Silence
The silent man is often worth listening to. Japanese A listener needs more intelligence than a speaker. Turkish Give every man your ear but give few your voice. William Shakespeare Silence is the best answer to the stupid. Arabic Silence is not only golden, it's seldom misquoted. American Example is a mute admonition. German Those who know don't talk. Those who talk don't know. Lao Tzu Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy. Wilson Mizner Zen is not letting yourself be...
Nanchuan Rejects Both A Monk and Layman
A monk came to Nan-Ch'uan, stood in front of him, and put both hands to his breast. Nan-Ch'uan said, You are too much of a layman. The monk then placed his bands palm to palm. 'You are too much of a monk, said Nan-Ch'uan. The monk could not say a word. When another teacher heard of this, he said to his monks, If were the monk, I would free my hands and walk away backward. NYOGEN When the monk came for sanzen, he meant to express his freedom by not conforming to the rules of entering or leaving...
The Sermon of Nasrudin
One day the villagers thought they would play a joke on Nasrudin. As he was supposed to be a holy man of some indefinable sort, they went to him and asked him to preach a sermon in their mosque. He agreed. When the day came, Nasrudin mounted the pulpit and spoke O people Do you know what I am going to tell you No, we do not know, they cried. Until you know, I cannot say. You are too ignorant to make a start on, said the Mulla, overcome with indignation that such ignorant people should waste his...
Religion
God a word for not thinking. Ed Abbey No one but God and I know what is in my heart. Arabic Whatever we cannot easily understand we call God this saves much wear and tear on the brain tissues. Ed Abbey Many millions search for God, only to find Him in their hearts. Working is half of religion. Turkish A man without religion is like a horse without a bridle. Latin All isms should be wasms. Abbie Hoffman Most sects are right in what they affirm and wrong in what they deny. Goethe Only the deaf...
Mountain Snow
Mountain snow, each region white Common the raven calling No good comes of too much slumber. Mountain snow, deep dingle white Woods bend before wind's onslaught Many couples are in love And never come together. Mountain snow, wind scatters it Moonlight far-spread, leaves pale Rare the rogue who claims no rights. Mountain snow, stag nimble Common to Britain, proud princes A stranger requires cunning. Mountain snow, stag in rut Ducks on the lake, ocean white Slow the old, soon overtaken. Mountain...
The Stone Cutter The Tao of Pooh pg
There was once a stonecutter, who was dissatisfied with himself and his position in life. One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house, and through the open gateway, saw many fine possessions and important visitors. How powerful that merchant must be thought the stonecutter. He became very envious, and wished that he could be like the merchant. Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stonecutter. To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and...
Education and Learning
Let not thy heart be great because of thy knowledge, but converse with the ignorant as with the learned. Ancient Egyptian I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Chinese Thou dost not practice what thou knowest why, then, dost thou seek what thou knowest not Muslim He who learns well defends himself well. Argentine First learn, then form opinions. Talmud Knowledge that can be stolen is not worth having. Al-Ghazdi The men who deserted thee will teach thee knowledge....
Incognito The Te of Piglet pg
The word for Taoist sensitivity is Cooperate. As Lao-tse wrote, The skilled walker leaves no trace nor tracks he is sensitive to and therefore respectful toward his surroundings and works with the natural laws that govern them. Like a chameleon, he blends in with What's There. And he does this through the awareness that comes from reducing the Ego to nothing. As Chuang-tse put it To him who dwells not in himself, the forms of things reveal themselves as they are. He moves like water, reflects...
The Voyage of Bran Son of Febal
pg. 589 of Taliesin by Edward Williams, 1848 Editor's Note The following extensive poem from the Irish is about a young prince who journeys by boat into the land of faeries. Islands were considered somewhat magical by the Celtic peoples. References to the afterlife can be found in the descriptions of what faeries do to pass the time. It's really long, but good. 'Twas fifty quatrains that the woman from unknown lands sang on the floor of the house to Bran son of Febal, when the royal house was...
The Te of Piglet
a must buy by Benjamin Hoff Making the Best of It The Te of Piglet pg. 234 It is fitting that for centuries Taoists have been associated with magic, as Taoism is, on one level or another, a form of magic a very practical form, perhaps, but magic all the same. Here we will briefly describe two secrets of that magic two principles of Taoist transformation that may prove useful in the coming years. The first is Turn the Negative into Positive. The second is Attract Positive with Positive. Unlike...
From the Zoroastrian Scriptures
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind love envieth not love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed...
Sayings of the Unitarian Universalists
Out of the stars in their flight, out of the dust of eternity, here have we come, Stardust and sunlight, mingling through time and through space. Out of the stars have we come, up from time Out of the stars have we come. Time out of time before time in the vastness of space, earth spun to orbit the sun, Earth with the thunder of mountains newborn, the boiling of seas. Earth warmed by sun, lit by sunlight this is our home Out of the stars have we come. Mystery hidden in mystery, back through all...
Teachings on reciprocity or humanity
Confucius said Shen My teaching contains one principle that runs through it all. Yes, replied Tzeng Tzu. When Confucius had left the room the disciples asked What did he mean Tseng Tzu replied Our Master s teaching is simple this loyalty and reciprocity. IV 15 Tzu Kung asked is there any one word that can serve as a principle for the conduct of life Confucius said Perhaps the word reciprocity Do not do to others what you would not want others to do to you. XV 23 Confucius said It is man that...