Sekiso, A Famous Zen Teacher, Asked: "A Man Sits On Top Quotes

Sekiso, a famous Zen teacher, asked:
"A man sits on top of a hundred-foot pole.
How can he go farther up?"

A master answered:
"He should reach for enlightenment.
Then he can stand up into all four corners of the sky at once."

A flower cannot give water
and a river cannot spread fragrance..

Details:
I can only distribute to the world what I have.
To spread love and peace I should have first peace within.

Those dull of understanding do not perceive that
however you conceal small things in larger ones,
there will always be a chance of losing them.
But if you entrust that which belongs to the universe
to the whole universe, from it there will be no escape.
For this is the great law of things.

Student: Master, must I always serve the law..?
Master: Hear the law; serve justice..

A powerful king asks assembled wise men to create a ring
that will make him happy when he is sad, and vice versa.
After deliberation the sages hand him a simple ring with the words
"Gam zeh ya'avor" (Hebrew) which means
"This too will pass"..

A famous soldier came to the master Hakuin and asked:
"Master, tell me: is there really a heaven and a hell?"

"Who are you?" asked Hakuin.

"I am a soldier of the great Emperor's personal guard."

"Nonsense!" said Hakuin.
"What kind of emperor would have you around him?
To me you look like a beggar!"
At this, the soldier started to rattle his big sword in anger.
"Oho!" said Hakuin.
"So you have a sword!
I'll wager it's much too dull to cut my head off!"

At this the soldier could not hold himself back.
He drew his sword and threatened the master, who said:
"Now you know half the answer! You are opening the gates of hell!"

The soldier drew back, sheathed his sword, and bowed.
"Now you know the other half," said the master.
"You have opened the gates of heaven ."

Silence isn't empty,
it's full of answers..