Tag Archives: Buddhism

Nansen kills the cat

Here is a koan that I quite like called Nansen kills the cat from the Mumonkan or The Gateless Gate. I have taken it from the dewdrop.org. Once the monks of the eastern and western Zen halls in Master Nansen’s temple were quarrelling about a cat. Nansen held up the cat and said, “You monks! If one ofContinue reading “Nansen kills the cat”

Koans

According to Google, a koan is “a paradoxical anecdote or riddle, used in Zen Buddhism to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and to provoke enlightenment.” Here’s a fresh one for you. John put on his hat.He was surprised to find it was actually a dog.The master said, “It isn’t a dog or a hat.”“Oh,” said John. “I see.”