Three Cliffhangers

zenff

The Cliffhanger.
“One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice.
As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine.
Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!”

I don’t know the source of this famous Zen-story; but is just one of those stories which keep popping up.

I think it is quite typical for the Zen-school of Buddhism to value sensory pleasure and beauty. Realizing the fleeting nature of experiences of beauty and pleasure increase their value; make them precious. It’s like economy; scarce items are expensive. This moment is unique and therefore it is priceless. That’s the idea of the strawberry.

Now without bashing the Theravada-school, maybe the Theravada-cliffhanger would think differently. He would notice how craving for the strawberry arises in his mind and then he would quickly correct himself saying something like: oops, this is craving! Craving for the strawberry will get me another life of suffering in samsara. Away with it!

Also without bashing Tibetan style of Mahayana-Buddhism, I suppose the Tibetan would not even see the strawberry. He probably would be visualizing one of the many Buddha’s he knows or his Guru. If he would see the strawberry though he wouldn’t eat it. He would give it to the mice. These poor creatures appear to be hungry! They must have been my parents in one life or the other. I shall repay them now.

Can you relate to one of these three?
Are there other types of cliffhangers?

patbb

there is a misunderstanding in your story tho;
you can enjoy things without craving them.

in fact, you can enjoy way more things if you stop craving things in general.

craving is very limiting. You crave a particular thing over another.
a particular situation, thing etc...

You can enjoy a dog company if you don't fear him.
Fear in this context is craving for a different situation, one where the dog isn't there.

another way to think of "craving" is desire. This may help dissipate those common misconceptions.

Vastmind

I admit it. I'm a craver.
I don't feel bashed, either.
Thanks for the choices of relation.
This went in my Buddha bag.

DharmaField

Zen began as a critical movement and a reaction to Imperial influence on Chinese Buddhism which resulted in an emphasis on strict enforcement of observance of the precepts, a focus on sutta recitation and a range of corrupt practices, such as the appointment of government officials and family member to temple leadership positions. The history is not entirely clear, but for many reasons Buddhism could not be practiced in the same ways in China as in India and, like the discussions about interpretation of the doctrine on this site, a vigorous discussion arose in China. The result was a somewhat iconoclastic version of Buddhism in which immediate seeing into empty oneness became the dominant view. Teachers would challenge students from their first encounter - Who is this sitting before me?

The tiger story can be found in all traditions (and I think they all eat the strawberry), it is a metaphor about life as the two mice are black and white, night and day... we live on the precipice of birth and death, right now when we are confronted with sensual pleasures, sex, food, drink etc - what do you do? As Zenff suggested there is not one answer, but if you live each moment as your final moment - you have choice - the Zen view is that you eat the strawberry up, mindfully encountering it and saying Yum!

person

Also without bashing Tibetan style of Mahayana-Buddhism, I suppose the Tibetan would not even see the strawberry. He probably would be visualizing one of the many Buddha’s he knows or his Guru. If he would see the strawberry though he wouldn’t eat it. He would give it to the mice. These poor creatures appear to be hungry! They must have been my parents in one life or the other. I shall repay them now.

Funny. I can totally see that as the TB spin on the story.

Cinorjer

Ah, the Strawberry koan. The one black and one white mouse that emerges to gnaw away at the vine are indeed night and day as Dharmafield says, 'time' in other words, and the vine is your life, with death on either end. I just love Zen metaphores!

There is no escape from the tigers, representing death. There is no stopping time from gnawing away on this lifetime. Mortality means you and I are always hanging from a vine with tigers at either end.

So what do you do?

The tiger eats the monk and says, "How delicious!"

So what is the strawberry in your life, and how does it taste?

Lady_Alison

From a childlike view point...i think it was just a strawberry and the last one before his falling to his death...enjoy it.

My bff was pregnant and was hospitalized for not being able to keep food down.when she got out of the hospital, she hadn't eaten in days, her father brought her a burger from mcdonslds...it was not the gourmet kind and she doesn't practice religion...but when she took a bite she nearly cried because "it was the best burger she had ever had in her life."

Now live like this...she taught me that day.

Not precepts or dry dogma.

Life

DharmaField

Yes, delicious! says the red mouthed tiger dangling from the rope.

zenff

Great responses! Thanks!.
I learned.

Jeffrey

It's a set up..

Jeffrey

The tigers aren't death and life. They are the dead hand of mara that makes you fear life and death...

DharmaField

Oh Jeffrey... Mara is a dead fish in the hand!

Jeffrey

Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes!!