Wow, I haven't visited this thread in almost a year. My it sure has grown. I'll contribute one... Suspicion Once a man found that his axe was missing, and suspected his neighbor's son of having taken it. Observing the youth walking around, the man was convinced that his was the walk of a thief. The youth looked like a thief and talked like a thief; everything he did pointed to his having stolen the axe. Then one day the man happened to find his missing axe. After that, he noticed his neighbor's son wasn't behaving like a thief anymore.
LYKAN - thanks for posting this - it's one of my foavorite stories. I just wish I could read the original in Japanese! I'm sure some nuances are missing here. Still - you have posted an excellent version, and I thank you sincerely. Peace.
This is a great story - it made me laugh - Interesting how perception guides emotions - an allegory not to accuse or label, yes? Thanks! Mark Malden, MA
Took a couple late nights to wrap up this thread, but it was worth it. I don't consider myself any kind of an Eastern thinker, though I greatly admire Zen. Well done guys. Oh, and by the way, the story about the man falling in the well while looking at the heavens comes from Aesop, a Greek.