081 - Tetsugen's three sutras

Tetsugen, a devotee of Zen in Japan, decided to publish the sutras, which at that time were available only in Chinese. The books were to be printed with wood blocks in an edition of seven thousand copies, a tremendous undertaking. Tetsugen began by travelling and collecting donations for this purpose. A few sympathisers would give him a hundred pieces of gold, but most of the time he received only small coins. he thanked each donor with equal gratitude. After ten years Tetsugen had enough money to begin his task.

It happened that at that time the Uji River overflowed. Famine followed. Tetsugen took the funds he had collected for the books and spent them to save people from starvation. Then he began afresh his work of collecting.

Several years afterwards an epidemic spread over the country. Tetsugen again gave away all he had collected to help his people. For a third time he started his work, and after twenty years his wish was fulfilled.

The Japanese tell their children that Tetsugen made three sutras, and the first two invisible sets surpass even the last.

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html