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koan
(redirected from koans)

    Also found in: Encyclopedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
ko·an  (kän)
n.
A puzzling, often paradoxical statement or story, used in Zen Buddhism as an aid to meditation and a means of gaining spiritual awakening.
[Japanese kan : k, public (from Middle Chinese kw) + an, matter.]
koan [ˈkəʊæn]
n
(Non-Christian Religions / Buddhism) (in Zen Buddhism) a problem or riddle that admits no logical solution
[from Japanese]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.koan - a paradoxical anecdote or a riddle that has no solution; used in Zen Buddhism to show the inadequacy of logical reasoning
problem - a question raised for consideration or solution; "our homework consisted of ten problems to solve"
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These are mostly koans and the Shobogenzo of Dogen Zenji.
Zen Buddhism by Lynette Tyson / Food/cooking/nutrition community
And although many of them are difficult to grasp at first, they resound almost as koans if one is patient enough.
Netsuke Days by DeNiord, Chard / Harvard Review
Zen practice, with its solitary meditation, koans to help bypass the thinking mind, and the "radical freedom" that comes with independent thought, says: "The past is gone, the future is not here, and the present appears for an instant.
Jewish Dharma: A Guide to the Practice of Judaism and Zen by Morris, Kristine; Lee, Erica / Spirituality & Health Magazine
 
 
 
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