The enlightenment at which Zen aims comes by itself. Like consciousness, one moment it does not exist - the next it does. Man goes through life as

My job is so strenous that I don’t get time to meditate. Moreover, I cannot concentrate or sit steady. I suffer from hypertension; my family is worried as this affects my health. Now the circumstances have become very alarming. I seek your advice. Is meditation, which I am unable to do, the only solution? I surrender to you and seek your blessings.

ZEN is the pathless path! A contradiction in terms it may well seem at first, but the true seeker soon realizes that there is no other way to describe a system that defies definition. Zen is new and distinct from every other religion. The root of Zen is in Buddhism, but I say that Buddhism has flowered in Zen. In the lifetime of the Buddha, his work brought about a revolutionary change in society, but once he was gone, his charisma too started waning. In his lifetime, the hindu priests, pundits and scholars could do nothing to stop his mission. Buddha was an extraordinarily intelligent man.

A king was fed up with the ups and downs of life. He suffered great highs and extreme lows. He asked his viziers and advisors to make a magic ring which would pacify his extreme emotions. All the wise men of the nation were consulted, but none could make the ring. As it
happened, Mullah was passing through the country at the time and he heard of the kings requirement. He got an audience with the great potentate and presented him with
a simple ring that he wore on his own hand. This ring had the magic property desired. On it was written,
‘This too shall pass’

After winning several archery contests, a young and rather boastful champion challenged a Zen master renowned for his skill in archery

The man responded just as the master had advised. “You are such a wise ghost,” the man said, “You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life.” “Ask your question,” the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor and said, “Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand.”

I read the story of a man who was looking for a guru. He saw an ascetic sitting under a tree and went close to him. “Can you tell me who is the best guru

Often one hears a teenager saying, ‘I am fat. I am too skinny. I would be happy if I were taller, shorter, had curly hair, straight hair, a smaller nose, stronger muscles, longer legs……’ The wish list goes on and on. This is the age when one is confused, either due to peer pressure or because of one’s own curiosity ‘to know all and do all.’ And as the body changes, so does the body image. Many people have trouble adjusting to the change and this can affect their self-esteem.