Koan one: The crying boy
What had happened: A boy cries all day long, as children sometimes do.

Is this boy crying?
The Koan text:
A Master cuts off a boy's finger.
The boy cries, cries and runs away.
The master calls him back and holds up his own finger.
The boy looks at it and is enlightened.
Comment: A horror story. The master excuses his violent behavior as necessary to bring the boy to enlightenment.
Source: Mumonkan,
Case 3
Explore the simplistic believes of Buddhists about
enlightenment!
The 48 Koans of Master Wumen HuiKai (jap. "Mumon")
Click on the title to see question and answer.
Click on the number to see the full Koan-page.
1 Joshu's Dog
Has a dog Buddhanature or not? Joshu shout's MU!
Answer:
MUUUUUU.
2 Hyakujo's Fox
Does an enlightened person fall under the law of causation or not?
Hyakujo said: "The enlightened person is one with the law of causation."
Answer:
Howl like a little fox: juiiii juiii !
3 Gutei's Finger
Master Gutei cut off a boy's finger.
Why was the boy enlightend, when Gutei called him and raised his finger?
Answer:
"Ow, ow, my finger! Ow, ow, ow."
4 Beardless Bodhidharma
Why has Bodhidharma no beard?
Answer:
Stroke your beard.
5 Kyogen's Man in a Tree
A man clinging on a tree branch with his teeth is asked:
Why did Bodhidharma from India to China?"
Answer:
Acting: Swinging like hanging from the tree. Falling down, dying.
6 Buddha Twirls a Flower
Buddha twirled a flower. Only MahaKashyapa smiled. Why made him Buddha his successor?
Answer:
Hold up a flower.
7 Joshu's Wash your Bowl
Monk: Please teach me! Joshu: Have you had your porridge? Monk: Yes master. Joshu: Wash your bowl!
Answer:
Wash a dirty dish.
8 Keichu's Wheel
Keichu made a cart. Each wheel had 50 spokes. If you remove the wheels and every thing else. What does it tell about Keichu?
Answer:
Drive a car. Toot, toot!
9 A Buddha before History
Asked, why Daitsu, a Buddha before history, didn't realize the truth, Seijo said: "Because he did not."
Answer:
Get up, do something, work, dress.
10 Seizei Alone and Poor
Seizei said, I'm alone and poor. Master Sozan, please give me a donation!
Sozan shouted: Seizei! Seizei said: Yes, sir? "You drank lots of wine", Sozan said, "and pretend you had none!"
Answer:
"Hallo, where are you?"
"Yes, Sir?"
11 Joshu Examines two Hermits
Johu asked a hermit: What's up? The hermit raised his fist. Joshu said: "Schallow water!" and went to see a second hermit. What's up? The hermit raised his fist. "Fully enlightened!", Joshu said.
Answer:
Raise your fist.
12 Zuigan Calls Himself Master
Zuigan called himself daily: "Master!" and answered himself: "Yes, Sir!" And added: "Awake, awake!" and answered: "Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir!" Said:
"Don't be decieved by others!" "Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir!"
Answer:
Shout: "Master! Master!" and answer "Yes!"
13 Tokusan Holds His Bowl
Tokusan with his bowl went to dinner too early. A monk told Ganto about it and said: "Old Tokusan doesn't know the last word yet." What is the last word?
Answer:
Good night!
14 Nansen Cuts the Cat in Two
Nansen hold up a cat. "If anybody can say a word of Zen, you save the cat." Silence. Nansen cut the cat in two. Why placed Obaku his sandles on his head when he later heard about the cat?
Answer:
Crying out like a dying cat. Place your shoes on your head and go.
15 Tozan's Three Blows
Ummon said to Tozan : "You should get three beatings, but I spare you." Next day Tozan asked: "Why did you spare me three beatings"? Ummon scolded him.
Why was Tozan suddenly enlightened?
Answer:
Walk around, crying out: "Ow, ow, ow".
16 Bells and Robes
Unmon said, "The world is vast and wide.
