"a man is always a teller of tales, he lives surrounded by his stories and the stories of others, he sees everything that happens to him through them; and he tries to live his life as if he were telling a story" Jean-Paul Sartre
I have always been fascinated by the art of story telling and this short book was my first "taste of Zen" through the medium of the story. It is a compilation of a series of articles written for the Buddhist Society by Mr Gabb and a later booklet called "Tales of Tokuzan". Tokuzan is a composite name derived from Shi-Toku and Kan-Zan two amiable Zen lunatics who lived about a thousand years ago.
Part 1 of the book is the story of the author's personal experience and for me was an indication of how the experience of Zen could be indicated obliquely through the telling of a life story. The chapters cover a variety of life experiences which may befall us all at some time. The overcoming of pain in its many forms by acceptance; the part that "hazard" plays in our fortunes; how help and guidance can come from unexpected quarters; the importance of patience; learning when to push and when to harmonise with circumstances.
Part 2 is the "Tales of Tokusan". These are short and pithy examples of Zen in action, stories to savour and reflect on. The titles may give some indication of the flavour. "How So-So saved the pig", "Puss in the Pulpit", "The Monk who got drunk on tea". Mr Gabb is also a poet and many of the tales end with a verse. My favourite verse is at the conclusion of a conversation in a rose garden between a priest and Tokusan about the nature of the Tao:
To prune roses is good,
To prune a priest is better.
Cut off his head,
Then his heart will speak.
To quote from the author...
"some of the tales may seem more reminiscent of murder and sudden death than meditation in a monastery garden, the reason is that a Zen Master was also an astute psychologist, capable of recognising that a sudden shock at a given moment would do more for a pupil than a month spent on a meditation mat..."
These stories are idiosyncratic and convincing, they ring with authenticity and for me were a delightful, original introduction to Zen, its inner spirit and application to daily living.
by W. J. Gabb, The Buddhist Society, 1956
Available from Amazon.co.uk
Reviewed by Christopher J Gardiner
