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Thomas168.
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December 29, 2025 at 5:52 pm #453551
Thomas168ParticipantI wanted to share a story I heard about a few years ago. I thought it was fun. I don’t remember if I ever told this story here before??
In times long ago, it was normal for a traveling monk, who sought lodging at a Zen monastery, to engage in dharma combat with the abbot or a disciple. If the monk won the debate, he could stay. If the monk loss, then he had to go elsewhere.
The Abbot asked his disciple to engage with a traveling monk, who challenged him to a silent debate. It so happened that this disciple had an unfortunate accident as a child and had only one eye.
The travelling monk returned to the abbot, saying, “Your man is too good for me. I must go journey on. I held up one finger to symbolize the Buddha. But he held up two fingers for the Buddha and the Dharma. So, I held up three fingers for the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. But, then he held up a clenched fist to indicate they were all one – so I ran to show I am no match for him.” After the monk who spoke these words, he left.
The disciple arrived and was very angry. “Where is that monk?” he demanded. “He insulted me by holding up one finger to indicate I had only one eye. Determined to be polite, I held up two fingers to indicate that, he was blessed with two eyes. But, he held up three fingers to indicate that all together there were only three eyes among us. So I wanted to hit him with my fist but he ran off.”
December 29, 2025 at 6:09 pm #453552
anitaParticipantHilarious, Thomas. No, I don’t remember reading this Zen Story before. It shows why it’s so important to check assumptions. Or even better, to ask before assuming.
Thank you 😊
I hope other members enjoy this as well.
🙏 Anita
December 30, 2025 at 4:39 am #453556Thomas168ParticipantThank you Anita for the reply.
I thought it was a fun one to share.
Many times people talk but aren’t really communicating well.
So, I wanted to show this in a story.December 30, 2025 at 5:33 am #453560
AlessaParticipantHi Tommy
Thanks for sharing the story! You are right, it is easy for people to be hurt even when you are trying to be kind. 🩵
I have always struggled with things like that. I’m learning that it helpful to try to understand others perspectives to avoid these faux pas. But even then all we can do is try our best and of course stay calm and try to take care of others if we accidentally hurt their feelings. 🩵
Thinking about how to do this without speech for the story. I guess pay attention to body language? It is said that we mostly communicate through body language and not our words. Where does that leave us writing online? 🩵
December 30, 2025 at 7:28 am #453562Thomas168ParticipantAlessa,
Thank you for your comments. Will think about it.
If I think of another story or if you or anyone else have one of your own then please share.December 30, 2025 at 10:19 am #453572
TeeParticipantHi Thomas,
I loved the story, Thomas, so funny! And really, as Anita said, it indicates how we make assumptions and then react to people based on those assumptions. And it may lead to unwanted outcomes… Thankfully, in this story the outcome was good because the traveling monk assumed that clenched fist is a sign of oneness, and so he ran away before getting hit 😂😂
Wishing you a happy New Year, Thomas! ✨✨
December 30, 2025 at 1:42 pm #453592anitaParticipantWhat a delightful thread!
Very well said, Thomas: “Many times, people talk but aren’t really communicating well”. Later on, I’ll look for a story to share before the New Year ✨✨ ✨ 🙏 Anita
December 30, 2025 at 1:47 pm #453593Thomas168ParticipantHi Tee and Anita,
Glad this thread was one that brought a smile. Happy new years everyone. May you have a smile all year long.
December 30, 2025 at 7:55 pm #453604Thomas168ParticipantTwo men visited an abbot at a monastery at different times. The first man said, “I am thinking of moving to this town. What is it like?” The abbot asked, “What was it like in your old town?” The first man responded, “It was terrible. Everyone was full of hatred. I did not like it there.”
The abbot said, “This town is very much the same. I do not think you should move here.”
The first man left and the second man came in.
The second man said, “I am thinking of moving to this town. What is it like?” The abbot asked, “What was your old town like?” The second man responded, “It was wonderful. Everyone was nice and friendly. I was happy. Now, I just wanted a change of scenery.”
