PARABLES

First off, a parable is a word-picture which uses an image or story to illustrate a truth or lesson. More commonly it's a short story told to bring out a lesson or moral.

biblical parables

• Jesus parables have two meanings, the literal meaning and the deeper meaning.
• They often involve an element of surpr ise or an unexpected twist

zen parables

• A short story that is open for interpretation.
• There is no right or wrong interpretation.
• The intention is to understand that the meaning and the answers to life are often right in front of you.

Christianity- Christians believe in one and only God who sent his son, Jesus, down to earth to die for everyones sins and be resurrected. Christians believe that everyone sins, but God has forgiven those sins and will one day return to earth for a final judgement. They also believe in a heaven and a hell.

Zen Buddhism- This religion is a Japanese take on traditional Buddhism. It questions the intellectualism of the traditional Buddhism.

The eightfold path

• Wisdom
• Right view
• Right intentions
• Ethical conduct
• Right speech
• Right action
• Right livelihood
• Concentration

The four noble truths

• Life means suffering
• The origin of suffering is attachment
• The cessation of suffering is attainable
• The path to the cessation of suffering

jesus parables

• The severity and wrath of God in the coming judgement (For example the parable of the unforgiving slave tells of the mercy and severity that God possesses).
• The importance of obedience if we are to be saved by God's grace (For example the parable of the prodigal sons shows that obedience comes over service).

Zen parables

• The Muddy Road zen parable can be seen as a story about a man trying to be of service to the women, but the monk in the story is so stuck on monistic behavior that he doesn't realize the women just needed some help. The parable has many different meaning, but it shows that doubt of ideas can distort reality.
• Like many zen parables, The thief who Became a disciple, speaks of karma and how you reap what you sew. In this case, the thief steals and is arrested, but ends up with the gift of being a disciple in the end.

The difference is this: Zen parables show compassion without vengeance, and how to share without expecting something in return but being rewarded anyway. They show how to see others intentions when they don't see them in themselves. In biblical parables if you did something wrong you were punished, but later forgiven depending on the sin.

A common similarity between the two types of parables is help. Each parable is made to to show that people can help anyone and anything no matter the differences.