koan

Noun

Meaning

a paradoxical anecdote or a riddle that has no solution; used in Zen Buddhism to show the inadequacy of logical reasoning

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Examples

The first koan do not have rational answers. They are techniques devised over the millennia for triggering an actual experience. Huston Smith

Analysing the koan for its literal meaning won't lead to insight, though understanding the context from which koans emerged can make them more intelligible. Source: Internet

Despite belonging to the Rinzai-school, Musō Soseki also made extensive use of richi (teaching), explaining the sutras, instead of kikan (koan). Source: Internet

In Soto-Zen, koan commentary was not linked to seated meditation.sfn Koan manuals When the Chán-tradition was introduced in Japan, Japanese monks had to master the Chinese language and specific expressions used in the koan-training. Source: Internet

Hakuin's well-known koan, "Two hands clap and there is a sound, what is the sound of one hand?" is clearly about two and one. Source: Internet

Originally published in Japan almost a century ago as a critique of fossilization of Zen, that is formalization of koan practice. Source: Internet

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