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| Topic: The Moon cannot be stolen | |
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A Zen Master lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The Zen Master returned and found him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift." The thief was bewildered, but he took the clothes and ran away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, " I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."
What is the lesson of this story or what reaction do you have for this tale? |
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well teacher...
im guessing the prowler needed something so bad.... and the master....was being generous as he could.... but this dosent work in reality. |
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Ha
I am no teacher that is for sure. I have been studying Buddhism a little less then 6 months now. Although I practiced it as a young man once, but mainly because I thought my teacher was hot. She was 20 years older then me but she looked 20 years younger then what she was. I will never forget her and now am thankful that I was introduced to Buddhism. Although I am no true Buddhist, I do read alot about it when I can for it is very interesting and beneficial for me personally.
Here are some answers I collected for the morale of the story. The good thing about these stories is everyone has a different interpertation of what it means to them personally. ----------------- "First, be grateful to everyone: perhaps because the Master was before distracted by his material belongings, he never noticed the beauty around him. The thief in fact gave to the Master through his theft and maybe lost the sight of the Moon. Also, the beauty of nature is available to all - free and forever, and we forget this when we get caught up in the dazzle of our commercial society. " *** "The Zen master was not attached to any material possessions. He could even give away his clothes without thinking twice. What he would have liked to give the thief was not anything material, but his appreciation of nature or enlightenment." *** "The thief is poor because he does not understand what is of value in this life and what is not. The Zen Master is wealthy because he is content. The moon, I think, is a symbol of that contentment and peace." *** "This reminds me of the vicar in Les Miserables who tells the thief that giving him what the thief has tried to steal means that the thief now belongs to God. The clothing is only a thing, which means nothing to the Zen master, so he removes the dishonor of the theif's act by giving him something. I think the moon represents the master's internal spiriual connection, which is something he cannot give away; it is there for all who seek it. The Zen master realizes that he cannot just give spirituality away, as the vicar attempted in Les Miserables. In Judaism, there is the evil impulse and the good impulse in all men, and resisting the evil impulse requires active participation in seeking through prayer and study, so that the difference between good and evil impulses becomes obvious. The Zen Master was acting with loving kindness, which is an element of all major religions (unfortunately, it is not always practiced)." *** "Material things mean nothing.... that is not wisdom that can be stolen, nor can it be easily given." *** "Its a nice story. My interpretations are thus: (1) Maybe the Zen master wants to give the moon since if the thief had the moon, he could make use of it while he was at job in night. So it would imply that we should try to give to other people things after a thought of what may be useful for them, and not just for sake of giving, unless (as in thi case) we do not have a choince or chance, (2) Second interpretation could be that when you give, you should give with all your heart, the best of what you can. the moon in this case, (3) Maybe the Zen master is talking of enlightening the thief, and the giving of moon signifies the bringing of light into his black nights... maybe you choose :)) |
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Edited by
Milesoftheusa
on
Mon 12/29/08 10:30 PM
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A Zen Master lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The Zen Master returned and found him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift." The thief was bewildered, but he took the clothes and ran away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, " I wish I could give him this beautiful moon." What is the lesson of this story or what reaction do you have for this tale? Ps 105 says Your word is a lamp unto my feet. If you look at a full moon on a clear night you will see the Moon is a lamp in the sky unto your feet. Yahweh made the lesser light 1st and the the greater light. Who is this lesser light. Ps says your word is. Yahshua is the word. Yahshua guides us and shows us the path to Righteousness. Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet. Blessings..Miles |
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"The Zen master was not attached to any material possessions. He could even give away his clothes without thinking twice. What he would have liked to give the thief was not anything material, but his appreciation of nature or enlightenment."
Delving into this one, because it struck me as being the most accurate to my personal understanding of the story, here are further thoughts. One can only give or take material items. Intangible things, such as an appreciation of nature or enlightenment cannot be given. They can only be discovered by the individual. No amount of teaching can impart them. It is the Intangible that makes us who we are. No one can take that from us. So no matter what life takes away, or circumstances take away, it cannot destroy us unless we allow it. |
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Edited by
skypoetone
on
Fri 01/02/09 11:06 AM
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A Zen Master lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The Zen Master returned and found him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift." The thief was bewildered, but he took the clothes and ran away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, " I wish I could give him this beautiful moon." What is the lesson of this story or what reaction do you have for this tale? Arr! Zen, I love it - it tells me all I need to know, it is this... Moondark hits the nail on the head, we live in the material world, when it comes to beliefs they cannot be stolen, they are your immaterial uniqueness. :) Zen Listen Talk is never straight but broken patterns of vibrations. Vibration only resonates in the ear of those who listen. Morning never breaks it comes straight from the heart of the sun. Night never falls but rises with the moon to paint a daytime black. © 2007 |
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Mmm...mmm...ooh...
Ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh... Don’t you change Some walk by night Some fly by day Nothing could change you Set and sure of the way Charming and bright Laughing and gay I’m just a stranger Love the blues and grays There is the sun and moon They sing their own sweet tune Watch them when dawn is due Sharing one space Some walk by night Some fly by day Something is sweeter When you meet along the way So come walk by night Come fly by day Something is sweeter ‘Cause we met along the way We’ll walk by night We’ll fly by day Moonlighting strangers Who just met on the way Who just met on the way Who just met on the way |
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Beware the writers are coming! The writers and poets are coming
Nicely done 
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LOL...glad you like them...
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This was such a good one, I'm bumping for people who might not have seen it the other day.
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Mmm...mmm...ooh... Ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh... Don’t you change Some walk by night Some fly by day Nothing could change you Set and sure of the way Charming and bright Laughing and gay I’m just a stranger Love the blues and grays There is the sun and moon They sing their own sweet tune Watch them when dawn is due Sharing one space Some walk by night Some fly by day Something is sweeter When you meet along the way So come walk by night Come fly by day Something is sweeter ‘Cause we met along the way We’ll walk by night We’ll fly by day Moonlighting strangers Who just met on the way Who just met on the way Who just met on the way   Did you write this yourself QS? in any case you have my kudos for posting it. If it's a song, I wonder how the melody would go?
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My take on the Zen Master: The Master was enlightened to realize that not only is materialism an illusion, but also that covetness of the same is a terrible wrong against one's self because all that's truely worthwhile and lasting has already been given to those who are open to true beauty and majesty
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the zen master was so concerned with doing the zen thing, he forgot to see to the saftey of his friends and neighbors, and only wished to forgive and do the right thing, and followed his own happiness most, and so told not the thief the information he needed, nor scolded him or set the record straight, and only but let him go, without any sign from the thief, that his stealing ways he wished leave behind, so immediatley that same night, the thief ran to the next house down the road, and there a young widow with two little tikes, he did not only rob, but decided to smite...........
anything sorry, see with sight, suffer the punishment, run not from it's crime, makes no bones, know it was blind........... |
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The Bible says something similar. Basically it say if a man steals your coat, give him your shirt as well.
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