Zen Koans
Koan is a Japanese word that comes from the Chinese, kung-an, that means public dictate. It is a reference to examples that are meant to guide life; or in the case of Zen, these dictates are meant to be catalysts for awakening one's true/deep/pure nature. Koans are a method of training the mind in order to achieve the state of Zen meditation.
It consists of a story, dialogue, question, or statement, the meaning of which cannot be understood by rational thinking but may be accessible through intuition. One widely known kōan is "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
They are not puzzles, riddles or problems to be solved- which have a definite answer.
Koans are not rational questions with final linear conclusions. They are especially designed for one purpose; this purpose is to open the mind that has been closed by habitual responses to the world and reality.
The Zen monks dwell in theses Koans and suddenly they "GET-IT" and it is said that , they get enlightened.
For the Koan "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
"The sound of one hand clapping is the sound of one hand clapping" .
"Why is the color of grass is green?", "The color of grass is green because the color of grass is green"
These are just examples – The real power is reveled when you apply this to your life.
"Why my wife/husband/mother-in-law/manager fights with me?", "My wife/husband/mother-in-law/manager fights with me because my wife/husband/mother-in-law/manager fights with me".
Once you GET-IT, you will have the power to look at life the way it is, and the way it is not. You can see the situation AS IT IS. You will experience being in the presence of "NOW".
"What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
posted by Bystander ... at 10:22 PM
2 Comments:
Very interesting topic! Would have loved to read some more on the subject. It ended too soon I felt.
Does it mean that we keep asking ourself a question again and again until we chance upon the answer?
I’m not an expert in this topic, I’m also exploring ..Zen is interesting … I came across this word in my Landmark Forum, in that course I got a sense of what a Koan is, When you are enquiring deeply, you experience a shift in your being and you see world in a whole new perspective. For example in the picture (http://www.askix.com/avav/zoi_wife_and_mother_in_law.htm) once we distinguish the old lady and the Young lady in the same picture we will have a new perspective.
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