Tetsugen and three set of sutras
This story is few
centuries old when wooden blocks were used to preserve the holy words.
Tetsugen was a
Great devotee of Zen in Japan and although he has left the body he is still
very much alive in many hearts. During his time Sutras (Holy scripts) were
available in Chinese language only.
Zen had started in
china and from there it flourished more in Japan and now it is reaching to
people all over the world. Tetsugen decided to print these Sutras (Holy
scripts) in wooden blocks. It was a big project as 7000 wooden blocks were
required.
Tetsugen himself
did not have the money so he started traveling around the country and
collecting the funds. Few people gave money lavishly but mostly people were
miser in their donation but Tetsugen thanked each person from his heart full of
gratitude. After 10 years Tetsugen had enough money to start publishing the
Sutras.
Incidentally at
the same time the river overflowed and many families were in distress. Tetsugen
took the money he had collected for the project and used it to help the
starving families.
Then again
Tetsugen started collecting the money to raise the funds for the books. It took
him several more years to collect the required fund. Incidentally this time an
epidemic followed in the country. The generous Tetsugen again distributed the
money he had collected to help the starving people.
Now for a third
time Tetsugen again started collecting money. Finally after twenty years, his
wish was fulfilled. He managed to print the Sutras in to wooden block.
The wooden blocks
which were produced by Tetsugen are available at the Obaku monastery in Kyoto.
The Japanese people tell their children that Tetsugen had made three sets of
sutras and first two invisible sets of sutras surpass even the last.
Source: This story
originally published in the book “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones”
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