"A child can grow up, but stupidity only becomes thicker and thicker and thicker.

"All the religions have served the politicians, the emperors, the murderers, the criminals. You may not be aware of it, but you have to be aware. The pope in the second world war blessed Mussolini, who was a fascist, to be victorious. He prayed to God to make Benito Mussolini the victor. Now it is strange, the archbishop of England was also praying to the same God – both are Christians – but Italy and England were at war. Even Adolf Hitler was blessed and received the prayers of both the Catholic and Protestant religions. Their high priests prayed to God that he should be made the victor.

"Now, God must have been in trouble to decide! All sides were praying to the same God, the same Christian God. They all worshipped the same Christian Bible. But this strange situation shows completely that your religion is nothing but a servant to the state – it can even pray for Adolf Hitler to become the victor over the world. It does not matter for whom the religion is praying; it has always been favorable to those who have power and riches.

"Zen is in every way exceptional. Japan was also at war but not a single Zen master blessed the emperor of Japan to be the conqueror.

"The emperor of Japan had gone to receive blessings from a Zen master, and wondered how to ask him. First he had tried to persuade the master to come to his court. The master refused. He said, 'Even if God calls me to his court, I will refuse. I am perfectly happy where I am. If you want to see me, then you have to come. The thirsty has to come to the well.' A clear-cut answer.

"The emperor finally had to concede, reluctantly, and he went with all his court following him. Not finding a word – what to say? – he asked, 'I have always wondered: what is hell and what is heaven?'

"The master said, 'You idiot!' I don't think any emperor has ever received such a welcome. A poor monk who has no possessions, nothing except himselfbut having himself gives him such authority that he can say to the emperor, 'You are an idiot!' The emperor became furious."