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Koan Talks
A kōan ( KOH-a(h)n; Japanese: 公案; Chinese: 公案; pinyin: gōng'àn [kʊ́ŋ ân]; Korean: 화두; Vietnamese: công án) is a story, dialogue, question, or statement from Chinese Chan Buddhist lore, supplemented with commentaries, that is used in Zen Buddhist practice in different ways. The main goal of kōan practice in Zen is to achieve kenshō (Chinese: jianxing 見性), to see or observe one's buddha-nature.
Extended study of kōan literature as well as meditation (zazen) on a kōan is a major feature of modern Rinzai Zen. They are also studied in the Sōtō school of Zen to a lesser extent. In Chinese Chan and Korean Seon Buddhism, meditating on a huatou, a key phrase of a kōan, is also a major Zen meditation method.
| Title | Speaker | |
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Embodied Zen: Beyond Meditation Myths Time, Koan, Suffering |
Feb 13 1995 |
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Backward Step: Embracing Zen Koans Study, Koan, Buddha |
Feb 06 1995 |
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Hands, Horns, and Hidden Dragons Koan, Time, Pain |
Nov 23 1992 |
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Embodied Zen: Beyond Words and Mind Koan, Meditation, Instruction |
Nov 06 1990 |
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Seeing Through the Gateless Path Doubt, Koan, Time |
Oct 15 1990 |
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Words, Action, and Dharma's Dance Faith, Karma, Koan |
Oct 08 1990 |
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Living the Koan Experience Delusion, Practice, Koan |
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