A believer once went to the Prophet and asked to see heaven and hell. The Prophet took his hand and led him to a palace. When they entered one room, he saw multitudes of people. In the middle of the room, there was a long table with a pot full of soup, spreading a pleasant … Read more
A small clay water jug stood on the stove. And in the corner of the room, a sick man lay on the bed. He was tormented by extreme thirst. “Just a sip, just a sip,” he groaned. But there was no one in the room. His pleas were so heartbreaking that the jug could not … Read more
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and … Read more
A horse and a donkey were once coming from the market. The donkey was carrying heavy load on his back, and the horse was lightly running. Halfway down the road, the donkey felt tired and barely able to breathe. He asked the horse to take some of his load. But the horse would not listen. … Read more
Towards the end of August, a huge silver coloured spaceship came to Earth, carrying with it Professor Hugo’s zoo. The zoo was open for only six hours. Adults and children waited since the early morning, forming the longest line ups ever witnessed. And everyone was holding in their hands the entrance fee, a small amount … Read more
In the early 1930s, an American manufacturing company sent an industrial machine to Japan. A month later, the company received a telegram: THE MACHINE DOES NOT WORK. SEND A REPAIRMAN. The company sent a specialist to Japan. But even before he could get to work, it received another telegram: THE REPAIRMAN IS TOO YOUNG. SENT … Read more
An old man lived alone in the country. He needed to plant his potato garden but the task was too daunting for the old man as the ground was hard. His only son, John, who used to help him dig, was in federal prison for Insider Trading and Stock Fraud. The old man wrote a … Read more
A patient complained to his doctor: – It seems to me, doc, that I will die soon… I feel terrible pain wherever I touch anything on my body. After examining the patient, the doctor replied: – Of course you do. Your finger is broken. The Lesson Every so often we feel as if we’re … Read more
I once watched a teacher explaining to young children the difference between a physical possession and a spiritual one. He had them build a paper model of Jerusalem. Then (this was in the days of tape-recorders) he put on a tape with a song about Jerusalem that he taught to the class. At the end … Read more
Once upon a time, in a family of ordinary mice, a baby mouse was born. Few years passed, and she grew up to become a dazzling beauty. When it was her turn to get married, her parents started looking for a suitable mate. But how could they find one? Who was special enough to deserve … Read more
An Inspirational Poem For Hard Times by Elia Wheeler Wilcox It is easy enough to be pleasant When life flows by like a song, But the man worthwhile is the one who will smile When everything goes dead wrong. For the test of the heart is trouble, And it always comes with the … Read more
It often happens that a by-product of a manufacturing process proves worthier than the original product of that process. For example, many people know the name of the most famous product of the Bayer Chemical Corporation of Germany. But few are aware that it was discovered by an accident. Namely, while manufacturing other chemical products, … Read more
Delia and James were a poor couple in their 20’s living in a modest apartment. They owned very little and took pride in two of their belongings: Delia’s beautiful hair and Jim’s gold watch. Delia wanted to buy her husband a gift, but the money never seemed enough. A day before Christmas, she was twenty … Read more
A True Story Without a Moral In Oriental Mythology, the second volume of his comparative study The Masks of God, the famous American mythologist and lecturer Joseph Campbell retells an amusing story. It concerns a Shinto priest and a Western sociologist who met at a conference in Japan in the late 1950s. The Japanese … Read more
Hara Tanzan was a Soto Buddhist monk who lived for most of the nineteenth century. He was well revered in life and even before his death, there were many stories retold about him. It’s hard to distinguish which of them are true and which are not. This, nevertheless, is the most famous one. Tanzan was … Read more
One day, a samurai went to visit a fisherman who had borrowed money from him a while ago. “The time has come, my friend,” said the samurai, “to repay your debts.” “I’m sorry to disappoint you,” the fisherman replied, “but I do not have the money. I’m an honest man, but it’s been a very … Read more
During the feudal Civil Wars of the nineteenth century, an army took over the control of a small and peaceful Japanese village. All of its inhabitants ran away – all, except an aged Zen master. The general of the conquering army was amazed to hear this and ordered his soldiers to spare his life and … Read more
