Facts about Koans Zen Buddhism

1. 06

   Soto Zen, unlike Rinzai, de-emphasizes formal koan study in favor of shikantaza, a practice of silent, objectless sitting meditation.

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2. 05

   Rinzai Zen, which emphasizes koan practice as a central method of training, was brought to Japan in the 12th century by the monk Eisai.

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3. 04

   Mumonkan, or The Gateless Gate, is a classic collection of forty-eight koans compiled by Chinese monk Wumen Huikai in 1228.

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4. 03

   In Rinzai Zen training, students meet privately with a teacher in a practice called dokusan to present their understanding of a koan.

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5. 02

   The collection known as the Blue Cliff Record, compiled in China during the Song dynasty, contains one hundred koans and is among the most studied texts in Zen tradition.

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6. 01

   A koan is a paradoxical question or statement used in Zen Buddhist practice to exhaust rational thinking and prompt direct insight.

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