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Less Zen Than I'd Like
I came across a Zen story yesterday evening that goes something like this:
The conqueror's forces swept into the village to find the inhabitants had fled to the mountains- all except for a single monk- who continued quietly going about his business in the temple. The conqueror stormed up to the monk and roared. "Don't you know who I am? I could cut you in two and not blink an eye."
And the monk smiled and replied," Don't you know who I am? I could stand here and let you cut me in two and not blink an eye."
I think this story must have prompted the dream I had last night in which I annoyed an unstable young man who then turned up at my house with an accomplice and a very large gun. My reaction, I'm sad to say, was somewhat less mellow than the monk's.
The conqueror's forces swept into the village to find the inhabitants had fled to the mountains- all except for a single monk- who continued quietly going about his business in the temple. The conqueror stormed up to the monk and roared. "Don't you know who I am? I could cut you in two and not blink an eye."
And the monk smiled and replied," Don't you know who I am? I could stand here and let you cut me in two and not blink an eye."
I think this story must have prompted the dream I had last night in which I annoyed an unstable young man who then turned up at my house with an accomplice and a very large gun. My reaction, I'm sad to say, was somewhat less mellow than the monk's.