Koans are said to reflect the enlightened or awakened state of historical sages and legendary figures who uttered them, and sometimes said to confound the habit of discursive thought or shock the mind into awareness or an experience of metanoia or radical change of consciousness and perspective, from the point of view of which the koan 'question' is resolved, and the practitioner's religious faith is enhanced. Koans are often used by Zen practitioners as objects of meditation to induce an experience of enlightenment or realization, and by Zen teachers as testing questions when a student wishes to validate their experience of enlightenment.Ī famous koan is, "Two hands clap and there is a sound what is the sound of one hand?" (oral tradition, attributed to Hakuin Ekaku ( 1686- 1769), considered a reviver of the koan tradition in Japan). Missing imageĪ koan is a story, dialog, question, or statement in the history and lore of Chan ( Zen) Buddhism, generally containing aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, yet that may be accessible to Intuition. See How to Edit and Style and How-to for help, or this article's talk page. Hello my friends, the patronage of regular followers is greatly appreciated and is the true spirit of mutual self-love… So, if you find any value or joy in the content, please consider becoming a Supporting Patron by downloading Podcasts for a small supporter’s remuneration or by purchasing Meditation audios or books from the Books & Meditation Audios page or by clicking the Supporters Link, and this one simple act makes a huge difference.This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. I’ve enjoyed sharing this Kōan with you, and I encourage you to explore and learn about yourself and to continue your journey, and If you have the time when let me know in the comments about your understanding of the spiritual path or how your journey has changed your life, an podcast version is also available follow the link below. So there you have it, “No Attachment to Dust”. Of course there is more to Zen than this, but these few ideas should suffice as background for the understanding of your spiritual journey. Live with cause and leave results to the great law of the universe. Since the value of righteousness may be recognized after centuries, there is no need to crave an immediate appreciation. Some things, though right, were considered wrong for generations. Neither glory nor shame can move him.Ĭensure yourself, never another. To a sincere student, every day is a fortunate day. Its words are as rare gems, seldom displayed and of great value. Let your neighbors discover you before you make yourself known to them.Ī noble heart never forces itself forward. Modesty is the foundation of all virtues. Virtues are the fruit of self-discipline and do not drop from heaven of themselves as does rain or snow. He may only be guarding his wisdom carefully. Never exchange it for an easy life.Ī person may appear a fool and yet not be one. Express your feelings, but become no more expressive than your true nature. Hearing of the mistaken action of another, advise yourself not to emulate it.Įven though alone in a dark room, be as if you were facing a noble guest. When witnessing the good action of another encourage yourself to follow his example. ![]() While living in the world do not form attachments to the dust of the world, this is the way of a true Zen student. Zengetsu, a Chinese master of the T'ang dynasty, wrote the following advice for his pupils: This Zen statement is understood if we understand that Zen is purely subjective and variable, but also it is like a hammer that is used to break up conventional thinking., Zen instructs us to have courage, and says again and again, “All that can be shaken shall be shaken!” and if nothing remains, so be it. There is nothing to prove, there is only the Way. Zen is about letting go in the acceptance of humility. Zen nature is act mindfully, detached from the emotional impulse of the ego while becoming aware or mindful of our intent. Contemplate and absorb these words and you with need not greater guide on your journey. This short kōan is designed to illustrate the virtues of a humble life, which is at the heart of Zen, and the student that seeks enlightenment. If you are unfamiliar with the term kōan, then in short kōan means riddle or puzzle that Zen Buddhists masters would use to help students unravel greater truths about the world and about themselves, and these riddles, puzzles or stories have be traced back to a collections of sayings amassed by Chinese priests in the 12th and 13th centuries Welcome to the Ancient Wisdom / Modern Mind blog and today I would like to share the Zen kōan “No Attachment to Dust”. ![]() What does No Attachment to Dust mean? What is the purpose of a Zen koan?
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