Repartee of the Wise
A king visited the monasteries of a Zen master and was surprised to learn that there were at least five thousand monks residing there at that time. Wanting to satisfy his curiosity, the king casually asked the monk, “Exactly how many disciples do you have?” The Master replied, “Four or five at the most!”
A man travelled far to search for a true Master. When he came across one such Master, he asked one of the disciples, “What are some of the miracles your Master has done?”
“Well,” the disciple replied, “there are two kinds of miracles. In the country you come from, it is a miracle if God acts on someone’s will. In our country, it is a miracle when someone acts on the will of God.”
A disheartened disciple said to his Master, “If only I had the same kind of faith that you have, I would be able to live your life.” The Master replied, “If you follow and live my life, you will soon have my faith.”