Zen Koan

One of my favprite things is Zen Koans. If you do not know what a Koan is I will tell you. According to wikipedia a kōan is a story, dialogue, question, or statement in the history and lore of Chán (Zen) Buddhism, generally containing aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, yet may be accessible to intuition.

It also may be used during meditation to reach a state of satori(enlightenment/the nature of reality). No one can answer a koan for you. It may take days, weeks or years for your mind to see what a koan is telling you and it changes over time as you change.

Here are some more to enjoy.

KOAN 1
Two monks were arguing about the temple flag waving in the wind. One said, "The flag moves." The other said, "The wind moves." They argued back and forth but could not agree. Hui-neng, the sixth patriarch, said: "Gentlemen! It is not the flag that moves. It is not the wind that moves. It is your mind that moves." The two monks were struck with awe.



KOAN2
What is your original face before you were born?



KOAN3
What is the colour of wind?



KOAN4
A monk asked Zhao Zhou to teach him.Zhao Zhou asked, "Have you eaten your meal?" The monk replied, "Yes, I have." "Then go wash your bowl," said Zhao Zhou.At that moment, the monk was enlightened.



KOAN 5
Te-shan was sitting outside doing zazen. Lung-t'an asked him why he didn't go back home. Te-shan answered, "Because it's dark." Lung-t'an then lit a candle and handed it to him. As Te-shan was about to take it, Lung-t'an blew it out. Te-shan had a sudden realisation, and bowed.




KOAN6
A monk saw a turtle in the garden of Daizui's monastery and asked the teacher, "All beings cover their bones with flesh and skin. Why does this being cover its flesh and skin with bones?" Master Daizui took off one of his sandals and covered the turtle with it.



KOAN7
When the many are reduced to one, to what is the one reduced?



KOAN8
Once Ma-tsu and Pai-chang were walking along and they saw some wild ducks fly by. "What is that?" the Master asked."Wild ducks," Pai-chang replied."Where have they gone?""They've flown away," Pai-chang said.The Master then twisted Pai-chang's nose, and when Pai-chang cried out in pain, Ma-tsu said, "When have they ever flown away?"