Kōan
- For other uses, see Koan
The kōan (Chinese: 公案;[1] Korean: 공안, romanized: kong'an) are groupings of related questions and answers which are a paradox.[2] The kōan may be a story which cannot be understood or explained easily.
The kōan can be a special kind of metaphor with a hidden meaning,[3] such as "the sound of one hand clapping".[4]
History[change | change source]
Kōans originate in the sayings and events in the lives of wise men and legendary figures.
A kōan can refer to a story selected from Buddhist historical records and sutras.
The kōan is a fundamental part of the history and practice of Zen Buddhism.[5]
Select examples[change | change source]
- "Firewood becomes ash and it does not become firewood again".[6]
- "The verbal and the nonverbal are like vines clinging to a tree".[7]
Classical kōan collections[change | change source]
- Blue Cliff Record or Account of the Blue Montains Chinese: 碧巖錄; Japanese: Hekigan-roku,[2] is a collection of 100 kōans compiled in 1125 by Yuanwu Keqin (圜悟克勤 1063–1135).
- The Book of Equanimity or Book of Serenity Chinese: 從容録; Japanese: 従容録, romanized: Shōyōroku[8] is a collection of 100 Kōans compiled in the 12th century by Hongzhi Zhengjue (宏智正覺 1091–1157)[9]
- The Gateless Gate or the Gate with no Entrance Chinese: 無門關; Japanese: Mumonkan[2] is a collection of 48 kōans and commentaries published in 1228 by Chinese monk Wumen (無門 1183–1260). The title may be more accurately rendered as Gateless Barrier or Gateless Checkpoint.
References[change | change source]
- ↑ The English word comes from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kōan" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 535.
- ↑ Loori, John Daido. (2005). Sitting with Koans: Essential Writings on the Zen Practice of Koan Study, p. 128[permanent dead link]; Wu, Kuang-Ming. (2001). On Metaphoring: A Cultural Hermeneutic, p. 656.
- ↑ Crowley, Richard J. and Joyce C. Mills. (2001). Therapeutic Metaphors for Children and the Child Within, p. 8.
- ↑ Nussbaum, "Zen-shū" at pp. 1072-1073.
- ↑ Dogen, Eihei. (2011). Dogen's Genjo Koan: Three Commentaries, p. 68[permanent dead link].
- ↑ Heine, Steven and Dale S. Wright. (2000). The Kōan: Texts and Contexts in Zen Buddhism, p. 186.
- ↑ ["Shōyōroku (in English)". Archived from the original on 2006-05-21. Retrieved 2012-01-09. Shōyōroku (in English)]
- ↑ Hongzhi Zhengjue is also known as Wanshi Shōgaku
Other websites[change | change source]
- The Gateless Gate 48 Zen kōans compiled in the early 13th century
- Book of Serenity Archived 2006-05-21 at the Wayback Machine A collection of 100 kōans, originally compiled in the 12th century
- Life at the Monastery Archived 2011-12-25 at the Wayback Machine – a humorous look at kōans
- Zen Buddhism Koan Study Pages
- Koan Collections and Studies
- Short Zen Poems, Koans[permanent dead link] – Collection of modern koans.
- Zen Koans: Transcending Duality – a list of kōans
- What is the sound of one hand clapping?
