Riddle

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Overmod

Here's the short course on enlightenment for you:

You need to remember the basic tenets of Buddhism, one of which boils down to 'ignore aspects of reality that cause you pain to think about.' One part of 'enlightenment' is to come to the understanding that things don't change just because you can give them a name... or even comprehend what they are, or what they do. (More familiar example: the God of the Old Testament...)

I used to teach this in Sunday School -- ask any group of enthusiastic trying-hard-to-be-Christians this question. The very first thing everyone tries to do is wrong! They figure it's like school questions, where the answer is some kind of restatement or parallel -- "What's the sound of a bell?" -- Ding, clang, whooooOOOOOnnnnnnggggg, etc.

This isn't like that. It's an exercise in frustration precisely because you can't get a physical clap without two hands. That does NOT mean you can't have "the sound of one hand clapping", though -- note that I just wrote it down. What it DOES mean is that any attempt to translate "the sound of one hand clapping" to another noun is wrong.

The right answer is "The sound of one hand clapping is the sound of one hand clapping." It is what it is -- naming it or understanding it doesn't change anything... let it be. You have accepted it for whatever it is, and allowed it to be whatever it is, etc. etc. etc.

If anybody complains that this is no proper answer... get THEM to give you a better one, and prove it. If they are intelligent, it shuts them right up, if they aren't... well, you find that out right away, too ;-}

Note that you have to change your understanding of the world, language, and semantics to arrive at this answer. THAT is the point of the question, and of a koan in general: the actual "answer" is of minimal utility. (This is also why so many Zen sayings don't make much sense... parables too...)

So in a nutshell Master Overmod, you are saying that he is not ready yet to be a Jedi Knight.

[Overmod]

Here's the short course on enlightenment for you:

You need to remember the basic tenets of Buddhism, one of which boils down to 'ignore aspects of reality that cause you pain to think about.' One part of 'enlightenment' is to come to the understanding that things don't change just because you can give them a name... or even comprehend what they are, or what they do. (More familiar example: the God of the Old Testament...)

I used to teach this in Sunday School -- ask any group of enthusiastic trying-hard-to-be-Christians this question. The very first thing everyone tries to do is wrong! They figure it's like school questions, where the answer is some kind of restatement or parallel -- "What's the sound of a bell?" -- Ding, clang, whooooOOOOOnnnnnnggggg, etc.

This isn't like that. It's an exercise in frustration precisely because you can't get a physical clap without two hands. That does NOT mean you can't have "the sound of one hand clapping", though -- note that I just wrote it down. What it DOES mean is that any attempt to translate "the sound of one hand clapping" to another noun is wrong.

The right answer is "The sound of one hand clapping is the sound of one hand clapping." It is what it is -- naming it or understanding it doesn't change anything... let it be. You have accepted it for whatever it is, and allowed it to be whatever it is, etc. etc. etc.

If anybody complains that this is no proper answer... get THEM to give you a better one, and prove it. If they are intelligent, it shuts them right up, if they aren't... well, you find that out right away, too ;-}

Note that you have to change your understanding of the world, language, and semantics to arrive at this answer. THAT is the point of the question, and of a koan in general: the actual "answer" is of minimal utility. (This is also why so many Zen sayings don't make much sense... parables too...)

[Mookie]

Ok - now you are starting to sound like the Driver! And I definitely won't let him near this puter or I will never get it back. But I will print it out and show it to him and watch him smile once again! Stay Tooned!

[Overmod]

Does he know about the "right answer" to a koan? (Or why the answer is the way it is?)

The key to this one is to look at what it means -- not what it says. That's more than just semantics. Hint: don't assume that reality is defined by the terms you use to describe it...

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Overmod

But Mookie, do you know the answer? (Yes, there is one...)

He won't tell me! He just smiles and says nothing! Even when I guessed that there would be no sound - he just smiled. So frustrating!

[Overmod]

But Mookie, do you know the answer? (Yes, there is one...)

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

Zardoz - you will be a big hit with the driver! When I first met him, that was one of the things he always said. Drove me nuts! (short trip, I guess!)

Mook

[zardoz]

Are you now, or have you ever been?

[zardoz]

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

[Overmod]

Is this one of those riddles like "Kenneth, what is the frequency?" Or the one with the answer "No soap radio?"

And no, I don't see the fnords...

[Anonymous]

What is the difference between here and there? If you "look" at the question you will see there is a "t" in front of here" which makes it "there."