But first, do you know what a Koan is? A koan is a type of narrative that comes from Zen Buddhism. The purpose of Koan is deep reflection and even illumination. Reading Koans gives us the feeling of quietness necessary for great reflections besides providing silence to the mind.
Koans can be a question, a affirmation or a dialogue; in the latter case, it is usually a dialogue between a disciple and his Master.
One rainy day, when was sitting with a disciple in the temple hall and listening to the drops of water gently tapping on the roof and in the courtyard, Master Jing-qing asked the other monk:
"What is that sound out there?"
"It's the rain," replied the monk. The master said:
"When looking for something outside of itself, all beings are confused with the meanings."
"So," replied the disciple, "how should I feel about what I perceive, Master?"
The sage only said:
"I am the noise of the rain."
When I have hard days, I try to read some koans to quiet my mind before I go to sleep.
Before your parents were born, what was your original nature?
Today's text is simple and short, but I hope it can help some people who have problems with their minds full at times.
I understand you.