Stories, proverbs, parables, etc.

[Skummer]

I thought it'd be interesting if people from different backgrounds posted proverbs, parables, or just short stories from or relating to their faith/philosophy.

I'll start in the next post...

 

[Skummer]

The man in whom Tao acts without impediment harms no other being by his actions
yet he does not know himself to be "kind", to be "gentle"...
(He) does not bother with his own interests and does not despise others who do.
He does not struggle to make money and does not make a virtue of poverty.
He goes his way without relying on others and does not pride himself on walking alone.
While he does not follow the crowd he won't complain of those who do.
Rank and reward make no appeal to him; disgrace and shame do not deter him.
He is not always looking for right and wrong, always deciding "Yes" or "No."
The ancients said, therefore:

The man of Tao remains unknown.
Perfect virtue produces nothing.
"No-Self" is "True-Self".
And the greatest man is Nobody.

- Chuang Tzu

 

[Lyle]

Like, I should post the whole Bible? Or just the book of Proverbs? How liong of a short story are we talking about

 

[Skummer]

Like, I should post the whole Bible? Or just the book of Proverbs? How liong of a short story are we talking about

Obviously within reason. See my example.

I'm particularly interested in proverbs/parables from pagan religions since I don't often encounter them.

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

Here are two parables/stories that (I think) reflect very nicely on my faith (orthodox Judaism).

100-200 years BCE, our two greatest Sages were Hillel & Shammai. A Roman came to Shammai (who is known for his very strict views on most points of Jewish law) and said, "Teach me the entire Torah while I stand on one foot." Shammai, irked by what he perceived as a smart-alecky question, drove him away with a stick. The Roman thereupon went to Hillel (who is known for his more lenient views on most points of Jewish law) and repeated his question. Hillel replied, "What is hateful to yourself, do not do to your neighbor. The rest is commentary; now go and study." (Postscript: The Roman studied Torah, converted to Judaism & became a learned Sage in his own right.)
_____

Here in the Holy Land, we have only two natural bodies of water of any note, the Sea of Galilee & the Dead Sea. One of our Sages uses them in a parable about married life in particular, but about life in general as well.

With the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River & a few other streams flow in, and the Jordan River flows out. The Sea of Galilee has both inflow & outflow, it both gives and receives. And because it both gives and receives, it is truly alive. Its waters are sweet and teem with fish, waterfowl, plants & all manner of life. People flock to it & always have. The land around it is lush and fertile and thickly settled. But if you go south to the Dead Sea, the situation could not be more different. With the Dead Sea, the Jordan River & a few other streams flow in, but nothing flows out. The Dead Sea does not give, it only takes. And because the Dead Sea gives nothing of itself, because it only takes, it is truly dead. No birds fly over it. No fish live in it; any that spill in from the Jordan River die instantly. If you pour its waters on a plant, the plant will die. The area around it is, with the exception of a few scattered oases, a barren, sterile waste.

Anyone not get the point?
_____

Be well!

ssv

 

[Thurisaz Sowulo]

I thought it'd be interesting if people from different backgrounds posted proverbs, parables, or just short stories from or relating to their faith/philosophy.

Some historical proverbs of Asatru (the faith of the pre-christian Vikings and Germans):

A man can carry no better a load than too much good sense - and no worse than too much drink.

A man of note should be quiet, thoughtful, and brave in battle; everyone should keep happy and cheerful until the end.

The house of the mocker frequently burns down.

Closer to the king, closer to the gallows.

The land is ruled by the mouth, but the sea is ruled by the hand.

And two of my favorites, literal quotes from the Havamal (a poem that contains advice of Odin Allfather to the humans of Midgard):

"To his friend a man a friend shall prove
And gifts with gifts requite
But man shall mocking with mockery answer
And fraud with falsehood meet."

"A measure of wisdom every man shall have
But never too much let him know
Let no man the fate before him see
For so he is freest from sorrow."

 

[Skummer]

Those are very interesting SSV. I've never heard either before. Thanx for posting them.

 

[Skummer]

Qu Bo Yu lived for sixty years, and in this time he
changed his opinion sixty times. Fifty-nine times he
was absolutely convinced he was right, and fifty-nine
times he was forced to admit he was wrong. And who
knows if his sixtieth opinion, which he held when he
died, was any better than the rest? This happens to
anyone who focuses on the details of things and has
only a confused understanding of Tao.

