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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 Chan, Zen, Seon and Thiền 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.
| Title | Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Zen Mind Unveiled Through MeditationSerial: RB-00818   Seminar_Cooking_Your_Karma  Koan, Practice, Meditation | Apr  1993Chiemsee | |
| Zen Koans and Spiritual FriendshipSerial: RB-00813   Seminar_Book_of_Serenity_Koan_1  Koan, Practice, Sangha | Feb  1993Sinsheim | |
| Weaving Reality: Zen and ConsciousnessSerial: RB-00814   Seminar_Book_of_Serenity_Koan_1  Breath, Practice, Koan | Feb  1993Sinsheim | |
| Leaking Compassion and Zen InsightSerial: RB-00817   Seminar_Book_of_Serenity_Koan_1  Koan, Bodhisattva, Practice | Feb  1993Sinsheim | |
| Flowing Through Zen's Koan WisdomSerial: RB-01625B   Talk_Koan_76  Enlightenment, Koan, Practice | Jan 28 1993Crestone Zen Mountain Center | |
| Embodied Reality Through Zen PracticeSerial: RB-00836   Seminar_The_Price_of_Potatoes_in_Berlin  Koan, Practice, Time |   1993Berlin | |
| Silent Seats, Living ZenSerial: RB-00843   Seminar_Yaoshan_Ascends_the_Seat  Koan, Consciousness, Time |   1993Rastenberg | |
| Awakening to the Miracle of NowSerial: RB-00845   Seminar_Yaoshan_Ascends_the_Seat  Consciousness, Koan |   1993Rastenberg | |
| Zen Koans in Therapeutic LightSerial: RB-00847   Seminar_Therapist-Mind_Beginner´s-Mind  Practice, Koan, Buddhism |   1993Kassel | |
| Participation and Poetry in the New TestamentSerial: NC-00061   Part of "Spirituality in a Secular World: Poetry and Wisdom" 3. Participation and Poetry in the New Testament Archival Photo OSB Cam,  Enlightenment, Forgiveness, Conversation, Koan |   1993 3 of 4New Camaldoli Hermitage | |
| Hands, Horns, and Hidden Dragons Koan, Time, Pain | Nov 23 1992 | |
| Embracing Zen's Messy Truths Priest, Buddha Nature, Silence, Hate, Koan | Nov 08 1992 | |
| Zen in Everyday Life Unveiled Silence, Priest, Buddha Nature, Hate, Koan | Nov 08 1992 | |
| Embodied Zen Awakening Through PresenceSerial: RB-00800   Sesshin  Koan, Culture, Time | Sep  1992Roseburg | |
| Transcending Duality Through Zen PerceptionSerial: RB-00801   Sesshin  Culture, Koan, Zazen | Sep  1992Roseburg | |
| Relax Into Presence: Embrace ImpermanenceSerial: RB-00803   Sesshin  Koan, Buddhism, Faith | Sep  1992Roseburg | |
| Embracing Fluid Reality Through ZenSerial: RB-00791   Seminar_Buddhahood_and_the_Establishment_of_the_Two_Truth  Koan, Bodhisattva, Zazen | Jul 03 1992Rastenberg | |
| Embracing Chaos in Zen PracticeSerial: RB-00770A   Sesshin  Practice, Buddhism, Koan | Jun  1992Roseburg | |
| Stillness Embodies Zen's CompletenessSerial: RB-00770B   Sesshin  Practice, Koan, Posture | Jun  1992Roseburg | |
| Sangha: Beyond the Self, TogetherSerial: RB-00772A   Sesshin  Sangha, Koan, Time | Jun  1992Roseburg | |
| Illuminating the Inner Zen JourneySerial: RB-00773A   Sesshin  Buddhism, Koan, Wisdom | Jun  1992Roseburg | |
| Evolving Zen Practice in EuropeSerial: RB-00773B   Sesshin  Practice, Lay Ordination, Koan | Jun  1992Roseburg | |
| Silent Path to Non-Dual WisdomSerial: RB-03726   Seminar_Vimalakirti`s_Silence  Silence, Manjushri, Koan | Feb 04 1992 | |
