Short Stories That Teach Philosophy and Psychology

SHORT STORIES THAT TEACH PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY

In virtually every single class, Sensei Kim would end it with a short story, usually teaching a principle of the samurai way of life or their philosophy.

He was a master storyteller and his facial and hand gestures that accompanied each story were all a part of the finale of each and every class.

BEHAVIOR vs.ATTITUDE

Which is most important, your behavior or your attitude?
According to Sensei Kim, your behavior is a result of your attitude and therefore it is your behavior that is most important.

A person’s behavior is the answer to his success. A person can fake his attitude but he can not fake his behavior. A person can act as if they are a nice guy but eventually his true colors will come through when his behavior is shown.

You should also note that you are the last one to see your own behavior.

BOKUDEN AND THE HORSE

Bokuden’s students planted a horse on the path that Bokuden took for his daily walk. The horse was a notorious kicker, but Bokuden saw the horse and he simply walked around it.

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CONTROLLING YOUR EMOTIONS

Somebody asked Chuang Tzu the question about controlling your emotions when giving vent to your anger. This person only wished another dead – if he had actually done it, he would have been beheaded. (Is it worthwhile to pay the price?)

FIVE LEVELS OF FIGHTING

In the world of fighting, there are five levels of fighting that we must go through, according to Sensei Kim.

NEVER MENTION DEATH TO THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN

A long time ago in feudal Japan, the shogun and the Emperor were going to have a meeting and as was the norm in those days, the person visiting would be given a gift upon his arrival.

JUMP

When Sensei was very young, he got into a fight at school and was beaten up by the school yard bully.

When he came home his mother said, “Go see your uncle, he will help you.”

His uncle said, “Go see Jump... he will teach you to fight. He lives down this road and turn right, his house is the red one.

So off Sensei went looking for Jump. He finally got to the red house where Jump was supposed to live and there was a man with a big beer gut sitting on the porch. Sensei asked if Jump was home. The man asked who wanted to see him and Sensei said, “I would like to talk to him. My uncle said to come and see him as he would teach me how to fight because I was beaten up today at school.

The beer guzzling man jumped up and said, “I’m Jump and just get in there kid and kill him. Kid, kill him and don’t stop. That is how you fight and win. Just get in there and give it to him and don’t stop.”

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5 CAUSES OF POVERTY

At a seminar held in August 1986 in Vancouver, one of Sensei Kim’s stories involved poverty and its five causes.

1. HAVING THE WRONG FRIENDS. If you hang around people who are not interested in gaining wealth, you more then likely will not be as well, as all their conversation will be about non-wealth building ideas.

WHAT IS A TAKER?

Some people can only take energy and not give it. They can’t contain the energy you give and they overflow and the energy goes through them like a sieve. Only if they can contain it will they give some back. These people (who can’t give) are takers, these are the ones who that will kill you.

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