Zen wisdom of the day
There is a story of a Zen master whose monastery and surrounding countryside were threatened by the savage destructiveness of a barbaric war lord. Everyone but the old Zen master fled. When the war lord heard that the old monk had not left he was infuriated and came to confront the master. With drawn sword he said to the old man, 'Why haven't you fled? Don't you know I can run you through with my sword without batting an eye?' The Zen master calmly replied, 'Yes. But don't you know I can be run through with your sword without batting an eye?' It is reported that the war lord turned and left, humbled by the Zen master's serenity in the face of death."
- as quoted in A Practical Guide to Death and Dying, John Warren White, pg. 42
- as quoted in A Practical Guide to Death and Dying, John Warren White, pg. 42