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buddha-nature emptiness inquiry beyond-words beyond-thought sudden-insight void zen-koan
> Mumonkan, Case 1
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About Zen Koans

Author: Various Zen masters | Period: ~8th-13th century CE

Paradoxical questions and stories used in Zen Buddhism to provoke enlightenment.

Perspective: Zen Buddhism absorbed and transformed Taoist insights. Koans use paradox to break conceptual thinking and point toward direct experience beyond words.

Key Themes:
  • Direct experience beyond concepts
  • Breaking dualistic thinking
  • Present moment awareness
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Explore Key Concepts

This quote relates to these Taoist concepts:

emptiness

The productive potential of open space; source of all possibility.

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