Clap for the Koan: The Answers

A week ago we ran a blog entry about the famous Zen Buddhist koan “What’s the sound of one hand clapping?”  We included a multiple choice poll in search for  the “right” answer.

Now that the election hoopla is over, as promised, here are the koan poll answer(s):

KOAN POLL:

WHAT IS THE SOUND OF ONE HAND CLAPPING?

(a) whoosh, whoosh
(b) left or right hand?
(c) bear farting in the woods
(d) tree falling when nobody’s around
(e) one toe a tapping
(f) knee slapping
(g) an Aussie dog wagging tail
(h) Mu
(i) am I being graded on this?
(j) do I get a prize if I win?
(k) silence
(l) none of the above
(m) all of the above
(n) other (please include in comment section)

 

ANSWER:  

l

(and)

m

(and possibly)

n

Of course, I could be completely wrong!!!

Clap for the Koan (with poll)

Koans function as quizzes in Zen Buddhism. Zen masters use seemingly irrational stories, questions, riddles to debate, test and often totally perplex students. Koans become the veritable nightmare of the unexpected final examination on your first day of physics class. 

Koans shock students from discursive thoughts and offer another path toward awareness.  A student professing insight might receive an unsolvable koan to “validate” such experience. A koan’s answer may be correct, wrong or shift with circumstances. An answer right for one student may be poison for another. The student’s understanding of the koan itself, not necessarily the answer, may be the key to enlightenment.

One of the most famous koans originated with Zen master and artist Hakuin Ekaku:

Two hands clap and there is a sound.

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

Considered a “beginner’s” koan, the “One Hand Clapping” koan offers a fitting meditation to test readers’ nascent awareness. To make contemplating this teaching easier for non-Buddhists, we will present the koan with multiple choice answers.  

Take your time to meditate, contemplate, a chew on meanings. We will announce the answer in a Winking Buddha Blog soon after the Presidential election (a perfect diversion to take your mind off all those obnoxious political ads and robocalls).

KOAN POLL:

WHAT IS THE SOUND OF ONE HAND CLAPPING?

(a) whoosh, whoosh
(b) left or right hand?
(c) bear farting in the woods
(d) tree falling when nobody’s around
(e) one toe a tapping
(f) knee slapping
(g) an Aussie dog wagging tail
(h) Mu
(i) am I being graded on this?
(j) do I get a prize if I win?
(k) silence
(l) none of the above
(m) all of the above
(n) other (please include in comment section)

 

Note: 
We attempted to post this with a fancy new Poll Daddy feature 
but it didn't work. 

So we went back to more conventional multiple-choice choices.
Maybe next time!

 

 

Winking Wisdom of the Day

People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history.

– Dan Quayle, former Vice President

Sign of the Times

A Baptist church a few blocks from us posts this sign:

Serving God since 1986

Wonder where He took His business before then

© 2008 winkingbuddha.com