Grade: 5/5
Teacher comments: Great description of a Zen koan. Also, your analysis of the Not the Flag koan is insightful. Great work!
2/22/22
A Zen koan is a “paradoxical riddle designed to astound the mind” (Brodd, p. 179). Zen koans are used by the Zen Buddhism sect of Mahayana Buddhism. Zen Buddhists believe that by meditating on a zen koan “the rational mind falters, allowing awareness to settle into a deeper, intuitive experience of one’s own nature as Buddha nature” (Brodd, p. 179). This process can lead to satori which is sudden enlightenment. Enlightenment leads to nirvana which is the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
Not the Wind, Not the Flag
In this koan the sixth patriarch tells the two monks that are arguing that it’s not the flag or the wind that is moving. The patriarch tells them that it is their mind which I interpreted to mean it is their perception of the flag and wind in their mind that causes them to see movement. Buddhist believe that nothing is permanent and that all things are constantly changing, they call this impermanence “anitya”. With this understanding the end of the koan that says it is the mind that is moving can be interpreted as saying there is no flag or wind. What the two monks see is simply their perception. Perception is one of the five Skandas which make up our sense of being. One of the goals of Buddhism is to no longer cling to their sense of self because it leads to suffering. The monks are creating their own suffering by arguing and having the desire to be right. Instead they should rid themselves of this desire and seek inner peace so that they can reach nirvana.
References
Brodd, Jeffrey, et al. Invitation to World Religions. 4th ed., Oxford University Press, 2022.
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