- Chuang Tzu

 

[Skummer]

The deepest form of devotion
is not to perform religious rites.
The best rule of conduct is to laugh at everything.
The most profound use of intelligence
is to think of nothing.

- Chuang Tzu

 

[Skummer]

Give up trying to seem holy,
forget trying to appear wise,
and it will be a lot better for everyone.

- Lao Tzu

Abandon trying to seem good,
throw out self-righteousness,
and rediscover natural compassion.

- Lao Tzu

There is no absolute right or wrong.
People judge as right what they personally
consider pleasant, and judge as wrong what they
personally consider unpleasant. Convincing others
of what is right cannot be equated with teaching
the Truth. It is just teaching others to agree
with you. It is not about putting an end to
error, but putting an end to opinions contrary
to your own preconceptions.

- Lao Tzu

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

I saw the film & read the book, The Chosen by Chaim Potok (I actually preferred the movie, with Robby Benson, Maximillian Schell & the late, great Rod Steiger, to the book).

There's a great story (related at the end of the movie/book) about a king who had a son whom he loved very much. (A friend & I discussed it once in the context of my friend's remark that, "God loves the lost sheep"). Initially, they were very close. But as the son grew up & grew older, he and his father also grew apart. They became estranged, almost totally so. The son moved far away. But the king loved his son very much & more than anything, wanted him to come back to him. So the king sent his son a message bidding him to return. Even though the son, deep down in his heart, may have wanted to return to his father, he felt that he could not, he felt that the gulf between them was too great & he was intimidated by it; he sent his father a message saying that he could not come back. The father, sensed what was in his son's heart, and sent him another message & said, "Then come as far as you can and I shall come to meet you." This story meant a lot to me during a difficult period in my life about 18 years ago & helped me when I decided to actively embrace my Jewish faith.

Be well!

ssv

 

[Skummer]

One sees them everywhere - businessmen hoisting
themselves up on tiptoe, struggling desperately to succeed.
They are overflowing with anxieties so there is no longer even
any room for love of their fellow beings. They are therefore
themselves unloved and regarded as being no longer human.

- Chuang Tzu
--------------------------------------------------------

I am good to the good and I am good
to the bad, because it is good to be good.
I trust the trustworthy and I trust the
untrustworthy, because I trust in trust.

- Lao Tzu
---------------------------------------------------------

Once Chuang Chou dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know he was Chuang Chou. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Chuang Chou. But he didn't know if he was Chuang Chou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Chuang Chou. Between Chuang Chou and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things.

- Chuang Tzu

 

[Miss Shelby]

Hi all!

I saw the film & read the book, The Chosen by Chaim Potok (I actually preferred the movie, with Robby Benson, Maximillian Schell & the late, great Rod Steiger, to the book).

There's a great story (related at the end of the movie/book) about a king who had a son whom he loved very much. (A friend & I discussed it once in the context of my friend's remark that, "God loves the lost sheep"). Initially, they were very close. But as the son grew up & grew older, he and his father also grew apart. They became estranged, almost totally so. The son moved far away. But the king loved his son very much & more than anything, wanted him to come back to him. So the king sent his son a message bidding him to return. Even though the son, deep down in his heart, may have wanted to return to his father, he felt that he could not, he felt that the gulf between them was too great & he was intimidated by it; he sent his father a message saying that he could not come back. The father, sensed what was in his son's heart, and sent him another message & said, "Then come as far as you can and I shall come to meet you." This story meant a lot to me during a difficult period in my life about 18 years ago & helped me when I decided to actively embrace my Jewish faith.

Be well!

ssv

ssv,

I enjoy reading your posts. Don't think I've ever told you that before.

Your story equates to the Parable of the Prodigal Son and I too find and have found great comfort in that story. Not just in my relationship with God, but in coming to terms with my own character defects such as running away from problems, allowing shame or guilt to delay rectifying problems, and just maintainting close relationships with family members in general.

Thank you for sharing, you've inspired me today. You and everyone.

Michelle

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

Miss Shelby, thank you for your kind words!

