Koan Talks
A kōan ( KOH-a(h)n; Japanese: 公案; Chinese: 公案; pinyin: gōng'àn [kʊ́ŋ ân]; Korean: 화두; Vietnamese: công án) is a story, dialogue, question, or statement from Chinese Chan Buddhist lore, supplemented with commentaries, that is used in Zen Buddhist practice in different ways. The main goal of kōan practice in Zen is to achieve kenshō (Chinese: jianxing 見性), to see or observe one's buddha-nature.
Extended study of kōan literature as well as meditation (zazen) on a kōan is a major feature of modern Rinzai Zen. They are also studied in the Sōtō school of Zen to a lesser extent. In Chinese Chan and Korean Seon Buddhism, meditating on a huatou, a key phrase of a kōan, is also a major Zen meditation method.
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Dizang's Weakness: Case 20, Book of Serenity; Serial No. 01162Serial: BZ-01162 Saturday talk Koan, Dizang, SER-20, Intimacy, Gratitude, Teacher-and-Student, Heart Sutra, Nirvana... |
Oct 04 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 7th, 2008, Serial No. 01137 Discrimination, Five Ranks, Separation, Blue Cliff Record, Impermanence,... |
Jun 07 2008 |
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What Is It That Comes?Serial: BZ-01443 Nangaku Ejo asks Daikan Eno, Sesshin Day 4 Nangaku Ejo, Daikan Eno, Koan, Gaining Mind, Monastic Practice, Practice Period,... |
Jun 23 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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This Is ItSerial: BZ-01436A Saturday Lecture Mindfulness, Koan, Karma, Doubt, confusion, Big Mind, Instruction, Religion, Priest,... |
May 19 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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"Evo-revolution"Serial: BZ-01242 Working with Our Problems, Saturday Lecture Bodhisattva Vow, Koan, Manjushri, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Buddha Mind, Religion,... |
Aug 28 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Bathroom ZenSerial: BZ-01379 One-Day Sitting Daily Life, Monastic Practice, Koan, American, New Year, Culture, Continuous Practice... |
Jan 10 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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August 22nd, 2002, Serial No. 00481 Don't Know Mind, Buddha Mind, Blue Cliff Record, Manjushri, Birth-and-Death,... |
Aug 22 2002 |
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June 9th, 2001, Serial No. 00103, Side B Buddha Nature, Intuition, Culture, Don't Know Mind, Karma, Buddha's... |
Jun 09 2001 |
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Sun-face Buddha, Moon-face BuddhaSerial: BZ-00123B Saturday Lecture
Buddha, Koan, Buddha Nature, Blue Cliff Record, Thoroughness, Priest, Ordinary Mind,... |
Nov 18 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Failure/SuccessSerial: BZ-00192B Saturday Lecture Ego, Koan, Teacher-and-Student, Bodhidharma, Big Mind |
Aug 21 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Universe As MedicineSerial: BZ-00356B Saturday Lecture Ummon, Koan, Religion, Manjushri, Bell, Sixth Patriarch, Demons, Ego, Attachment,... |
Aug 22 1998 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Recognizing EnlightenmentSerial: BZ-00322B Saturday Lecture Enlightenment, Koan, Doubt, Constancy, Discrimination, Duality, Buddha Nature,... |
Sep 26 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Obaku's Address to the MonksSerial: BZ-00628B There Are No Zen Teachers in This Realm, Sesshin Day 2 Obaku, Koan, training, Non-discrimination, Rinzai, Dragons, Bowing, Bell, American... |
Sep 05 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sun Faced Buddha/Moon Faced BuddhaSerial: BZ-00505A Saturday Lecture Buddha, Koan, Subject-and-Object, Buddha Nature, Constancy, First Principle, Observe... |
May 19 1990 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mind Refresher CakesSerial: BZ-00376A Sesshin Day 1 Koan, Deshan, Dragons, Lineage, Gratitude, Passions |
Jun 21 1989 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 12th, 1988, Serial No. 00299Serial: BZ-00299 Sunday Lecture Ordinary Mind, Doubt, Attachment, Koan, Daily Life, Intuition, Soto Zen, confusion,... |
Jun 12 1988 |
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Genjokoan ISerial: BZ-01501B Sesshin lecture Birth-and-Death, true dharma, Sixth Patriarch, Koan, Attachment, Heart Sutra, Soto... |
Jun 03 1987 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #3Serial: BZ-00409A Sun Face Buddha, Moon Face Buddha, Saturday Lecture Buddha, Koan, BCR-3, First Principle, Buddha Nature, Cultivation, Commitment, Greed,... |
Feb 02 1985 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #43Serial: BZ-00006B How Can We Avoid Heat and Cold?, Saturday Lecture BCR-43 Koan, resistance, Non-violence, Fasting, Anger, Dana, Daily Life, Building, training... |
Mar 05 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #35 -- Seijo's Soul SeparatedSerial: BZ-00046B Unifying Body, Mind and the Way, Saturday Lecture MM-35
Koan, Birth-and-Death, War, Peace, Dragons, Offering, Instruction, Doubt, Emotions,... |
Jan 22 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #35Serial: BZ-00034A Manjushri's "3's" and "3's"; Nondiscrimination, Saturday Lecture BCR-35
Non-discrimination, Koan, Manjushri, Dragons, Conversation, Sixth Patriarch, Monastic... |
Jul 03 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #19Serial: BZ-00036A "Nansen's Everyday Mind in the Way", Saturday Lecture MM-19
Nansen, Absolute-and-Relative, Koan, Ordinary Mind, Non-violence, confusion,... |
Jun 26 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #17Serial: BZ-00029B "Sitting Long and Getting Tired", Sesshin Day 5 BCR-17
Composure, Zazen, Koan, First Principle, Ordinary Mind, Samadhi, Composure,... |
May 23 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Effort: The Fourth Paramita (Virya)Serial: BZ-00009A Blue Cliff Record: Case #5(?) "Beating the Drum", Saturday Lecture
Virya, Koan, Buddha Mind, Patience, Concentration, Chanting, Monastic Practice,... |
Apr 24 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |