Beginning Koan

zither

I have been practicing mindfulness with breathing for some time now with good results.However I want to start some koan work but am an absolute beginner to that.How do I go about choosing and working with a koan?I have no access to a teacher or any kind of group .

Jeffrey

Traditionally a teacher is needed. I don't think there is any option without a teacher. Though of course you can contemplate a koan and the opposite is true: "you don't need a teacher".

I might recommend the Thich Nhat Hanh book, Zen Keys.

Floating_Abu

Hi @zither

In my tradition, there is koan work, but I could not do that without my teacher, but he is a good, genuine teacher so I am not sure how others do it. If you really have no access to good teachers, there are never missing koans in our lives - you can probably see that as you live on and face those challenges that the intellect alone can not solve - at least with any peace. Just my 2 c.

Well wishes,
Abu

Cinorjer

A koan offered to beginners is often the "Mu" or "Do dogs have Buddha Nature?" one.

A monk asked, "Does a dog have a Buddha-nature or not?"

The master said, "Not [Mu]!"

The monk said, "Above to all the Buddhas, below to the crawling bugs, all have Buddha-nature. Why is it that the dog has not?"

The master said, "Because he has the nature of karmic delusions".

The question is, why did the Master say the dog had no Buddha Nature? What did he mean by this "not" answer?

Meditate on the word Mu, the sound Mu, just Mu. "Mu...Mu...Mu"

Now, koans are often used to test a student's understanding, and for that, you need a Teacher. But, koans began as a learning tool and can still be used as one, for self-study, as well.

So, does a dog have Buddha nature, or not? Your answer tells you something about your comprehension of Buddha Nature, and of duality, and of your own nature.

Floating_Abu

Self assessment is a wonderful tool for self assessment but like a medical examination, I am immeasurably grateful for the feedback of my Emeritus Professor ad laudem in Zen, rather than feedback from a forum (no offence folks ) or worse, myself

lamaramadingdong

"Who am I? What is this?"
Should keep you busy for a while.

Gui

"Who am I? What is this?"
Should keep you busy for a while.

:clap:

Jeffrey

Whats better pancakes or waffles?

MindGate

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it because the tree fell and crushed the only person there; does it make a sound?

zither

Is the effect something like when you look at the stars a long time?

Geoff-Allen

Greetings all!

I like the suggestion about 'Who am I'?

This page has a little more -

www.satrakshita.com/who_am_i.htm

Namaste

DaltheJigsaw

Great thread!

Floating_Abu

Is the effect something like when you look at the stars a long time?

No, do it with proper instruction (i.e. not off the internet) or probably don't do it at all (unless you are terribly gifted by yourself for some reason)

Best wishes,
Abu

zither

Thanks for the hints.I dont intend to do koan practice without a teacher.And as theres no teacher here could be a long time before i get the chance.I like the idea that a koan is like a vial of ancient illuminating wisdom...which i read somewhere.
Why is it not recommended to do without a teacher ?I can imagine just ending up with a headache or are there more serious consequences .Just curious.

Cinorjer

The "answer" to the koan is demonstrated to the Teacher, who decides on an individual basis if your action is a spontanious demonstration of true understanding. Sometimes it isn't, and the student is told to go back and meditate some more. The answer itself to the koan can take many forms, so koan study as traditionally done requires a personal connection between Teacher and Student.

But again, there is nothing wrong with contemplating a koan by yourself, no more than sitting zazen by yourself. All koans lead to the ultimate koan that zen forces you to penetrate, after all: "What am I?" And, not every school of Buddhism uses koans in an identical manner. We were all taught in the West to use them in the Rinzai manner of thinking they are all nonsense paradoxical statements designed to trick the mind into giving up, and only then do we "get it" and whatever crazy response your spontanious mind gives is the correct one for you. But koans, if you know the zen shorthand language they are written in, do have a meaning and lesson and are questions and stories that illustrate a point.

So no, there is nothing wrong and nothing bad going to happen if you meditate on a koan by yourself. The koan itself is the gift, and the awakening happens in spite of the Teacher, not because of him.

xabir

Who am I? - http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-e-booke-journal.html

Cinorjer

Who am I? - http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-e-booke-journal.html

I read the first 70 pages or so of your remarkable journal. It's a marvelous voyage of discovery. Do you find when going back to earlier part of it now, you want to laugh at some of the things your younger self said, and nod at others? I know that's the reaction to my own scant journals.

xabir

Yes, indeed, my views, insights have progressed a lot since. Yet certain things are still as fundamental.

Some Master said before, "keep your experience, refine your view"