The paradoxical teaching devices of Zen Buddhism that short-circuit conceptual thinking and point directly to enlightened mind.
Author
Zen Masters
公案 (Kōan) - “Public case”
A koan is not a riddle to solve, not a puzzle to figure out, not a philosophical question to debate. It’s a spiritual dynamite designed to blow apart your conceptual mind.
Zen insight:
The koan’s function:
大疑団 (Dai Gidan) - Great ball of doubt
Process:
Like a pressure cooker: The koan builds pressure until the mind explodes into insight.
Question: “Does a dog have Buddha-nature?”
Joshu’s answer: “無!” (Mu) - “No!” or “Nothing!”
Background: Buddhist teaching: All sentient beings have Buddha-nature.
The trap:
The practice: Become one with MU. Not thinking about MU, not understanding MU—being MU.
Proper response: Not a word, but a demonstration that you’ve become it. Some masters hit the floor. Some shout. Some laugh. Response must come from no-mind, not cleverness.
Hakuin’s question: “You know the sound of two hands clapping. What is the sound of one hand?”
The trap:
The practice: Exhaust every possibility. Become the koan. Let it drive you mad with doubt until mind-crack opens.
Not the answer: Anything you can say or demonstrate with ordinary mind.
Proper response: The entire universe clapping.
Huineng’s question: “What was your original face before your parents were born?”
The trap:
Direct pointing:
Proper response: Show your original face right now. This moment. Before thought arises.
The case: Monks of east and west halls argued over a cat. Nansen grabbed the cat and said, “Say something! If not, I’ll cut the cat in two!” No one answered. Nansen cut the cat. Later, Joshu returned. Nansen told him what happened. Joshu took off his sandals, put them on his head, and walked out. Nansen said, “If you had been here, the cat would have been saved.”
Levels of interpretation:
Surface: Shocking, immoral Deeper: Testing the monks—transcend conceptuality or creature dies Deepest: Demonstrate enlightened action, unconditioned by concepts of life/death, right/wrong
Joshu’s response:
Question: “What is the Way?”
Nansen: “Ordinary mind is the Way.”
Question: “Shall I try to seek after it?”
Nansen: “If you try for it, you will become separated from it.”
Question: “How can I know the Way unless I try?”
Nansen: “The Way is not a matter of knowing or not knowing. Knowing is delusion; not knowing is confusion. When you have really reached the true Way beyond doubt, you will find it as vast and boundless as outer space. How can it be talked about on the level of right and wrong?”
The teaching:
The paradox:
Emperor Wu: “What is the highest meaning of the holy truths?”
Bodhidharma: “Empty, without holiness.”
Emperor: “Who is facing me?”
Bodhidharma: “I don’t know.”
The radical honesty:
“I don’t know” = Before labeling, before categorizing, before conceptualizing—just THIS.
Question: “What is the meaning of Bodhidharma coming from the West?”
Joshu: “The cypress tree in the garden.”
“Coming from the West” = Zen teaching, essence of Buddhism, ultimate meaning
Joshu’s response:
The teaching: Ultimate meaning is not hidden, not abstract, not elsewhere. It’s THIS—ordinary, immediate, complete.
The case: Whenever asked about Zen, Master Gutei raised one finger. A boy attendant began imitating him. Someone told Gutei. He hid a knife, called the boy, and when the boy raised his finger, Gutei cut it off. As the boy ran away screaming, Gutei called him back. When the boy turned, Gutei raised his finger. The boy was enlightened.
Warning: Don’t try to interpret literally—it’s pointing.
The lesson:
The moment of enlightenment:
The case: An old man tells Hyakujo: “Long ago I was a Zen teacher. A student asked if an enlightened person is subject to karma. I said no. For this I was reborn as a fox for 500 lives. Please give me a turning word to free me from the fox body.”
Hyakujo: “Ask your question.”
Old man: “Is an enlightened person subject to karma?”
Hyakujo: “Such a person is not blind to karma.”
The old man was enlightened and freed.
The teaching:
Heart Sutra: “No attainment, with nothing to attain.”
The supreme koan:
Resolution: Gate-less gate. Already Buddha seeking Buddha. Practice that is not-practice.
In Rinzai Zen:
Receive koan from master
Investigate day and night
Present answer to master
Pass or continue
Koan in the body:
Signs of proper practice:
For householders:
Morning:
Throughout day:
Evening:
The moment when:
Not:
But:
One master’s saying: “Before enlightenment: Chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: Chop wood, carry water.”
The difference:
Deepening:
“The Gateless Gate” - 48 koans compiled by Mumon Ekai
Opening verse:
“The Great Way has no gate,
Thousands of roads enter it.
When one passes through this gateless gate
He walks freely between heaven and earth.”
100 koans with commentary by Xuedou and Yuanwu
Warning from Yuanwu: “I feared that in the future the offspring of these enlightened teachers would lose the true essence in favor of written or spoken words.”
100 koans with verse commentary—more gentle than Blue Cliff Record
Everything becomes a koan:
Hungry? “What is the sound of one hand eating?”
Angry? “What is your face before anger arose?”
Anxious? “Who is anxious?”
Life itself as koan:
Technology age:
Same function: Break conceptual mind, point to immediate reality.
Wrong approach:
Right approach:
Koan without meditation:
Koan with meditation:
Need for teacher:
If no teacher available:
Right now:
Not another concept to add:
Just: THIS.
Joshu washed his bowl.
A monk asked Joshu: “I have just entered the monastery. Please teach me.”
Joshu asked: “Have you eaten your rice porridge?”
The monk replied: “Yes, I have.”
Joshu said: “Then go wash your bowl.”
The monk was enlightened.
What did he understand?
Not from me to tell you. Go wash your bowl.