Zen Koans
For Christmas my wife gave me The True Dharma Eye, an excellent book translated by John Daido Loori. Few things can be as frustrating, dumbfounding and annoying as Zen koans. The moment you read a good koan, you feel like an complete idiot. That’s why I Iove them. The part of us that needs it, gets a good lesson in humility.
Think of it this way. As my teacher Mr Anthony Osler explained once, our minds are experts at creating stories. The human mind is capable of surviving this chaotic world, and in large part we have our story telling mind, or monkey mind to thank. Problem is, it never knows where to stop. It continues on, not even stopping when its is creating suffering out of nothing. And that is the problem that Buddhism has chosen to solve.
Enter the zen koan.
“But they are so nonsensical!”, I hear you respond. Well the thing is, a koan attempts to distract your monkey mind. What happens when monkey minds stops? The problem is as soon as I explain this to you, it will start again. So how do we stop monkey mind? By means of example and demonstration: the key function, of a zen koan. Surely if something is understood by a student through demonstration, it does not need any more explanation, which could only serve to confuse him!
No games.
Serious stuff.
Furthermore, a koan is only solved when the student figures it out for himself. A koan has many answers, but only one meaning. Example:
Master Osler is sitting on his stoep, when a wandering layman asks him: “Master, can you explain the way for me clearly?” Master Osler stretched out his hand and said, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
How can that explain anything? It doesn’t. Listen! Stretch out your own hand! Listen! Silence your monkey mind that is howling “This is stupid!”
What do you hear?
I hear the sounds of the African Spa soundtrack, the howl of the wind past my apartment, the door creaking in the bedroom… That is my sound. What is yours? How does this answer the question about the Way? Once you are “here”, tuned in to this station, you are free of distraction, free of opinions, you are hearing the sound first hand. Now your monkey mind can act. The horse, or monkey, is in front of the cart. Mush! This is the mind of the buddha. Master Osler has shown you his Mind. Our Mind. One free of previously held opinions, stresses about tomorrow, one that sees the “now”, the great imperative which must be done above all costs. I can talk about it for hours, but it is easier if you do it for yourself! My hands are getting tired. The wind is still howling. I want some tea. I wonder if my wife wants some? I will leave you with another koan. If you don’t get it, find a real teacher!
Master Osler was once asked by a student, “Mr Osler, I don’t understand your funny gods. If your great goddess of compassion has a million arms and hands, how does she ever manage to control them all?”. Master Osler responded, “I have no idea. Do you want a beer?” He hands him a cold beer.
“Thank you!” the student answers without thinking.
