worth millions.”

“Wow, millions….then what?”

The banker said; “Then you would retire, move to a small coastal village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take naps, and then you and your wife would stroll into town in the evenings where you would dance and sip wine with your friends.”

Originally Posted by Within Silence

The Wise Fisherman

An investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.
Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The investment banker looked inside the boat and complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

The man replied; “Only a little while.”

Banker asked; “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”

“With this I have more than enough to support my family’s needs.”

Banker; “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The wise fisherman said; “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a nap, and then stroll into the village each evening with my wife where we sip wine and dance to live music, I have a very full and busy life.”

The investment banker scoffed; “I am a Harvard MBA, an expert at business and could help you. Here's what you need to do; you spend all your time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat, and then with those proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you could have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you could sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this tiny coastal village and move to a major city, then work your way up to New York where you will run your ever expanding business."

The wise fisherman asked; “How long would all this take?”

The banker replied; “Only 15-20 years.”

“Then what?” asked the fisherman.

The banker laughed and said; “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would be worth millions.”

“Wow, millions….then what?”

The banker said; “Then you would retire, move to a small coastal village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take naps, and then you and your wife would stroll into town in the evenings where you would dance and sip wine with your friends.”

WithinSilence,
This is a great anecdote. I have been thinking of this story after reading it three days ago. I believe I had heard it before, but its about the best story I have heard that sums up humanity's big problem, what I call the "virus". Consider it stolen. where did you find it...awesome!

[Within Silence]

Originally Posted by confusionsay

WithinSilence,
This is a great anecdote. I have been thinking of this story after reading it three days ago. I believe I had heard it before, but its about the best story I have heard that sums up humanity's big problem, what I call the "virus". Consider it stolen. where did you find it...awesome!

Glad you enjoyed it confusionsay! It was sent to me by a friend some time ago, I don't know who wrote it, otherwise I would post the author.

I agree that it sums up as you call it the "virus" that plagues humanity.

Its like we leave a content and simple life, take on a very busy and discontented life in an attempt to eventually return to a content and simple life! lol Fickle creatures are we. We seem easily swayed into the trap of the "s'more's" i.e. I need s'more of this and some more of that, more, more, more! ha ha. I have fallen into this trap at times, only to realize the truth in the statement; "Less is more"