We are what we think
"I never said that!” —the Buddha
Green Koans
Green Koans Case 16: The Great Being
In the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines Sutra, Subhuti asks the Buddha, “Why do you refer to the Bodhisattva as a ‘Great Being’?” The Buddha replies, “The Bodhisattva is called “Great Being” because he will…
Green Koans with Clark Strand
Learn more about Zen Koans, paradoxical anecdotes or riddles, used in Zen Buddhism to provoke enlightenment. Each of these Koan cases is accompanied by commentary by Clark Strand, an ex-Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk and former Senior Editor of…
Green Koans Case 3: The Great Compassionate One’s True Eye
Case #3: The Great Compassionate One’s True Eye BACKGROUND: Mayu and Lin-chi (Rinzai) were 9th century Ch’an Buddhist monks. The Great Compassionate One is the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, also known as Kannon or Kuan-yin. He/she is often…
Green Koans Case 2: Shantideva’s Sword
Case #2: Shantideva’s Sword Once Shantideva became a bodyguard to King Arivishana. But unlike the other bodyguards, he managed to defeat the king’s enemies using only a wooden sword. “This man is an imposter!” the…
Green Koans Case 1: Shakyamuni Touches the Earth
Case #1: Shakyamuni Touches the Earth As Shakyamuni meditated beneath the bodhi tree, Mara pointed to the place where he sat and demanded, “Who witnesses your right to the seat of enlightenment?” Shakyamuni reached a finger down…
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