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A young man once studied violin under a world-renowned violinist and master teacher.  He worked hard for several years at perfecting his talent, and the day finally came when he was called upon to give his first, major, public recital in the large city where both he and his teacher lived. Following each selection, which he performed with great skill and passion, the performer seemed uneasy about the great applause he received.  Even though he knew that those in the audience were musically astute and not likely to give such applause to less than superior performance, the young man acted almost (read more…)

There once was a young man who lived a most miserable life. Orphaned before he was three, he was taken in by strangers.  He was kicked out of school, suffered from poverty, and as the result of inherited physical weaknesses, he developed serious heart trouble as a teenager. His beloved wife died early in their marriage.  He lived as an invalid most of his adult life and he eventually died at the young age of forty. By all outward appearances, he was defeated by life, and doomed to be forgotten by history. Even so, he never gave up trying to (read more…)

  According to an old legend, two monks named Tanzan and Ekido were travelling together down a muddy road one day.  Heavy monsoon rains had saturated the area and they were grateful for a few moments of sunshine to make their journey. Before long, they came around a bend and encountered a lovely girl in a silk kimono.  She looked extremely forlorn as she stared at the muddy road before her. At once Tanzan responded to her plight. “Come here, girl,” he said.  Then, lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the slippery ooze and set her down (read more…)