Essay on Koan

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Obtaining Realization Through Koan
Zen, also known as Ch’an Buddhism in China, is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that was established in China about 1500 years ago. Zen is a form of religious practice of mainly concentrating the mind to a single point in which then results in self-realization and/or enlightenment. Zen philosophy is interpreted that all humans are capable of reaching enlightenment, which is generally blocked by ignorance. The idea emphasizes enlightened masters over forms of scriptures, and is the least “academic” of all the Buddhist schools.
The beliefs and traditions Zen Buddhism holds has been very influential on western society, which makes Zen one of the most well known school of Buddhism in America. The main ideas …show more content…
This word has been used in Zen Buddhism as a formulation, “pointing to the experience of awakening” (Singh 37). It is an act of integration with Nirvana and Samsara. Which the teachings of Koans, the mind undergoes complete metamorphosis, which can neither be described nor thought. Once one finishes practicing Koan one enters into the world of Satori. This mental state is when one become free from identification, “with superficial reality” (Singh 39), which implies the emergence into a field of consciousness.
The Koan is a statement or question given by Roshi, also known as the Zen master, to unravel the Zen psychology in the mind of a practitioner. When koan is understood, one leads into a state of consciousness and the mind becomes free from all abstractions. This state, is Satori.
There is an answer to all koans, but only an answer the pupil came up with during concentration, which is never a fully correct answer. The practice of Koans serves as a specific tool for communication between teacher and pupil, as well as to push themselves out of their small selves or common thinking. The proposed result is to enable the student to move beyond what is known and overcome the thought of real.
Koans are completely fundamental to Rinzai Zen. What is unique about koan study is the aim to bring the pupil into direct realization of reality without, “recourse to the meditation of words or concepts” (Wright 5). What is realized is not knowledge or visions, but by
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