Why do you put on your seven-piece robe at the sound of the bell?"
Answer:
Put on a shirt.
17 The Three Calls Of The Emperor's Teacher
Kokushi, called his attendant, Oshin, three times and three times Oshin answered, "Yes!" Kokushi said, "I thought I had deserted you, but in reality, you deserted me."
Answer:
Shout and call yourself. Answering yourself: Yes, Sir!
18 Tozan's Three Pounds of Flax
A monk asked Tozan, "What is the Buddha?"
Tozan answered, "Masagin!" (Three pounds of flax) What does it mean?
Answer:
Shout: Masagin!
19 Everyday Life Is The Path
Joshu asked Nansen, "What is the Way?" Nansen answered, "Your ordinary mind--that is the Way."
Answer:
Today I went the road from [name of a town] to [name of another town].
20
The Enlightened Man
Shogen said,"Why is it that a man of strength cannot lift up his own legs?" He added: "It is not with our tongue that we speak."
Answer:
Go around and talk a bit.
21
Dried Dung
A monk asked Ummon: "What is Buddha?"
Ummon answered him: "Dried dung."
Answer:
Shit!
22 Kashyapa's Preaching Sign
Ananda asked Kashyapa, "The Buddha gave you the golden robe; did he give you anything else?"
"Ananda!" cried Kashyapa. "Yes , Sir!" answered Ananda.
"Knock down the flagpole at the Gate," Kashyapa said.
Answer:
Call your self! Say: "Yes, Sir!"
23 Do Not Think Good, Do Not Think Not-Good
Eno was pursued by Monk Emyo. Eno laid robe and bowl on a rock. Eno said: "Take it". But Emyo couldn't lift it.
Eno asked: What is the original face of monk Emyo?
Answer:
Run and sweat.
24 Without Words, Without Silence
A monk asked Fuketsu: "Without speaking, without silence, how can you express the truth?"
Fuketsu said: "I always remember spring-time and birds in southern China."
Answer:
Sing a little, like a bird.
25 Kyozan Preaching in a Dream
In a dream Kyozan went to Maitreya's and was asked to preach. Kyozan hit the gavel and said: "The truth of Mahayana is above words and thought! Listen, listen!"
Answer:
Hit with a hammer.
26 Two Monks Roll Up The Blinds
Hogen came and pointed to the blinds. Two monks rolled them up.
Why did Hogen say: "One has it, the other not."
Answer:
Just roll up a blind.
27 It Is Not Mind, It Is Not Buddha, It Is Not Things
"Is there any teaching no master has ever preached before?" Nansen replied, "Yes, there is."
"What is it?" Nansen said, "It is not mind, it is not Buddha, it is not things."
Answer:
Push against: "this wall". Point to "that mountain", to "those trees".
28 Blow Out The Candle
Tokusan said:"it's dark".
Ryotan lit a candle and gave it to Toksan.
Why was Tokusan enlightened when Ryotan blew out the candle?
Answer:
Blow out the candle.
29 Not The Wind, Not The Flag
"The wind is moving the temple flag", one monk said. The other said: "Just the flag is moving". Eno said: "Neither moves. Your mind is moving."
Answer:
Move like a flapping flag.
30 This Mind Is Buddha
Daibai asked Baso: "What is Buddha?"
Baso said: "This mind is Buddha."
Answer:
Today I feel tired.
31 Joshu Investigates an Old Woman
Asked for the way to Taizan an old woman always said, "Go straight ahead."
Joshu, investigating her, got the same answered.
Coming back, Joshu said: "I've investigated the woman for you."
Answer:
Just walking
32 A Philosopher Asks Buddha
A philosopher said to the Buddha:“I do not ask for words, I
do not ask for no-words.”
The Buddha just sat in silence. The phillosopher praised him, and left.
Answer:
Just sit in silence.
33 Baso's Not Mind, Not Buddha
A monk asked Baso, "What is Buddha?"
