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Showing posts from October 3, 2008


A Zen Story – Heaven and Hell

A samurai went to Master Hakuin and requested him to tell about heaven and hell. The master immediately started berating him. “What kind of samurai are you?” “You look like a beggar!!” The master went on like this for a few minutes. The samurai became angry and drew his sword out. “Now opens the gates of hell!!” said Master. Samurai suddenly withdrew his sword and bowed before the master. “Now opens the gates of heaven” said Master. The Concept Of Heaven And Hell In Zen In Zen Buddhism, the concept of heaven and hell differs from the traditional interpretations found in other religious traditions. In Zen, heaven and hell are often understood as states of mind rather than literal places of afterlife reward or punishment. Hell Realms: In Zen, "hell" is often seen as a state of mind characterized by suffering, anguish, and delusion. It's not a physical place where one is eternally condemned but rather a psychological state that individuals experience as a re