| Embracing the Art of Not-KnowingSerial: RB-00795   Seminar_ Lay_Practice_and_Koan_Study  Koan, Offering, Silence |   1992Roseburg | |
| Beyond Words: Experiencing Zen AwakeningSerial: RB-00796   Seminar_ Lay_Practice_and_Koan_Study  Koan, Practice, Enlightenment |   1992Roseburg | |
| Zen Koans: Pathways to PresenceSerial: RB-00797   Seminar_ Lay_Practice_and_Koan_Study  Koan, Practice, Enlightenment |   1992Roseburg | |
| Zen Koans: Agents of Transformative ChangeSerial: RB-00798A   Seminar_ Lay_Practice_and_Koan_Study  Koan, Practice, Time |   1992Roseburg | |
| Awakening in Tang Dynasty ZenSerial: RB-00798B   Seminar_ Lay_Practice_and_Koan_Study  Practice, Koan, Meditation |   1992Roseburg | |
| Koans and the Art of BeingSerial: RB-00799A   Seminar_ Lay_Practice_and_Koan_Study  Time, Koan, Enlightenment |   1992Roseburg | |
| Blurring Boundaries Through Zen PracticeSerial: RB-00799B   Seminar_ Lay_Practice_and_Koan_Study  Time, Ceremony, Koan |   1992Roseburg | |
| Zen Stream: Flowing Mindfulness EverydaySerial: RB-00805   Seminar_The_Living_Stream_of_Consciousness_and_Awareness  Practice, Koan, Posture |   1992Münster | |
| Awakening Through Zen Practice StagesSerial: RB-00806   Seminar_The_Living_Stream_of_Consciousness_and_Awareness  Practice, Time, Koan |   1992Münster | |
| Flowing Beyond WordsSerial: RB-00807   Seminar_The_Living_Stream_of_Consciousness_and_Awareness  Practice, Koan, Buddhism |   1992Münster | |
| Language Beyond Words: Zen InsightsSerial: RB-00808   Seminar_The_Living_Stream_of_Consciousness_and_Awareness  Time, Koan, Practice |   1992Münster | |
| Opening Envelopes to EnlightenmentSerial: RB-00743   Sesshin  Practice, Koan, Japan | Sep  1991Roseburg | |
| Breath of Being: Zen InsightsSerial: RB-00744   Sesshin  Practice, Breath, Koan | Sep  1991Roseburg | |
| Zen Pathways: Reimagining Western IdeasSerial: RB-00746   Sesshin  Practice, Emptiness, Koan | Sep  1991Roseburg | |
| Embracing Emptiness: The Fractal SelfSerial: RB-00747   Sesshin  Practice, Emptiness, Koan | Sep  1991Roseburg | |
| Zen Posture: Cultivating Mindful AwarenessSerial: RB-00739   Seminar_Cosmos  Buddhism, Koan, Practice |   1991Holland | |
| Zen Embodied: Mind and Body UnitySerial: RB-00692B   Seminar  Practice, Koan, Stillness | Nov 11 1990Heidelberg | |
| Lotus Blossoms: Journey to Mindful EnlightenmentSerial: RB-00694   Seminar  Practice, Time, Koan | Nov 11 1990Heidelberg | |
| Embarking on the Zen JourneySerial: RB-02257   Seminar  Practice, Time, Koan | Nov 10 1990 | |
| Embodied Zen: Beyond Words and Mind Koan, Meditation, Instruction | Nov 06 1990 | |
| Bubbles of Awareness in ZenSerial: RB-02658   Seminar  Practice, Koan, Daily Life | Nov  1990 | |
| Seeing Through the Gateless Path Doubt, Koan, Time | Oct 15 1990 | |
| Words, Action, and Dharma's Dance Faith, Karma, Koan | Oct 08 1990 | |
| Sun Faced Buddha/Moon Faced BuddhaSerial: BZ-00505A   Saturday Lecture Buddha, Koan,  Subject-and-Object, Buddha Nature, Constancy, First Principle, Observe... | May 19 1990Berkeley Zen Center | |
| Koans: Transforming Queries into WisdomSerial: RB-00677   Sesshin  Practice, Koan, Japan | Dec 07 1989Crestone Zen Mountain Center | |
| Zendo Talk Practice, Koan, Buddha | Nov 22 1989Unknown | |
| Mumonkan Case #25 Buddha, Koan, Time | Oct 03 1989Unknown |