Zen Koans

Not Far from Buddhahood

A university student while visiting Gasan asked him: "Have you ever read the Christian Bible?" "No, read it to me," said Gasan. ________________________________ You ca

Great Waves

In the early days of the Meiji era there lived a well-known wrestler called O-nami, Great Waves. ________________________________ You can find us at Youtube: ⁠https://w

My Heart Burns Like Fire

Soyen Shaku, the first Zen teacher to come to America, said: "My heart burns like fire but my eyes are as cold as dead ashes." He made the following rules which he practi

A Parable

Buddha told a parable in sutra:A man travelling across a field encountered a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a w

Muddy Road

Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling. Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, u

It is Not Mind, It is Not Buddha, It is Not Things

A monk asked Nansen: `Is there a teaching no master ever preached before?' -------------------------------- If you would like to support: https://patreon.com/ZenKoansP

A Cup of Tea

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era, received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. -------------------------------- If you would like to su

Eating the Blame

Circumstances arose one day which delayed preparation of the dinner of a Soto Zen master, Fugai, and his followers. -------------------------------- If you would like t

The Moon Cannot Be Stolen

Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing to

Nothing Exists

Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku. -------------------------------- If you would like to sup