Stories of the Buddha HOME> Stories of the Buddha Select Category: Stories of the Buddha Life Protection Murals Chan Art and Stories Holding up a Flower and Responding with a Smile [Listen to audio]One day, Mahabrahma Devaraja offers flowers to the fully Enlightened One who has come to Mount Gridhrakuta where thousands have gathered for his teaching.The fully Enlightened One does not preach a word about the Dharma. He picks a flower and holds it aloft. The sangha becomes silent. Only Mahakasyapa breaks into a broad quiet smile. The pure mind recognizes immediately the highest truth that has been revealed by the fully Enlightened One because the pure mind does not cling to anything. Mahakasyapa's smile bewilders both persons and heavenly beings that are deluded and ignorant. They ask, "What is it?"The fully Enlightened One says, "I have the truth of the universe, the marvelous mind of perfect Nirvana, the true form of the formless and the treasure store of the Buddha's teaching. They have been unattached to words and have been transmitted beyond the discourses. I entrust this heart of the enlightenment to Mahakasyapa."[Extracted from Quest of Zen: Awakening the Wisdom Heart] List of Entries Educating RahulaLies are Like a Dirty BasinRahula was the first sramanera in Buddhist history, being only nine when ...More Maudgalyayana Rescuing His Mother[Listen to audio] ...More Kusha Grass[Listen to audio] ...More Caring for Young People[Listen to audio] Among the ten great disciples of the Buddha, Katyayana was the great...More Sitting on the Road to Save His Clan [Listen to audio] ...More Converting Matanga[Listen to audio] Among the Buddha’s monastic followers, Ananda was the youngest a...More Instructing Cudapanthaka[Listen to audio]One day, while the Buddha was walking past the door of the monk’s quarters, he he...More Liberating Nidhi[Listen to audio]One day, the Buddha went for a walk with Ananda. When the two reached the outskirt ...More Liberating the Mother of Demons[Listen to audio]Once there was a woman named Hariti who would eat children. Though she loved her ow...More Devadatta's Attempts to Harm the Buddha[Listen to audio]Devadatta was a monk who wished to displace the Buddha as the leader of the sangha....More First 1 2 Last