Buddhist Koans

[emptyness]

Hello, in this thread I'll post one Koan per day. Feel free to post some too if you know any.

A young and studious monk went his teacher and said, "Teach me all about the Buddha nature." His teacher pushed him on the ground. The next day the student returned to his teacher, saying, "I am wiser today than yesterday. Teach me about the Buddha nature." The teacher clobbered him again.


This went on for days until finally the young student could stand it no more . He tearfully left the monastery and went back to his temple at home. There he told the chief monk what had happened. The chief monk said, "You are really stupid! That monk was kinder to you than a grandmother!"


The young student went back to the monastery, and found his teacher. He threw the teacher on the ground. His teacher got up and said, "Now I will teach you about the Buddha nature.

"If you haven't wept deeply, you haven't begun to meditate. "

 

[Little Joe Gould]

A monk asked Joshu, "Does a dog have Buddha-nature?" Joshu replied, "Mu!"

 

[Little Joe Gould]

A monk just arrived at a monastery and said to Joshu, "I have just arrived here at your monastery, teach me about enlightenment." Joshu said, "Have you finished your rice-gruel yet?" The monk said "Yes." Joshu said, "Then wash your bowl." The monk attained some realization.

 

[koan]

Hello, in this thread I'll post one Koan per day. Feel free to post some too if you know any.

A young and studious monk went his teacher and said, "Teach me all about the Buddha nature." His teacher pushed him on the ground. The next day the student returned to his teacher, saying, "I am wiser today than yesterday. Teach me about the Buddha nature." The teacher clobbered him again.


This went on for days until finally the young student could stand it no more . He tearfully left the monastery and went back to his temple at home. There he told the chief monk what had happened. The chief monk said, "You are really stupid! That monk was kinder to you than a grandmother!"


The young student went back to the monastery, and found his teacher. He threw the teacher on the ground. His teacher got up and said, "Now I will teach you about the Buddha nature.

"If you haven't wept deeply, you haven't begun to meditate. "

Mind Action :clap get it? Buddha nature, "Bottle Brush tree (Chritmas bush) is Blooming."

 

[koan]

A monk asked Joshu, "Does a dog have Buddha-nature?" Joshu replied, "Mu!"

The monk asked again later, "Does a dog have the Buddha nature?" Joshu replied, "Yes!" :yes:

 

[Ben Dhyan]

When you can do nothing, what can you do?

 

[emptyness]

Very good Koans everyone, here's mine for today.

One monk said to the other, "The fish has flopped out of the net! How will it live?" The other said, "When you have gotten out of the net, I'll tell you."

"Neither fire nor wind, birth nor death can erase our good deeds."

 

[koan]

When you have realised your mind (true self), Buddha nature, nothing will stain.

 

[zenzero]

Friends,
Here's a Christian koan?

If a bush is burning on a mountaintop, but Moses is not there to witness it, is it still a miracle?

Love & rgds

 

[Little Joe Gould]

Ha, very nice ZZ.

I got a good one that I really like...

A monk is meditating in the meditation hall. The master approaches him and says, "what are you doing?" The monk says, "I am meditating to become a Buddha." The master then picks up a tile from the floor and begins to polish it. The monk then asks, "Master, what are you doing?" The master replies, "I am polishing this tile to make it a mirror."

 

[zenzero]

Friend LJG,

Yes, everyday do nothing but polish that *stonehead*.

Love & rgds

 

[koan]

Ha, very nice ZZ.

I got a good one that I really like...

A monk is meditating in the meditation hall. The master approaches him and says, "what are you doing?" The monk says, "I am meditating to become a Buddha." The master then picks up a tile from the floor and begins to polish it. The monk then asks, "Master, what are you doing?" The master replies, "I am polishing this tile to make it a mirror."

The rest of the koan goes, The monk said, "you will never make a mirror from that tile!" and the master replied, "You will never become a Buddha sitting on a cushion!"

 

[Ben Dhyan]

The novice asks the Master, "I want to serve God, which religion should I follow?" The Master replied, "Ask the good shepherd which of his sheep he pays no attention to?

 

[Troublemane]

I dont remember all the details, but one of my favorites has always been the one with the abbot of a Zen monastery who is about to retire and he has to choose a successor. He asks his top students to demonstrate their understanding of his teaching. He pours a cup of tea and they each expound on its meaning.

Finally the cook stands up from the back, goes up and knocks the cup of tea over and walks out. The abbot proclaimed him his successor! :angel2:

 

[zenzero]

Friends,
Its our mind thats moving, lols!

Two monks were arguing about a flag. One said: `The flag is moving.'
The other said: `The wind is moving.'

The sixth patriach happened to be passing by. He told them: `Not the wind, not the flag; mind is moving.'

Love & rgds

 

[Ben Dhyan]

There's no mind for motion to exist apart from, and no motion for mind to exist apart from.
Motion is the same as the mind. And the Mind is essentially motionless.

Bodhidharma

 

[zenzero]

Friend ben,

There's no mind for motion to exist apart from, and no motion for mind to exist apart from.
Motion is the same as the mind. And the Mind is essentially motionless.

The MIND is essentially motionless - but still motion exists ONLY because of the MIND.
The crux of all religions. MIND.
Love & rgds

 

[GURSIKH]

SIKH -KOAN

[SIZE=+1]Farīḏā loṛai ḏākẖ bij▫urī▫āʼn kikar bījai jat.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Fareed, the farmer plants acacia trees, and wishes for grapes.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Handẖai unn kaṯā▫iḏā paiḏẖā loṛai pat. ||23||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]He is spinning wool, but he wishes to wear silk. ||23||



[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Farīḏā mai bẖolāvā pag ḏā maṯ mailī ho▫e jā▫e.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Fareed, I was worried that my turban might become dirty.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Gahilā rūhu na jāṇ▫ī sir bẖī mitī kẖā▫e. ||26||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]My thoughtless self did not realize that one day, dust will consume my head as well. ||26||



[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Farīḏā sakar kẖand nivāṯ guṛ mākẖi▫o māʼnjẖā ḏuḏẖ.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Fareed: sugar cane, candy, sugar, molasses, honey and buffalo's milk -[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Sabẖe vasṯū miṯẖī▫āʼn rab na pujan ṯuḏẖ. ||27||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]all these things are sweet, but they are not equal to You. ||27||



[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Rukẖī sukẖī kẖā▫e kai ṯẖandẖā pāṇī pī▫o.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Eat dry bread, and drink cold water.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Farīḏā ḏekẖ parā▫ī cẖopṛī nā ṯarsā▫e jī▫o. ||29||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Fareed, if you see someone else's buttered bread, do not envy him for it. ||29||[/SIZE]



[SIZE=+1]Aj na suṯī kanṯ si▫o ang muṛe muṛ jā▫e.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]This night, I did not sleep with my Husband Lord, and now my body is suffering in pain.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Jā▫e pucẖẖahu dohāgaṇī ṯum ki▫o raiṇ vihā▫e. ||30||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]I Go and ask the deserted bride, how she passes her night ?. ||30||


[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Sāhurai dẖo▫ī nā lahai pe▫ī▫ai nāhī thā▫o.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]She finds no place of rest in her father-in-law's home, and no place in her parents' home either.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Pir vāṯ▫ṛī na pucẖẖ▫ī ḏẖan sohagaṇ nā▫o. ||31||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Her Husband Lord does not care for her; what sort of a blessed, happy soul-bride is she? ||31||[/SIZE]




[SIZE=+1]Sāhurai pe▫ī▫ai kanṯ kī kanṯ agamm athāhu.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]In her father-in-law's home hereafter, and in her parents' home in this world, she belongs to her Husband Lord. Her Husband is Inaccessible and Unfathomable.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Nānak so sohāgaṇī jo bẖāvai beparvāh. ||32||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]O Nanak, she is the happy soul-bride, who is pleasing to her Carefree Lord. ||32||



[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Farīḏā e vis ganḏlā ḏẖarī▫āʼn kẖand livāṛ.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Fareed, these are poisonous sprouts coated with sugar.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Ik rāheḏe rėh ga▫e ik rāḏẖī ga▫e ujāṛ. ||37||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Some die planting them, and some are ruined, harvesting and enjoying them. ||37||




[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Farīḏā bār parā▫i▫ai baisṇā sāʼn▫ī mujẖai na ḏėh.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Fareed begs, O Lord, do not make me sit at another's door.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Je ṯū evai rakẖsī jī▫o sarīrahu lehi. ||42||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]If this is the way you are going to keep me, then go ahead and take the life out of my body. ||42||




[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Kanḏẖ kuhāṛā sir gẖaṛā vaṇ kai sar lohār.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]With the axe on his shoulder, and a bucket on his head, the blacksmith is ready to cut down the tree.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Farīḏā ha▫o loṛī saho āpṇā ṯū loṛėh angi▫ār. ||43||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Fareed, I long for my Lord; you long only for the charcoal ?. ||43||[/SIZE]





[SIZE=+1]Farīḏā so▫ī sarvar dẖūdẖ lahu jithahu labẖī vath.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Fareed, seek that sacred pool, in which the genuine article is found.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Cẖẖapaṛ dẖūdẖai ki▫ā hovai cẖikaṛ dubai hath. ||53||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Why do you bother to search in the pond? Your hand will only sink into the mud. ||53||




[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Hans udar koḏẖrai pa▫i▫ā lok vidāraṇ jā▫e.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]The swans fly away, and land in the fields of grain. The people go to chase them away.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Gahilā lok na jāṇḏā hans na koḏẖrā kẖā▫e. ||65||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]The thoughtless people do not know, that the swans do not eat the grain. ||65||[/SIZE]

 

[Runewolf1973]

There is no teacher, no master, nothing to learn, nothing to *think*. No questions, no answers. How can there be an answer if there is no question? It is only the *mind* that questions. A dog is not "taught" how to have the Buddha nature, it just is what it is. ALL existence IS Buddha nature. All that is left is to "still the mind" and all questions are no longer questions. All is awareness. It can not be learned or perceived with the *mind*. It just IS. Be existence, but do not *think* about it, just BE it. Be the Buddha. *I* am not a Buddhist or any *thing* for *I* does not exist. Only Existence. Everything else is just a perception.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Runewolf,

There is no teacher, no master, nothing to learn, nothing to *think*. No questions, no answers. How can there be an answer if there is no question? It is only the *mind* that questions. A dog is not "taught" how to have the Buddha nature, it just is what it is. ALL existence IS Buddha nature. All that is left is to "still the mind" and all questions are no longer questions. All is awareness. It can not be learned or perceived with the *mind*. It just IS. Be existence, but do not *think* about it, just BE it. Be the Buddha. *I* am not a Buddhist or any *thing* for *I* does not exist. Only Existence. Everything else is just a perception.

It is for the same reason, WORDS can never replace SILENCE and so Lao Tsu wrote the first stanza of Tao Te Ching that
Truth cannot be spoken as as soon it is spoken it is falsified.

However there are very few MAHAKASYAP who received the SPECIAL TRANSMISSION from BUDDHA without any words exchanged between them.

After silence only sounds come and so mortal beings make use of this medium even about aspects which are not perceived and so Tao Te Ching was written so has been all the sutras of buddha or as a matter of fact all religious books are messsages of that state of nothingness.

Love & rgds