1. Qigong Story #1: Pan Side Food
When Hui Neng ("Hui" means "wisdom", "Neng" means "ability") became the sixth patriarch of the Chan (Zen) School in China, his fellow students were outraged because he was illiterate. Understanding Hui Neng's dangerous situation, the fifth patriarch told him right before he passed away, that he should run away from his jealous and ruthless competitors.
Hui Neng wandered from the North of China to the South, and finally settled among a group of hunters who did not have a fixed place to live. The problem was that the hunters fed mainly on the animals they hunted, but the Chan (as a branch of Buddhism) prescribes a strictly vegetarian diet. What could Hui Neng do? He ate vegetables at the pan side for years.
When you are doing Qigong fast (an advanced Qigong training) and have to be present at social meals, you might want to remember Hui Neng.
2. Qigong Story #2: Two Brothers Who Wanted Enlightenment
Long ago, there lived two brothers who craved enlightenment (i.e. becoming Buddha) more than anything else. They were lucky to find and follow a true master. Day after day, they kept begging the master to help them get enlightened. Partly moved by their sincerity, and partly bored, one day, the master agreed to help. He told the two brothers, "I can help you to become enlightened, but only one of you". The younger brother was very eager to try, and the older brother was generous enough to concede this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Before long, the younger brother lost his consciousness and his body started to shrink. He died. The older brother was terribly upset and became indignant with the master. "Why did you kill my brother?" Now he wanted his brother back more than anything else. The master said, "If I bring your brother back, but if he condemns you, I will not be responsible." The brother said, "Of course, just bring him back."
Soon the younger brother woke up and exhaled a long breath. "Where am I?" He started crying immediately. "Why am I back in this rotten world again?" Knowing that his own brother had prevented his pilgrimage to heaven, he started to fight with him. As the story goes, they kept on fighting for ages...