Definition

Noun: A koan is a paradoxical anecdote, question, or riddle used in Zen Buddhist practice. It is designed to transcend logical reasoning and intellectual understanding, thereby provoking deep doubt and leading to enlightenment or insight (satori).

Usage

A koan is presented by a Zen master to a student as an object of meditation. The student contemplates the koan, not to find a logical answer, but to break through conventional thought patterns. - The Zen master assigned the new student the famous koan, "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" - Meditating on a koan is a central practice in the Rinzai school of Zen.

Advanced Usage

• "To work on a koan": To meditate upon and grapple with a koan as a spiritual exercise.
  • He has been working on the same koan for months, seeking a breakthrough.
• "A koan-like question": Used metaphorically to describe any question or statement that is deeply paradoxical or illogical.
  • The physicist described the particle's behavior as a koan-like paradox.

Variants and Related Words

• Koan study (n): The formal practice of using koans in Zen training.
• Koan introspection (n): A synonym for the deep meditation on a koan.

Synonyms

• Paradox: A seemingly self-contradictory statement.
• Enigma: Something hard to understand or explain.
• Riddle: A question or statement requiring thought to answer or understand.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Like a living koan: Describing a person or situation that embodies paradoxical qualities, challenging one's understanding.
  • His serene smile in the face of chaos was like a living koan.

Noun

1. a paradoxical anecdote or a riddle that has no solution; used in Zen Buddhism to show the inadequacy of logical reasoning