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A_Shorter_Line.html
koan | ko¬¥’Ä¢ ˆ§n |noun a paradoxical anecdote or riddle, used in Zen Buddhism to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and to provoke enlightenment. Nothing Exists Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku. Desiring to show his attainment, he said: ’ÄúThe mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received.’Äù Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry. ’ÄúIf nothing exists,’Äù inquired Dokuon, ’Äúwhere did this anger come from?’Äù - Muju, from Shaseki-Shu
example of a koan
famous book of koans
13th century Zen master
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