One does not have to be enlightened or egoless to create a koan. A koan is simply an existential question that cannot be answered by mind (intellectually) . The Rinzai Zen sect formalized the use of koans as a way of checking on a student's progress. There are about 1800 formal koans with several thousand variations of secondary checking questions. The most important koans, however, are probably the informal issues that arise in peoples' lives. "Should I stay with my lover or leave?" "What is the purpose of my life?" "Why did my parents treat me the way they did?" "Who am I?"
A koan is answered through the body, which is another way of saying through no-mind. Koans can be Christian or Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim. Zen Master Seung Sahn once conducted a joint Buddhist/Christian retreat at the Abbey of Gethsemani, and all of the koans he used were oriented toward Christians. "Where is Jesus Christ this moment?" "Some people say that Jesus was a pacifist because he said to turn the other cheek. Other people say that he was an activist. When he turned over the tables of the money-changers, was this the act of a pacifist or an activist?"
Some people use koans as a meditative technique for stopping the mind or to escape the mind. Some people have no interest in them at all. The Soto Zen Sect, recognizing the possibility of getting attached to koans, rarely uses them, and emphasizes "just sitting" instead.
Resolving a koan sometimes results in a breakthrough in understanding, or understanding something at a much deeper level than mind. Seeing through a single koan can sometimes eliminate an entire pattern of thought. The old pattern of thought simply never occurs again.
Koans are often used as a form of dharma combat in which students or teachers test each other's understanding. Some Zen Masters, like Seung Sahn, have traveled all over the world searching for other masters to duel with. Layman Pan'g, as another example, walked around China a thousand years ago engaging other masters in dharma combat, and their recorded dialogues are fascinating. This kind of combat is a kind of high-level play. After one contest with a master, Layman Pan'g said, "D**M! I blew it just now trying to be too smart." Layman Pan'g's entire family was reportedly enlightened, and reading about their shenanigans is a real hoot. Pan'g and his daughter were always playing with each other, existentially.
Why would a master seek out a master to duel with? Just for fun. Why do masters throw out bait? Just for fun. They are, to use the words of Peter Mathiessen, "....at play in the fields of the Lord."
Why do we poke each other on this website? To see how attached people are to their ideas, to teach, to learn, to test, to play, etc. This is what Reality does, and this is what we are.
Some people reach a point where they think that there is nothing left to learn. Other people discover that there is no end to what can be learned. Those who become attached to their level olf attainment are like the cigarette-man. How can you teach someone who won't listen? You can't.
If there is no attachment, then one remains open-minded, humble, and in a state of not-knowing "flow."
In some Zen traditions people who have reached a certain level of attainment have to undergo formal dharma combat. They give a short dharma talk and then take questions from the audience. Anyone is free to challenge them in any way. The community then judges their answers and interactions to determine whether they have sufficient clarity to teach others.
Someone once asked a master, "Are you enlightened?" He replied, "I won't say! I won't say!"
Another master answered, "Someone should wash out your mouth with soap and water!"
Another master responded, "A second offense is not permitted."
What were these masters pointing to? Just another koan to play with. LOL
A koan is answered through the body, which is another way of saying through no-mind. Koans can be Christian or Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim. Zen Master Seung Sahn once conducted a joint Buddhist/Christian retreat at the Abbey of Gethsemani, and all of the koans he used were oriented toward Christians. "Where is Jesus Christ this moment?" "Some people say that Jesus was a pacifist because he said to turn the other cheek. Other people say that he was an activist. When he turned over the tables of the money-changers, was this the act of a pacifist or an activist?"
Some people use koans as a meditative technique for stopping the mind or to escape the mind. Some people have no interest in them at all. The Soto Zen Sect, recognizing the possibility of getting attached to koans, rarely uses them, and emphasizes "just sitting" instead.
Resolving a koan sometimes results in a breakthrough in understanding, or understanding something at a much deeper level than mind. Seeing through a single koan can sometimes eliminate an entire pattern of thought. The old pattern of thought simply never occurs again.
Koans are often used as a form of dharma combat in which students or teachers test each other's understanding. Some Zen Masters, like Seung Sahn, have traveled all over the world searching for other masters to duel with. Layman Pan'g, as another example, walked around China a thousand years ago engaging other masters in dharma combat, and their recorded dialogues are fascinating. This kind of combat is a kind of high-level play. After one contest with a master, Layman Pan'g said, "D**M! I blew it just now trying to be too smart." Layman Pan'g's entire family was reportedly enlightened, and reading about their shenanigans is a real hoot. Pan'g and his daughter were always playing with each other, existentially.
Why would a master seek out a master to duel with? Just for fun. Why do masters throw out bait? Just for fun. They are, to use the words of Peter Mathiessen, "....at play in the fields of the Lord."
Why do we poke each other on this website? To see how attached people are to their ideas, to teach, to learn, to test, to play, etc. This is what Reality does, and this is what we are.
Some people reach a point where they think that there is nothing left to learn. Other people discover that there is no end to what can be learned. Those who become attached to their level olf attainment are like the cigarette-man. How can you teach someone who won't listen? You can't.
If there is no attachment, then one remains open-minded, humble, and in a state of not-knowing "flow."
In some Zen traditions people who have reached a certain level of attainment have to undergo formal dharma combat. They give a short dharma talk and then take questions from the audience. Anyone is free to challenge them in any way. The community then judges their answers and interactions to determine whether they have sufficient clarity to teach others.
Someone once asked a master, "Are you enlightened?" He replied, "I won't say! I won't say!"
Another master answered, "Someone should wash out your mouth with soap and water!"
Another master responded, "A second offense is not permitted."
What were these masters pointing to? Just another koan to play with. LOL
