A Touch of Faith

A monk asked Tozan, "How can we escape the cold and heat?". Tozan replied, "Why not go where there is no cold and heat?". "Is there such a place?" the monk asked Tozan. Tozan commented, "When cold, be thoroughly cold, when hot, be hot through and through."

Destiny

This is one of the Zen stories I often come across. Reminds one of Amitabh pulling this coin trick on his buddy Dharmendra in the greatest curry western of all time - Sholay.


Destiny

During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, "I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If tails, we shall lose. Destiny will now reveal itself."

He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious. After the battle, a lieutenant remarked to the general, "No one can change destiny."

"Quite right," the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.