The process often involves the student meditating on the koan for an extended period, sometimes for years, until they achieve a breakthrough or kensho—a direct experience of enlightenment.
Modern Usage
Today, koans are still used in Zen practice, particularly in the Rinzai school, though they are also studied in the Sōtō school in a different context.
Koans have also influenced western philosophy and literature, with their paradoxical nature attracting thinkers and writers interested in exploring the limits of logic and language.
Overall, the koan tradition has been a central part of Zen Buddhism for over a thousand years, serving as a powerful Tool for challenging and transcending ordinary thought to achieve a deeper understanding of reality.
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