Zen Koan: The Stone Mind...

[bridgit]

Hogen, a Chinese Zen teacher, lived alone in a small temple in the country. One day four traveling monks appeared and asked if they might make a fire in his yard to warm themselves.

While they were building the fire, Hogen heard them arguing about subjectivity and objectivity. He joined them and said: "There is a big stone. Do you consider it to be inside or outside your mind?"

One of the monks replied: "From the Buddhist viewpoint everything is an objectification of mind, so I would say that the stone is inside my mind."

"Your head must feel very heavy," observed Hogen, "if you are carrying around a stone like that in your mind."

[datasuspect]

1. maybe if you put some cutesy variation on a du username theme in the title

someone would bite.

otherwise, pretty funny.

[bridgit]

2. oh i'll be dropping these in day by day but the great part is that...

like IRL, no one is under any obligation to pay the least bit of attention to them; it's the american way :rofl: :patriot:

[zingaro]

5. Just because there are no comments

doesn't mean no one is reading.

:hi: Thanks.

[idgiehkt]

6. koans suck.

Just kidding. But I do know this is gonna bug me for the rest of the day. Thanks for waking up my brain. :)

[bridgit]

13. just heard today, your average scone has 1,000 calories...

i have no idea how many calories are to be found in your average koan however :shrug: :hi:

[idgiehkt]

18. my scones are NOT average

who told you they were?

:rofl: :hi:

[idgiehkt]

10. lol

:applause: Or "Naughty koan time".

:rofl:

[MedleyMisty]

3. I want to live alone in a small temple

Sigh.

Well...my husband and cats would have to come with me.

[bridgit]

4. ha! good one, same here...

:hi:

[Shine]

7. The question is, Did they get warm from the fire?

or was the fire objectified, too? Hmmm....

:D

[bridgit]

11. oh i know...hm...

:hi:

[Orrex]

8. Hogen always seems to get the better of Klink

And Schultz is such a dumbkopf.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Sgt Schultz is way advanced ...

"I know Nothing"

How many of us can say that, striving for nothingness?

[conscious evolution]

17. He owned a toy factory before the war

[Hugin]

12. Oh, I love this stuff...

:thumbsup:

It exercises my mind! :D

[bridgit]

14. wee goody!!

:bounce: :thumbsup: :hi:

[Hugin]

15. It's been feeling a little flabby lately...

Thanks bridgit. :D

[bridgit]

16. the pleasure is all ours...

:toast:

[wildhorses]

19. i say: lets put the stone in a pot and make stone soup

and see what happens:P

[bridgit]

20. awww, warm, wholesome stone soup...

:9 i wonder if any minerals we need on a daily basis would leach out :dunce: :rofl:

[wildhorses]

21. haven't you heard the story of stone soup?

The Story of Stone Soup

Once upon a time, somewhere in post-war Eastern Europe, there was a great famine in which people jealously hoarded whatever food they could find, hiding it even from their friends and neighbors. One day a wandering soldier came into a village and began asking questions as if he planned to stay for the night.

"There's not a bite to eat in the whole province," he was told. "Better keep moving on."

"Oh, I have everything I need," he said. "In fact, I was thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you." He pulled an iron cauldron from his wagon, filled it with water, and built a fire under it. Then, with great ceremony, he drew an ordinary-looking stone from a velvet bag and dropped it into the water.

By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers had come to the square or watched from their windows. As the soldier sniffed the "broth" and licked his lips in anticipation, hunger began to overcome their skepticism.

"Ahh," the soldier said to himself rather loudly, "I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage -- that's hard to beat."

Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a cabbage he'd retrieved from its hiding place, and added it to the pot. "Capital!" cried the soldier. "You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a king."

The village butcher managed to find some salt beef . . . and so it went, through potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and so on, until there was indeed a delicious meal for all. The villagers offered the soldier a great deal of money for the magic stone, but he refused to sell and traveled on the next day. The moral is that by working together, with everyone contributing what they can, a greater good is achieved.

[bridgit]

22. yep i'm say'n...

:yourock:

[wildhorses]

23. aww thanks--i do have my moments

:blush::hug:

[Hugin]

24. Nice telling of the story wildhorses...

Brought a tear to my eyes.

:D

[wildhorses]

25. aww, now

go on widcha...:blush:

[Hugin]

26. and I do mean, 'Nice' in the best sense of the word...

Not in the Middle English sense.

:D

[wildhorses]

27. ---

i googled it :yoiks: