Hara Tanzan

 

The Soto monk, Hara Tanzan, and his companion, Ekido, were traveling after a heavy rainfall and came upon a young woman in a silk kimono unable to cross the muddy intersection. Without hesitation, Tanzan told the girl that he could help her. Then he picked her up in his arms and carried her over the mud.

The rest of that day, Ekido did not say a thing. But when they stopped for the night at a local temple, he could restrain himself no longer. “We monks don’t go near females,” he told Tanzan, “especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?”

“I left the girl there,” Tanzan told him. “Why are you still carrying her?”

Zen Masters of Japan: 292-93

Ryokan Daigu

One evening a thief came upon the hermitage of the celebrated Zen Master and poet, Ryokan Daigu, but the Zen Master lived in such poverty that there was nothing for him to take. The disappointed robber was just leaving when Ryokan returned home and found him there.

“It’s a shame that you’ve come all this way and not received anything for your troubles,” the poet said, stripping off his robe. “Here. Please take this.”

Deeply confused, the thief took the robe and rushed off.

Afterwards, Ryokan sat on the floor, clothed only in his waist cloth, and enjoyed the moonlight.

The event inspired his best known haiku:

 

The thief left it behind—

moonlight

through the open window.

Zen Masters of Japan: 276-85

Sengai Gibon

 When Sengai Gibon was first appointed Abbot of Shofukuji, he discovered that some of the monks were in the habit of sneaking out of the monastery at night in order to spend time in bars and brothels. One monk in particular made regular forays in this manner.

Sengai found the small wooden platform the monk had placed against the wall to assist him in leaving and returning to the temple grounds. One night, when he knew the monk was engaged on another of these excursions, Sengai removed the platform and waited by the wall. On his return home, the monk mounted the wall and extended his foot towards the platform. He stepped instead into the cupped hands of the abbot. Sengai carefully helped him down, then, without a word of admonition, told the monk, “It’s a very damp morning; please take care not to catch cold.”

The platform was never replaced, and monks no longer snuck out of the monastery at night.

Zen Masters of Japan: 268-76

The Story of Zen: 370