A short satsang / koan

[Guest guest]

On 23/04/2010 19:18, Alan Jacobs wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEAR ANNA,

 

tHIS IS A TYPICAL ZEN BUDDHIST KOAN, THE PURPOSE OF WHICH

IS TO PERPLEX THE MIND WITH TRYING TO FIND  AN ANSWER UNTIL IT TOTALLY

GIVES UP. THAT MAY BE THE SOUND OF ONE HAND CLAPPING. ADVAITA DOES NOT

EMPLOY KOANS BUT DOES TEACH WITH PARADOX.

 

LOVE,

ALAN

 

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hahaha many years ago, in amsterdam, a friend who was considered a guru

by all kinds of people, asked me if i know what a koan is. i replied

that i have no idea, and then he clapped his hands and said "ok, this a

koan, yosy: what is a sound of one hand clapping?you are kidding me"

i replied. "some kind of joke?no joke" said he. "think about it:

what is the sound of one hand clapping, yosy?" he insisted. "ok, here

is the answer!" i said, and, convinced that is he making fun of me,

slapped his face...  he got really upset. i apologized profoundly, and

only many years later i realized that this was, indeed, the correct

answer.... and since then i give to anyone stupid enough to

present this classic to me. suggest you do the same, alan my friend!

 

shabbat shalom all,

yosy

[Guest guest]

Thanks dear Yosy- boom - boom,

Love and Sabbath greetings ,

Alan--- On Fri, 23/4/10, Yosy <yosyflug wrote:

Yosy <yosyflug Re: A short satsang / koan Date: Friday, 23 April, 2010, 21:17

On 23/04/2010 19:18, Alan Jacobs wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

DEAR ANNA,

 

tHIS IS A TYPICAL ZEN BUDDHIST KOAN, THE PURPOSE OF WHICH IS TO PERPLEX THE MIND WITH TRYING TO FIND AN ANSWER UNTIL IT TOTALLY GIVES UP. THAT MAY BE THE SOUND OF ONE HAND CLAPPING. ADVAITA DOES NOT EMPLOY KOANS BUT DOES TEACH WITH PARADOX.

 

LOVE,

ALAN-hahaha many years ago, in amsterdam, a friend who was considered a guru by all kinds of people, asked me if i know what a koan is. i replied that i have no idea, and then he clapped his hands and said "ok, this a koan, yosy: what is a sound of one hand clapping?you are kidding me" i replied. "some kind of joke?no joke" said he. "think about it: what is the sound of one hand clapping, yosy?" he insisted. "ok, here is the answer!" i said, and, convinced that is he making fun of me, slapped his face... he got really upset. i apologized profoundly, and only many years later i realized that this was, indeed, the correct answer.... and since then i give to anyone stupid enough to present this classic to me. suggest you do the same, alan my friend!shabbat shalom all, yosy