After ten years of apprenticeship with the famous master Nan-in, Tenno achieved the rank of Zen teacher. One day, it was raining when Tenno left to visit his master. When he walked into his master’s room, Nan-in asked him, “Did you leave your shoes and umbrella on the porch?” “Sure,” Tenno replied. “Tell me,” the […]
The Qubbet el-Hawa often referred to as the Tomb of the Nobles was built in Aswan between the 3rd millennium BC and the 11th century BC. The Qubbet el-Hawa consists of rock-cut tombs that were built along the western bank of the Nile. The tombs were built over centuries. While the elite tombs date back
One day, the Bodhisattva announced to his disciples, “One of our young monks has reached an advanced state of enlightenment.” The news caused a stir and some excitement among the disciples. So, they decided to meet the enlightened monk and find out what he thought. “The master told us that you are enlightened. Is that
Once, there lived a very learned university professor. He had heard a lot about a Zen master and decided to pay him a visit. The professor met the Zen master and said, “I want to learn about Zen philosophy.” The Zen master invited the professor to sit down and have a cup of tea. He
Once, a king wanted to know the answers to the three questions, ‘What are the most important time, important people and important thing to do?’ The king visited a monk to seek the answers. The monk was busy digging the ground and ignored his questions. The king took the spade from the monk and started
The Citadel of Qaitbay is an ancient fortress built in Alexandria, in 1477 AD. The Citadel of Qaitbay was built on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and was considered one of the most important strongholds in Egypt and along the coast. The citadel was constructed on the exact site where the famous Lighthouse of
A wise monk had many students. They all lived in the monk’s house and spent their time learning together. One day, the monk was going into the forest for his meditation. Just then, he overheard two students who were arguing about a flag flapping in the wind. “It is the wind that is really moving,”
The Temple of Hathor was built in the Dendera Temple Complex, Egypt, between 323 BC and 330 BC. The Hathor temple was the main temple in the Dendera Temple Complex, and was originally known as the Temple of Tentyra. Dedicated to Hathor, it is one of the most well-preserved temples in Egypt. The temple comprises
Long ago, in the time of the Buddha, people were very curious to know about him. They wondered if he was a god or a special human. Then, one day, they decided to ask the Buddha himself. So, several men collected together and asked the Buddha, “Are you a god?” The Buddha replied, “No.” “Are
Akaba Idéna is a gateway built in Kétou in 1894. The Akaba Idéna is aniconic gateway that was built by King Oyingin, so as to strengthen his city from the French. The gateway is an earthen architectural wonder with wooden carvings and shrines of Yoruba deities and is located close to the Royal palace. Amazing
The Temple of Philae is a temple complex built in Philae, Egypt, from approximately 380 BC till 145 BC. The Temple complex comprises beautiful temples, the most ancient of them was dedicated to goddess Isis and had to be approached through a double colonnade. Other temples include temples dedicated to Ammon and Osiris. The temple
Once, a monk was travelling with his student. The monk became thirsty and told his student, “Please get me some water from the lake there.” The student went to the lake. He saw a bullock cart crossing the lake, making the water muddy. He told the monk, “The water in the lake is very muddy.
Once, a student was caught stealing in an ashram by his fellow students. They reported him to the monk. Surprisingly, the monk took no action. A few days later, the same boy was again caught stealing. Again, the monk did nothing. The other students became very angry. They wanted the boy who committed the theft
The Wangdicholing Palace was the first palace built in Bhutan, in 1857. Initially, the structure was built as a private home for a legendary Bhutanese warrior. This warrior’s son became the first King of Bhutan, under whom the structure housed the King’s offices and residence. The palace is a classic example of the 19th-century Bhutanese
South of Savatthi was a great river, on the banks of which a small settlement of about five hundred houses was located. One day, the Buddha sat down under a tree, and began to preach to the villagers. When he had left Savatthi, Sariputta, one of the Buddha’s disciples, felt a desire to hear him