Baso answered, "No mind, no Buddha."
Answer:
I'm tired this morning.
34 Nansen's Knowledge is not The Way
Nansen said: "Mind is not Buddha. Knowledge is not the way."
Answer:
I know it was raining yesterday.
35 Two Souls
Goso asked his monks, "Seijo's higher soul separated from her being. Which was the real Seijo?"
Answer:
Hallo, nice to meet you.
36 Meeting A Master On The Road
Goso said, "When you meet a master, do not meet him with words or in silence. Tell me, how will you meet him?"
Answer:
Going and say: "good morning!"
37 The Oak Tree In The Garden
A monk asked Joshu: What is the meaning of Bodhidharma coming to China?"
Joshu said, "The oak tree in the front garden."
Answer:
Stand up and move like a tree.
38 A Buffalo Passes Through The Window
Goso said, "A water buffalo passes through the window lattice; the head, horns, and four hoofs go past. Why can't the tail pass too?"
Answer:
Wag your little finger like a tail.
39 Ummon's Trapped in Words.
"The brilliant light silently illuminates the whole univers and.."
Unmon interupted, "Aren't those the words of Choetsu the Genius?"
"Yes, they are", the monk answered.
Ummon said, "You are trapped in words!"
Answer:
Good morning, master!
40 Tipping Over A Water Jug
Hyakujo put water jar on the floor and said, "You cannot call it a water jar. Then, what will you call it?" The chief monk said, "One cannot call it a wooden stump." Master Hyakujo turned to Isan, Isan kicked the jar over and walked away.
Answer:
kick over a jug.
41 Bodhidharma Pacifies The Mind
Eka, the Second Patriarch, asked Bodhidharma:"Please, pacify my mind." Dharma said, "Bring your mind and I will pacify it."
Eka: "I searched everywhere, but I can't get hold of it."
Dharma: "Now your mind is pacified."
Answer:
Searching, searching. ("Where is the mind?")
42 The Girl Comes Out From Meditation
A woman sits in meditation close to the Buddha. The sage Manjusri, walks around her three times and snips his finger to wake her up. He can't.
Why is Mo-myo, who comes from the sands of the ganges, wakes her up by snipping his finger?
Answer:
Momyo lives a normal life and can do normal things. Don't live as a sage!
43 Shuzan's Short Staff
Master Shuzan held up his short staff. "If you call this a short staff, you oppose its reality. If you do not call it a short staff, you ignore the fact. Tell me immediately, what is it?
Answer:
The short staff.
44 Basho's Staff
Basho taught his disciples, "If you have a staff, I will give it to you. If you have no staff, I will take it from you!"
Answer:
Throw something away.
45 Who Is He?
Hoen said, "Even Shakyamuni and Maitreya are his servants.
Who is he?"
Answer:
Call yourself by your name and answer: "Yes, Sir!"
46 Step Forward from fhe Top of the Pole
"How do you step forward from the top of a one hundred meter pole?"
Answer:
Just walking.
47 First Gate Of Tosotsu
Pushing aside the grass and explore Zen is simply a way to see your true nature. Now quickly, where is your nature?
Answer:
With your hands push the long grass out of your way.
47 Second Gate Of Tosotsu
If you realize your true nature, you are free from life and death. How can you free yourself from life and death?
Answer:
Fall to the ground, dying in pain.
47 Third Gate Of Tosotsu
Free from birth and death your body separates into the four elements. Where will you go now?
Answer:
I think I'll have a cup of coffee.
48 Kembo's One Road To Nirvana
Kembo was asked "There is only one road to Nirvana. Where is this road?"
Kembo with his staff drew a line. "Here it is!"
Answer:
Mit dem Finger einen Strich ziehen.
Koan four:
The Shortcut
What had happened: As an exercise, you walk up a mountain.

Walking is excercise
The Koan text:
How do you walk up a mountain road with 99 curves?
Comment:Who did all this curve counting?
Source:Miscellaneous Koans Vol 1,
case 17