A koan is a simple saying that a Zen Buddhist (Zen Buddhism is a form of Mahayana Buddhism) teacher will give to a student, the answer to that saying or question is not important; rather it is the journey and intuition gained while meditation on that koan that is the key. Koan’s are key concepts in Zen Buddhism where the koan is a reflection of an enlightened mind, meant to bring a mind into awareness.  The really great part about koan, I think, is how steeped in history they are. Koan’s are usually tales or small stories from the lives of great masters in the past. Moments that they experienced that in themselves are enlightened moments. Practicing these meditations will help focus the mind. Much like focusing on breath in a Vipassana meditation.

Koan meditation is very intricate and very difficult to perform alone, meaning you really should have an experienced teacher to guide you. Not that it’s hard to ponder and focus on a saying but the role of the teacher is to help guide your mind back by asking more questions. All this is part of the process, from the Zen Buddhist perspective, of separating the self from the ego.

Two koans that give me a chuckle but also have given me insight over the years are also two very classic koans:

If you meet the Buddha, kill him.

-Linji

Two hands clap and there is a sound. What is the sound of one hand?

-Hakuin Ekaku

The first time I saw those two, they came up on a “365 Days of Buddha Calendar” I had on my desk. Yet think about those two sayings, think about them. There is no right answer but there is right thinking, and this is at the heart of Buddhism. This is the “how-to” part of this post, I want you to meditate on those two sayings and when you think you have the answer, think again.

Sit for as long as you like, preferably in a comfortable position, and work the koans in your mind until you have the answer. If you liked this exercise, you might consider buying a Zen Card Pack, much like a deck of cards, a koan for each day of meditation.

Zen Koan Card Pack (Book and Cards in Case)

*Photo by Hamed Saber