Such a "self-test" could be a compilation of dialogues between sages. If a dialogue were understandable, then the self-testee would know that s/he understood what was going on. Similarly, koans could be presented on one page. The testee would be invited to answer the question. On the following page there would be numerous answers (typical of the kind people usually imagine or think up) that do not penetrate the issue. If the testee saw his/her answer on the following page, s/he would know that the koan had not yet been penetrated.
Here's an example from "The Recorded Sayings of Layman Pang:"
One day Chan master Tan-hsia Tien-jan came to visit the Layman (a famous enlightened sage who refused to accept any formal title). As soon as he reached the gate he saw the Layman's daughter Ling-chao (who was as enlightened as the Layman) carrying a basket of greens.
"Is the Layman here?" asked Tan-hsia.
Ling-chao put down the basket of greens, politely folded her arms and stood still.
"Is the Layman here?" asked Tan-hsia again.
Ling-chao picked up the basket and walked away. Tan-hsia then departed.
When the Layman returned a little later, Ling-chao told him of the conversation.
"Is Tan-hsia here?" asked the Layman.
"He's gone," replied Ling Chao.
"Red earth painted with milk (an expression denoting that an action is needless, useless, or defiling)," remarked the Layman.
Or this:
One day when Po-Ling and the Layman met on the road, Po-ling asked the Layman, "Have you ever shown anyone the word by which you were helped (to reach enlightenment) by Shih-tou?"
"Yes, I have shown it," replied the Layman.
"To whom?" asked Po-ling.
"To Mr. Pang," said the Layman pointing to himself.
"Certainly you are beyond the praise of even Subhuti," said Po-ling.
"Who is he who knows the word by which you were helped?" asked the Layman.
Po-ling put on his bamboo hat and walked off.
"A good road to you!" called the Layman.
Po-ling did not turn his head.
A teacher holds out her hand, then slaps the floor, and then asks, "This hand (holding out her hand), and the sound of this hand slapping the floor; are they the same or different?"
Incorrect answers would be "same," "different", "neither same or different," "both same and different at the same time," (stands up, turns around, and sits back down), "2 plus 2 equals 4."
Who was the neurosurgeon (in the father/son koan)? Incorrect answers would be "a Catholic priest," "his stepfather," etc.
There could also be a series of questions without answers. If a person understood how to answer them with no hesitancy, then s/he would know that s/he was fairly free from conceptualization.
1. What is the soundless sound?
2. How many hairs are on the back of your head?
3. What does "and a good night to you" mean?
4. How many sides does a perfect sphere have?
5. Why is the sky blue?
6. Why do you have ten fingers?
It might be fun to compile such a self-test and let some folks on this path try it out, and then try it again a year later to see if various questions that were previously unanswerable became answerable.
Here's an example from "The Recorded Sayings of Layman Pang:"
One day Chan master Tan-hsia Tien-jan came to visit the Layman (a famous enlightened sage who refused to accept any formal title). As soon as he reached the gate he saw the Layman's daughter Ling-chao (who was as enlightened as the Layman) carrying a basket of greens.
"Is the Layman here?" asked Tan-hsia.
Ling-chao put down the basket of greens, politely folded her arms and stood still.
"Is the Layman here?" asked Tan-hsia again.
Ling-chao picked up the basket and walked away. Tan-hsia then departed.
When the Layman returned a little later, Ling-chao told him of the conversation.
"Is Tan-hsia here?" asked the Layman.
"He's gone," replied Ling Chao.
"Red earth painted with milk (an expression denoting that an action is needless, useless, or defiling)," remarked the Layman.
Or this:
One day when Po-Ling and the Layman met on the road, Po-ling asked the Layman, "Have you ever shown anyone the word by which you were helped (to reach enlightenment) by Shih-tou?"
"Yes, I have shown it," replied the Layman.
"To whom?" asked Po-ling.
"To Mr. Pang," said the Layman pointing to himself.
"Certainly you are beyond the praise of even Subhuti," said Po-ling.
"Who is he who knows the word by which you were helped?" asked the Layman.
Po-ling put on his bamboo hat and walked off.
"A good road to you!" called the Layman.
Po-ling did not turn his head.
A teacher holds out her hand, then slaps the floor, and then asks, "This hand (holding out her hand), and the sound of this hand slapping the floor; are they the same or different?"
Incorrect answers would be "same," "different", "neither same or different," "both same and different at the same time," (stands up, turns around, and sits back down), "2 plus 2 equals 4."
Who was the neurosurgeon (in the father/son koan)? Incorrect answers would be "a Catholic priest," "his stepfather," etc.
There could also be a series of questions without answers. If a person understood how to answer them with no hesitancy, then s/he would know that s/he was fairly free from conceptualization.
1. What is the soundless sound?
2. How many hairs are on the back of your head?
3. What does "and a good night to you" mean?
4. How many sides does a perfect sphere have?
5. Why is the sky blue?
6. Why do you have ten fingers?
It might be fun to compile such a self-test and let some folks on this path try it out, and then try it again a year later to see if various questions that were previously unanswerable became answerable.
