Holy is holy and unholy is unholy. The truth of this is not based upon logic. At our construction company our hammers stay in our shop until they are needed for nailing nails or performing other appropriate functions.
A koan designed specifically for this subject would be: A teacher holds up a hammer and asks, "what is this?" Here are some possible answers:
1. Student: "It's a hammer." Teacher: "You're attached to form."
2. Student: "It's not a hammer." Teacher: "You're attached to emptiness."
3. Student: "It's a telephone pole." Teacher: "You're attached to oneness."
4. Student: "I don’t know." Teacher: "Good, you're halfway there. This is your new homework. Bring me a good answer tomorrow."
5. Student: (picks up the hammer and throws it through a window) Teacher: "You understand the essence but not the function."
6. Student: (picks up the hammer and stands it on its head) Teacher: "You're still wandering around outside the temple." or, "You're scratching your foot while your head itches."
7. Student: "Maybe you don;t understand." Teacher: "The arrow has already passed downtown." (the action has left you behind)
8. Student: (picks up the hammer and simulates driving a nail) Teacher: "Very good, so, this hammer and this sound (uses hammer to strike a surface), are they the same or different?" The teacher has accepted the answer and moved on to a different issue of existential understanding.
A koan designed specifically for this subject would be: A teacher holds up a hammer and asks, "what is this?" Here are some possible answers:
1. Student: "It's a hammer." Teacher: "You're attached to form."
2. Student: "It's not a hammer." Teacher: "You're attached to emptiness."
3. Student: "It's a telephone pole." Teacher: "You're attached to oneness."
4. Student: "I don’t know." Teacher: "Good, you're halfway there. This is your new homework. Bring me a good answer tomorrow."
5. Student: (picks up the hammer and throws it through a window) Teacher: "You understand the essence but not the function."
6. Student: (picks up the hammer and stands it on its head) Teacher: "You're still wandering around outside the temple." or, "You're scratching your foot while your head itches."
7. Student: "Maybe you don;t understand." Teacher: "The arrow has already passed downtown." (the action has left you behind)
8. Student: (picks up the hammer and simulates driving a nail) Teacher: "Very good, so, this hammer and this sound (uses hammer to strike a surface), are they the same or different?" The teacher has accepted the answer and moved on to a different issue of existential understanding.
