Laughing Buddha

[Taeguk]

Hotei was traveling through the land with his bag of candy. A Ch'an monk approached him.

The monk said to Hotei, "Master, what is the meaning of Ch'an?"

Hotei dropped his bag.

Impressed, the monk asked him: "And how does one realize Ch'an?"

Hotei bent down, picked up his bag, and continued on his way.

At that point, the monk became enlightened. :lol:

[Noway2Zero]

:D

[Starry_Canopy]

"The boat of ego that is carrying you in the river of life is carrying your burden of past and future, too. So why place that burden on your head? Why not set it down on the boat?"

- Mata Amritanandamayi

[Taeguk]

There once lived a Buddhist nun named Sono, whose purity of heart and sincerity of devotion were widely acknowledged. One day a a fellow Buddhist, having traveled far to see her, came and asked, "What can I do to bring stillness to my heart?"

Sono said: "Every morning, every evening, everything that happens to you, receive it joyfully and say to yourself: 'Thank you for everything. I have no complaints.' "

The man did as he was instructed for a whole year, but his heart was not satisfied, and his restlessness increased. He returned to Sono and said to her, "I have tried your advice, and nothing has changed. I am still selfish, I still suffer, I am still unhappy. What now?"

Sono replied: "Thank you for everything. I have no complaints."

When he heard these words, the man's eyes were opened, and he returned home with joy and serenity in his heart.

[Taeguk]

Incidentally:

All about Hotei/Budai/Maitreya, etc. (http://www.newsfinder.org/site/more/hotei_pu_tai_maitreya_all_known_as_the_laughing_bu ddha/)

Another Take on Maitreya (http://www.taoism.net/living/1999/199907.htm)