I suspect that many koans include puns or cultural references that stop working after translation. Unfortunately, a “puzzle you can only understand if you are a buddha” and a “puzzle you can only understand if you are a buddha and fluent in Chinese and familiar with centuries old cultural references” may seem quite similar from the outside.
There are a few like that but with some duct tape and a vague understanding of Chinese and monastery culture you can get a glimpse of them. Also seeing multiple translations can give you some clues.
Will publish in a few days, after I present at my local dojo . No guarantee it works because my description is possibly rough and in person I can get feedback on your understanding of the description and say, okay try this explanation instead…
I gained an understanding of how to interpret zen koans. It’s kinda fun and yields a very calm state of mind when playing with them in your head.
It might be useful but I didn’t really go seeking this, I mostly stumbled across it.
I suspect that many koans include puns or cultural references that stop working after translation. Unfortunately, a “puzzle you can only understand if you are a buddha” and a “puzzle you can only understand if you are a buddha and fluent in Chinese and familiar with centuries old cultural references” may seem quite similar from the outside.
There are a few like that but with some duct tape and a vague understanding of Chinese and monastery culture you can get a glimpse of them. Also seeing multiple translations can give you some clues.
Okay. How do you do it?
http://bearlamp.com.au/zen-koans/
Also lesswrong post about it -
http://lesswrong.com/r/discussion/lw/p7j/lesswrong_sydney_rationality_dojo_on_zen_koans/
Will publish in a few days, after I present at my local dojo . No guarantee it works because my description is possibly rough and in person I can get feedback on your understanding of the description and say, okay try this explanation instead…