Modern Day Koans

Discussion in 'Buddhism' started by xdianax, May 18, 2004.

  1. xdianax

    xdianax Member

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    I just remembered that one of the threads which I had bookmarked on the old hip forums is now lost. It was a thread with submissions by many people of modern day koans. Since the thread no longer exists, I was wondering if we could start a new one since the old one was so helpful and entertaining.

    :) Love,

    Diana
     
  2. xdianax

    xdianax Member

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    No contributions? Hmmmm, there were some really great ones on the old thread.
     
  3. queenannie

    queenannie Member

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    A man came into the Zen Center smoking a cigarette, blowing smoke in the Buddha-statue's face and dropping ashes on its lap. A monk came in, saw the man, and said, "Are you crazy? Why are you dropping ashes on the Buddha?"
    The man answered, "Buddha is everything. Why not?"
    The monk couldn't answer and went away.
     
  4. Sage-Phoenix

    Sage-Phoenix Imagine

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    I have a great little book The Little Zen Companion (by David Schiller) it has a mix of classic koans and some quotes by modern Western thinkers that could be interpreted as koans.

    My personal favourite is from Louis Armstrong: "If you have to ask what jazz is you'll never know."
    Which I suppose applies equally to zen.

    TTFN
    Sage
     
  5. queenannie

    queenannie Member

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    Here's a "koan" from Jamaica:


    Who feels it, knows it.--Bob Marley
     
  6. Varuna

    Varuna Senior Member

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    Monk: Master, I have a question.

    Master: Yes?
     
  7. Varuna

    Varuna Senior Member

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    Monk: What is God?


    Master: Who are you asking?
     

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