What is a koan, and do I need one?
A koan is a question the thinking mind cannot answer, given by a teacher to a student so that the student stops trying to think their way through. A monk once asked Zhaozhou whether a dog has Buddha nature. Zhaozhou said, "Mu." Students have sat with that one word for years. But notice what you are really asking. You want to know whether you are missing something, whether there is a better tool somewhere that would make your practice real. That worry is already your koan. Who is it that needs something more? You don't need a borrowed puzzle to begin. You need to stop leaning away from this moment. In your next sitting, when the thought comes that you should be doing it differently, don't answer it. Just ask quietly, what is this, and keep sitting.
This was one stranger’s question. In the app, you sit, say what is actually going on, and the teacher answers you, in a voice, privately. The first dokusan is free.
Download on the App Store