The Gift of a Bright Moon

In a small hut deep in the mountains lived an old Zen master.  One moonlit night, he returned home after a stroll in the woods.  When the Zen master was about to push open the door of his little hut, he spotted through the window a burglar rifling his belongings.  Afraid that his sudden appearance might startle the burglar, the master waited patiently outside the door for the intruder's exit.

Finding nothing of value, the burglar decided to leave.  He opened the door gingerly and upon stepping out the front door, he was shocked to see an old man standing outside.  Panic overtook the burglar's face.  The master said courteously, "You've travelled afar through the mountains to visit me.  I couldn't let you leave empty-handed.  I have nothing valuable to gift you.  But take this coat, the night is chilly."  The master removed his coat and draped it over the burglar's shoulders.

Red-faced and remorseful, the burglar slipped off into the night with the coat wrapped loosely around his body.  Gazing at the intruder's treating back, the Zen master sighed, "Such a pitiful young man.  Let me present you with the gift of the bright moon!"

The next morning, when the old Zen master awoke, he pushed open the door to go outside as usual.  To his surprise, he found the same coat neatly folded and placed near the door.  As he looked at it, he joyously exclaimed, "I have given him the gift of the bright moon!"

(Story as told by Master Jinbodhi)

The Legend of the Poinsettia

With Christmas just round the corner, here's a charming story about the Poinsettia, a traditional symbol of Christmas.

Maria and Pablo lived in a tiny village in Mexico. Because Christmas time at their house did not include many gifts, Maria and Pablo looked forward to the Christmas festivities at the village church with great joy and anticipation.

To honour the birth of Christ, the church displayed a beautiful manger that drew crowds of admirers. Villagers walked miles to admire the manger bringing lovely, expensive gifts for the Baby Jesus. As Mario and Pablo watched the villagers place their gifts in the soft hay around the manger, they felt sad. They had no money to buy gifts for their family and no money to buy a gift for Baby Jesus.

One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo walked to the church for that evening's service, wishing desperately that they had a gift to bring. Just then a soft, glowing light shone through the darkness and the shadowy outline of an angel appeared above them.

Maria and Pablo were afraid but the angel comforted them, instructing them to pick some of the weeds that were growing by the road. They should bring the plants to the church, the angel explained, and place them near the manger as their gift to Baby Jesus. Then just as quickly as she had appeared, the angel was gone leaving Maria and Pablo on the road looking up into the dark sky. Confused but excited, the children filled their arms with large bunches of the green weed and hurried to the church.

When the children entered the church, many of the villagers turned to stare. As Maria and Pablo began placing the weeds around the manger, some of the villagers laughed at them. "Why are those children putting weeds by the manger?" they asked each other. Maria and Pablo began to feel embarrassed and ashamed of their gift to the Baby Jesus, but they stood bravely near the manger, placing the plants on the soft hay, as the angel had instructed.

Suddenly the dull green leaves on the tops of the plants began to turn a beautiful shade of red, surrounding the Baby with beautiful blooms. The laughing villagers remained silent as they watched the green plants transform into the lovely star-shaped crimson flowers we call Poinsettias. As they watched the weeds bloom before their eyes, Maria and Pablo knew they had no reason to be ashamed any more. They had given Baby Jesus the only gift they could - and it was the most beautiful gift of all.

(Story by Stephanie Herbek)

A Favourite Story

A Queen was looking through the palace window at the Buddha walking for alms food in the city. The King saw her and grew jealous of her devotion to the Great Monk. He confronted his Queen and demanded to know who she loved most, the Buddha or her husband? She was a devoted disciple of the Buddha but in those days you had to be very careful if your husband was the King. Losing your head meant losing your head. She kept her head and replied with searing honesty: "I love myself more than the both of you."

From: "Opening the Door to Your Heart" by Ajahn Brahm

Sadako's Story

There were many horrific events during the Second World War. One of the most devastating was the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima in Japan. Many people were killed instantly and many more died later from the effects of radiation. This is the touching story of one victim, a Japanese girl called Sadako Sasaki. Her story is still remembered today.

Sadako was only two when the bomb fell but she took part in the peace celebrations every year because her grandmother died during the war. Sadako was 11 when she found out she had leukaemia - a type of cancer which was caused by the radiation fallout.

The disease changed Sadako's life. She was unhappy because she could not go to school. However, she knew that some people recover from leukaemia, so she never gave up hope.

Her best friend, Chizuko came to visit her and told her a story to cheer her up. It was about a bird - a crane - which was supposed to live for 1,000 years. The story advised anyone who was ill to make 1,000 paper cranes and the gods would make them well again. Sadako believed that if she made all those paper cranes, the gods might really make her better. Chizuko showed Sadako how to make a paper crane using origami - the ancient Japanese art of paper folding - and Sadako set to work. All her visitors brought coloured paper for her to make the cranes and Sadako's brother hung the finished ones from the hospital ceiling.

Sadly, Sadako did not reach her target. She made 644 paper cranes before she died aged 12 on 12th October 1955. Her friends from school folded the last 356, so that Sadako could be buried with 1,000 paper cranes.

Many people found out about Sadako when the letters she wrote were collected and made into a book called "Kokeshi". Young people all over Japan were touched by her story and raised money to build a memorial to her and all the children who had died because of the atom bomb.

A statue of Sadako holding a golden crane is engraved with the words:

"This is our cry,

This is our prayer,

Peace in the world."

The statue can still be seen today in Hiroshima Peace Park and every year on Peace Day, people make paper cranes and place them by her statue.

Rainbow Crow

Since the discovery of an Inuit myth which I shared with you last July, I have found another delightful one. This is specially for my friend, Aunty Phaik Hoon who enjoys reading myths. It is also about a crow and the service he rendered to the people of Earth.

It was so cold. Snow fell constantly, and ice formed over all the waters. The animals had never seen snow before. At first, it was a novelty, something to play in. But the cold increased tenfold, and they began to worry. The little animals were being buried in the snow drifts and the larger animals could hardly walk because the snow was so deep. Soon, all would perish if something were not done.

"We must send a messenger to Kijiamuh Ka'ong, the Creator Who Creates By Thinking What Will Be," said Wise Owl. "We must ask him to think the world warm again so that Spirit Snow will leave us in peace."

The animals were pleased with this plan. They began to debate among themselves, trying to decide who to send up to the Creator. Wise Owl could not see well during the daylight, so he could not go. Coyote was easily distracted and liked playing tricks, so he could not be trusted. Turtle was steady and stable, but he crawled too slowly. Finally, Rainbow Crow, the most beautiful of all the birds with shimmering feathers of rainbow hues and an enchanting singing voice, was chosen to go to Kijiamuh Ka'ong.

It was an arduous journey, three days up and up into the heavens, passed the trees and clouds, beyond the sun and the moon, and even above all the stars. He was buffeted by winds and had no place to rest, but he carried bravely on until he reached Heaven. When Rainbow Crow reached the Holy Place, he called out to the Creator, but received no answer. The Creator was too busy thinking up what would be to notice even the most beautiful of birds. So Rainbow Crow began to sing his most beautiful song.

The Creator was drawn from his thoughts by the lovely sound, and came to see which bird was making it. He greeted Rainbow Crow kindly and asked what gift he could give the noble bird in exchange for his song. Rainbow Crow asked the Creator to un-think the snow, so that the animals of Earth would not be buried and freeze to death. But the Creator told Rainbow Crow that the snow and the ice had spirits of their own and could not be destroyed.

"What shall we do then?" asked the Rainbow Crow. "We will all freeze or smother under the snow."

"You will not freeze," the Creator reassured him, "For I will think of Fire, something that will warm all creatures during the cold times."

The Creator stuck a stick into the blazing hot sun. The end blazed with a bright, glowing fire which burned brightly and gave off heat. "This is Fire," he told Rainbow Crow, handing him the cool end of the stick. "You must hurry to Earth as fast as you can fly before the stick burns up."

Rainbow Crow nodded his thanks to the Creator and flew as fast as he could go. It was a three-day trip to Heaven, and he was worried that the Fire would burn out before he reached the Earth. The stick was large and heavy, but the fire kept Rainbow Crow warm as he descended from Heaven down to the bright path of the stars. Then the Fire grew hot as it came closer to Rainbow Crow's feathers. As he flew passed the Sun, his tail caught fire, turning the shimmering beautiful feathers black. By the time he flew passed the Moon, his whole body was black with soot from the hot Fire. When he plunged into the Sky and flew through the clouds, the smoke got into his throat, strangling his beautiful singing voice. By the time Rainbow Crow landed among the freezing-cold animals of Earth, he was black as tar and could only caw instead of sing. He delivered the fire to the animals, and they melted the snow and warmed themselves, rescuing the littlest animals from the snow drifts where they lay buried.

It was a time of rejoicing, for Tindeh - Fire - had come to Earth. But Rainbow Crow sat apart, saddened by his dull, ugly feathers and his rasping voice. Then he felt the touch of wind on his face. He looked up and saw the Creator Who Creates By Thinking What Will Be walking toward him.

"Do not be sad, Rainbow Crow," the Creator said. "All animals will honor you for the sacrifice you made for them. And when the people come, they will not hunt you, for I have made your flesh taste of smoke so that it is no good to eat and your black feathers and hoarse voice will prevent man from putting you into a cage to sing for him. You will be free."

Then the Creator pointed to Rainbow Crow's black feathers. Before his eyes, Rainbow Crow saw the dull feathers become shiny and inside each one, he could see all the colors of the rainbow. "This will remind everyone who sees you of the service you have been to your people," he said, "and the sacrifice you made that saved them all."

And so shall it ever be.

So now we know why the crow is black in colour and caws instead of sings!