There's a Hasidic story that a man who had been quite guilty of slander/gossip/talebearing repented and sought guidance from his rabbi. He asked his rabbi to help him understand the nature & the gravity of the sin of gossip/slander and to help him undo the damage that he had done. The rabbi said that undoing the damage would be very, very difficult. The man asked, "How difficult?" The rabbi told him to go home, get a feather pillow & a knife, and meet him on the roof of the synagogue. A little while later, they were standing together on the roof of the synagogue. The rabbi told the man to take the knife, cut the pillow open & scatter the feathers in the wind. The man did so. The rabbi told him to go home & meet him back on the synagogue roof one week later. One week later they were standing on the synagogue roof again. The rabbi told the man, "Now, go and gather all the feathers."

(Our Sages comment on the juxtaposition of the first two clauses of Leviticus 19:16

You shall not go up and down as a talebearer among your people; neither shall you stand idly by the blood of your neighbour: I am the Lord."

and teach that whoever spreads malicious gossip against, or slanders, his/her neighbor, it is as if he/she has shed his/her blood. Our Sages note that the ban on tale-bearing is followed in Leviticus 19:17 & 19:18, respectively, by bans on hating our neighbor in our hearts, taking vengeance and bearing a grudge & teach that the sin of tale-bearing & slander will inevitably lead to the sins of hatred, taking vengeance & bearing a grudge. Our Sages say that three people are affected by gossip, slander, etc: the one who utters it, the one who hears it and the one whom it is directed against.)

Be well!

ssv

 

[Miss Shelby]

Hi all!

Miss Shelby, thank you for your kind words!

There's a Hasidic story that a man who had been quite guilty of slander/gossip/talebearing repented and sought guidance from his rabbi. He asked his rabbi to help him understand the nature & the gravity of the sin of gossip/slander and to help him undo the damage that he had done. The rabbi said that undoing the damage would be very, very difficult. The man asked, "How difficult?" The rabbi told him to go home, get a feather pillow & a knife, and meet him on the roof of the synagogue. A little while later, they were standing together on the roof of the synagogue. The rabbi told the man to take the knife, cut the pillow open & scatter the feathers in the wind. The man did so. The rabbi told him to go home & meet him back on the synagogue roof one week later. One week later they were standing on the synagogue roof again. The rabbi told the man, "Now, go and gather all the feathers."

(Our Sages comment on the juxtaposition of the first two clauses of Leviticus 19:16 and teach that whoever spreads malicious gossip against, or slanders, his/her neighbor, it is as if he/she has shed his/her blood. Our Sages note that the ban on tale-bearing is followed in Leviticus 19:17 & 19:18, respectively, by bans on hating our neighbor in our hearts, taking vengeance and bearing a grudge & teach that the sin of tale-bearing & slander will inevitably lead to the sins of hatred, taking vengeance & bearing a grudge. Our Sages say that three people are affected by gossip, slander, etc: the one who utters it, the one who hears it and the one whom it is directed against.)

Be well!

ssv

ssv,

Thanks again. The Proverbs are full of that very lesson. Only a foolish man uses speech in an unwise way. In the New Testament and the Old we are told that the tongue, though it be small, can do a whole lot of damage.

Thanks for the food for thought. Let's meet again soon.

Michelle

 

[vajradhara]

howdy folks..


i've got a few...


Don't worry about the mule being blind, just load the darned wagon.



If the minimum isn't good enough then why is it the standard?

 

[Skummer]

Once upon a time, a man with a certain military bearing approached the Zen master Hakuin and asked: "Master, do Heaven and Hell actually exist?"

The master wanted to answer in the affirmative, but knew that this would give the man a false impression. In all likelihood the man operated under the mundane paradigm that Heaven and Hell exist as places for souls in the afterlife. The master knew what he must do to break through that false preconception.

"What is your occupation?" He asked.

"I'm a general." This explained the military bearing about him.

The master burst out laughing. "What idiot would ask you to command an army? You look more like a butcher to me!"

This enraged the general. With a roar he drew his sword. He could cut down this defenseless old man in an instant.

"Here lie the gates of Hell," said the master. These simple words stopped the powerful general dead in his tracks.

Realization flooded in. The general sudden understood that the master had risked his life in order to teach him a great truth in the most effective way imaginable.

"Forgive me, master, for what I was able to do." He felt all at once gratitude, amazement, and shame.

"Here lie the gates of Heaven," said the master.