The abbot said, “This town is very much the same. I think you will like it here.”
December 30, 2025 at 8:10 pm #453606anitaParticipantWe project to the outside what’s already inside of us. We see out THERE what already exists in HERE inside of us
Similar to the story you started your thread with.
Fascinating, Thomas.
🤍 Anita
December 30, 2025 at 9:32 pm #453607Thomas168ParticipantI thought the abbot only wanted good people in his town. lol
But, you are right. We see what we want to see. And this helps determine how we live our lives.
Thanks for pointing that out.December 30, 2025 at 10:32 pm #453610AlessaParticipantHi Everyone
Confucius was sad near the end of his life. A disciple came by to cheer him up, singing and playing music. “Why are you so happy?” Confucius said.
“You showed me that there are miracles everywhere. What is not to be happy about?” Explained the disciple.
“Yes, I did say that in the past. Here is what I know to be true now. There is also suffering everywhere in the world and I cannot change it. Should the good be abandoned because of the suffering? What would be the point in that?” Replied Confucius.
So they played music and sang together. 🩵 🙏
December 31, 2025 at 9:48 am #453635
PeterParticipantHi Everyone
I’ve loved this Zen story about the “silent debate”, how, when no words are spoken, we end up hearing the sound of our own minds. When nothing is said, everything you see is yourself. Thanks for sharing it ThomasWhat moves me most is how two people can stand in the same moment and walk away carrying completely different worlds. The traveling monk walked away touched by wisdom. The disciple walked away stung by insult. And yet, somehow, the lesson still found its way to the hearts that needed it.
This story reminds me that the Way, the quiet intelligence of life, rarely arrives wrapped in perfection. Sometimes it comes disguised as misunderstanding, as hurt feelings, as someone else’s anger. Sometimes the Way speaks through us even when we’re not trying to be wise, even when we’re caught in our own storms.
The traveler was humbled by what he experienced as a profound insight. The disciple was inflamed by what he believed was mockery. Two egos, two illusions, one puffed up, one wounded. Zen has a way of showing us that ego distorts everything, whether it lifts us up or knocks us down.
And there’s a softer lesson for the disciple too: I imagine him learning how the traveler interpreted their exchange, and in that moment discovering that others sometimes see more strength, more depth, more wholeness in us than we see in ourselves.
For me, this story is a reminder to stay open. To remember that meaning often rises not from what happens, but from the landscape inside us. And that wisdom can find us anywhere, even in silence, even in confusion, even in the places where we least expect it.
December 31, 2025 at 10:56 am #453639Thomas168ParticipantHi Alessa,
It is true that we should not abandon the good in life because we have seen suffering. Thank you.
Hi Peter,
I am glad you liked the story. I heard it a long time ago but it stays with me.
“Our schoolmaster used to take a nap every afternoon,” related a student. We students asked him why he took naps. And he told us, “I go to meet the old sages just as Confucius did. When Confucius slept, he would dream of old sages and later tell his followers about them.”
One day, so some of us took an afternoon nap. Our schoolmaster scolded us. We explained, “We went to meet the old sages the same as Confucius did”. The schoolmaster asked, “What did the old sages say?” We answered, “We went to met the old sages and asked them if our schoolmaster came there every afternoon, but they said they have never seen any such fellow.”
December 31, 2025 at 11:26 am #453641anitaParticipantHi Everyone:
Inspired by your most recent Zen story, Thomas, here’s another (from “101 Zen Stories”): A famous Zen master was known for giving long, profound lectures. One day, a student asked: “Master, how did you become so wise?”
The master replied: “When I was young, I decided I would meditate until I understood the truth of the universe. I sat for seven days without moving. On the seventh day, the Buddha himself appeared and revealed all the secrets of existence.”
The students gasped in awe.
Later that afternoon, a group of students tried the same thing. They sat in meditation for hours, then went to the master and said: “Master, we meditated all day, but the Buddha didn’t appear to us.”
The master smiled and said: “Ah. He probably didn’t come because he was still laughing about my story from this morning.” 🤣😆😂
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