Giving the Moon
Ryokan lived the life of a hermit in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening, while Ryokan was away, a thief broke into the...
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The Flesh of Stories
One day, someone asked Bahandin Naqshband, the great storyteller, "You always tell us stories, but you never tell us how to interpret...
The Lion's Breath Smells Like Cinnamon
When the lion became king of the beasts, he wanted to be known for his fairness. So, he gave up his old habits and limited himself to the...
83 Problems
One farmer came to the monastery to seek advice from a famous Zen teacher. “I like farming,” the farmer started, “but sometimes it...
Waiting for the Barbarians
"What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum?" "The barbarians are due here today." "Why isn't anything happening in the senate? Why...
The Book and the Key
Short dialogue between two Sufis: "I could sell the Book of Truth for a thousand pounds of gold, and some would still say, this is not...
The Work of a Donkey is Never Done
The priests of the goddess Cybele used a donkey to carry their luggage when they went around begging for alms. When the donkey finally...
The Reward
A short Arabic poem tells the story of a raindrop which, falling into the sea, cried out, "Oh, sea, how insignificant I am next to your...
The Antelope at Sunset
An antelope got lost from his heard and was wandering at the edge of the desert...
The Spider
While meditating in his room, a student thought he saw a spider moving on the ceiling and descending above his head. Each day, the spider...
Truth and Lie Go on a Journey Together
Truth and Lie, which were both walking their own way, met one day and decide to journey together.
The Two Sandals
There was a man travelling in a slow, crowded train on a hot day. The train was packed with people and every door and window were open...
The Departure of Boats
A zen master points at the sea to one of his pupils and tells him, "You believe that spirit commands matter. Well then, forbid those...
The Secret of the Coffer
Nuri Bey, who lived in Albania, was a man of profound wisdom. He had married a woman who was much younger than him. One evening, as he...
99 Riddles
This is the list of all the riddles from the 99 Riddles booklet.
An Artificer's History of Riddles
Riddles, it is said, were the attempts of the things of the world to communicate with humans, tell them what and why they are, so that the w
The Drunk Man
Anonymous Chinese poet of uncertain date, telling a story as old as men and women and the sun and the vine.
The Cold Mountain
So here I stay, under this cinnamon tree, white clouds for my pillow. I'll just take a nap.
The Jagad
A special story to celebrate the first trees planted through an artifice.
The Lying Truth
One day, a young Indian prince was riding his horse across his vast domains, when he fell in love with a peasant girl. Struck as he was...
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