The Story of Zen


Chrysanthemuns
Chrysanthemuns

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Years before, the only chrysanthemums in the village were grown by the lead monk in the temple garden. Three years later, in the fall, the garden became known as “the garden of chrysanthemums,” the fragrance wafting through the air to the village.

Everyone who visited the temple admired the garden. One day, someone asked the lead monk if they could take some chrysanthemums to grow in their yard. Quickly, the monk agreed and picked out the best, most colorful flowers for him. Soon, the news spread and people started to come, one after another, to ask for the flowers. In the eyes of this monk, those people were very close to him and deeply cherished. They were all good friends, and he could not deny them the flowers. Pretty soon, all of the flowers in the garden were gone. None was left.

Without the chrysanthemums, the garden was colorless and desolate. Seeing how barren the garden was, one of the disciples sighed and said, “What a pity. We had such color and fragrance and now we don’t even have a single flower. There is nothing left in the garden.”

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Understanding their disappointment, the leader said, “Just think about it. In three years, the whole village will have chrysanthemums. Isn’t that better than having them only here? The whole village will be full of a wonderful fragrance.” When the disciples heard this, they felt the warmth of love from their leader and visualized the fantastic sight of the blooming of hundreds of chrysanthemums in the village.

The leader continued, “It is such a good thing to share, for everyone can enjoy this blessing. Even though we gave them out, with nothing left to us, we still feel the joy in our hearts. We truly own our  happiness.”

The moral of this story is that spring does not arrive with the blossoming of a single flower. When you see hundreds of flowers blooming, you know that spring has come. Sharing brought not only the spring but also the joy to the village.  What a great lesson that this lead monk taught us! That is when we have(or own) the happiness, we can always give or share with the others.  The happiness resides within; it is not affected by the material outside. Moreover, It is more delightful to share the joy than to keep it to oneself.

不舍一株菊花,哪得一村菊香?

2017-06-07 由 书角 发表于资讯

一位老禅师在院子里种了一棵菊花,第三年的秋天,院长成了菊花园,香味一直传到了山下的村子里面。凡是来寺院的人们都忍不住赞叹:「好美的花儿啊!」

有一天,村子里的人开口向老禅师要几棵菊花种在自己的院子里,老禅师答应了,并亲自动手挑拣最好的菊花送给村子里的人,于是,消息传开了,前来要花的人接连不断,在老禅师的眼里,这些人都是那么的知心和亲切,所以凡来要花的人都给,不多日,院子里的菊花就被老禅师送得一干二净。

没有了菊花,院子里就如同没有了阳光一样寂寞。秋天的最后一个黄昏,弟子看到满院的凄凉,忍不住说:「真可惜,这里本应该是满院的花朵和花香。」

老禅师对弟子笑着说:「你想想,这岂不是更好吗?三年之后,将是一村的菊香。」

「一村菊香!」弟子不由心头一热,看着师傅,只见他脸上的笑容比开得最美的花还要灿烂。

老禅师告诉弟子:「我们应该把美好的事与别人一起分享,让每一个人都感受到这种幸福,即使自己一无所有,心里也是幸福的!这时候我们才正真地拥有了幸福。」

不舍一株菊花,哪得一村菊香?老禅师把最美好的东西拿出来与别人一起分享,当别人脸上洋溢着笑容时,他感到很欣慰,因为他明白与别人分享幸福比自己占有幸福更幸福。

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