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The Sound of One Hand: 281 Zen Koans with Answers
When The Sound of the One Hand came out in Japan in 1916 it caused a scandal. Zen was a secretive practice, its wisdom relayed from master to novice in strictest privacy. That a handbook existed recording not only the riddling koans that are central to Zen teaching but also detailing the answers to them seemed to mark Zen as rote, not revelatory.
For all that, The Sound of the One Hand opens the door to Zen like no other book. Including koans that go back to the master who first brought the koan teaching method from China to Japan in the eighteenth century, this book offers, in the words of the translator, editor, and Zen initiate Yoel Hoffmann, “the clearest, most detailed, and most correct picture of Zen” that can be found. What we have here is an extraordinary introduction to Zen thought as lived thought, a treasury of problems, paradoxes, and performance that will appeal to artists, writers, and philosophers as well as Buddhists and students of religion.
For all that, The Sound of the One Hand opens the door to Zen like no other book. Including koans that go back to the master who first brought the koan teaching method from China to Japan in the eighteenth century, this book offers, in the words of the translator, editor, and Zen initiate Yoel Hoffmann, “the clearest, most detailed, and most correct picture of Zen” that can be found. What we have here is an extraordinary introduction to Zen thought as lived thought, a treasury of problems, paradoxes, and performance that will appeal to artists, writers, and philosophers as well as Buddhists and students of religion.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1916
88 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Hau Hōō
1 book1 followerA pseudonym for the anonymous author of A Critique of Present-day Pseudo-Zen.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 20, 2018
In clapping both hands a sound is heard; what is the sound of the one hand?
ANSWER
The pupil faces his master, takes a correct posture, and without a word, thrusts one hand forward.
MASTER
If it’s that convenient a thing, let me hear it too!
ANSWER
Without a word, the pupil slaps his master’s face.
The one hand—how far will it reach?
ANSWER
The pupil places his hand on the floor and says, “This is how far it goes.”
Why do birds shit on Buddha’s head?
ANSWER
“What the hell! Some damned bird shit on my head!” Saying this, the pupil makes the pretense of shaking it off his head.
MASTER
Say the Five Moral Principles and the Five Cardinal Virtues [of Confucianism] in one breath.
ANSWER
“It’s a nice day today!”
MASTER
The state of nirvana—what’s it like?
ANSWER
Facing his head to the north and lying on his side, the pupil recreates the reclining state of Buddha entering nirvana [as depicted in the famous paintings].
ANSWER
The pupil faces his master, takes a correct posture, and without a word, thrusts one hand forward.
MASTER
If it’s that convenient a thing, let me hear it too!
ANSWER
Without a word, the pupil slaps his master’s face.
The one hand—how far will it reach?
ANSWER
The pupil places his hand on the floor and says, “This is how far it goes.”
Why do birds shit on Buddha’s head?
ANSWER
“What the hell! Some damned bird shit on my head!” Saying this, the pupil makes the pretense of shaking it off his head.
MASTER
Say the Five Moral Principles and the Five Cardinal Virtues [of Confucianism] in one breath.
ANSWER
“It’s a nice day today!”
MASTER
The state of nirvana—what’s it like?
ANSWER
Facing his head to the north and lying on his side, the pupil recreates the reclining state of Buddha entering nirvana [as depicted in the famous paintings].
February 16, 2018
A wonderful collection of koans. I'll say no more.
January 26, 2021
Master:
The eye looking around makes no sound; and why not?
Answer:
Tuesday in autumn, Tuesday in winter, Tuesday in summer!
The eye looking around makes no sound; and why not?
Answer:
Tuesday in autumn, Tuesday in winter, Tuesday in summer!
December 25, 2023
I GET IT, NO REALLY I GET IT. Away with the rotten plague of philosophical disease and good riddance to those literate in the profound ideology of Buddhism and let’s shun away those obsessed with conceptualizing enlightenment, heaven and hell. Real zen according to this book is to take things at face value. The sound of the one hand is to achieve the state of mu, the state of nothingness, relation-less, a mindful existence that aims to rid all things from their idea and meaning and symbolism and treat them in their very fundamental nature as long as this nature leads to a void, everything is as is, it must not negate or affirm. The koans are a series of seemingly profound questions with ridiculous truly absurd answers as them aim to embody mu in their weight thus giving us a foolish answer that looks like it’s not answering the question while forcing us to actually read the text as question and answer which sends us ourselves in a state of questioning to take in the absurdity and peak at mu ourself, so that maybe we can actually transfer that knowledge, that state of nothingness in our zazen meditation practice. I read a book once called Happy is the one who is nothing and in my view it instilled similar ideas without the painful experience of some of the exchanges in these koans and by painful i just mean so very dry and ridiculous and mundane to the point that you don’t want to stop reading. So what i would say that it’s not an enjoyable read but it’s very interesting and apparently essential in the world of zen.
Currently reading
July 17, 2023"Master: If you've heard the sound of the one hand [clapping], let me hear it too.
Answer: [The] pupil slaps the face of his master."
"Master: Where will you go after death?
Answer: Excuse me for a minute, I have to go to the toilet."
"Master: [Why] is there a cat in the picture of Buddha entering nirvana?
Answer: Why don't you have a wife?"
Answer: [The] pupil slaps the face of his master."
"Master: Where will you go after death?
Answer: Excuse me for a minute, I have to go to the toilet."
"Master: [Why] is there a cat in the picture of Buddha entering nirvana?
Answer: Why don't you have a wife?"
November 13, 2023
I usually stick to reading and finishing books especially if the genre is one of my favorites. I couldn't continue reading this one because of the style and almost childish content....I guess it's inevitable that you run across a book like this once in a while...hopefully not too often.
October 11, 2021
I assume these koans were originally rather simple and thus their translation is too, but sadly it cannot avoid the fact that they are stultifyingly boring.
November 25, 2023
Interesting. Even with the so-called answers to classic koans, I don’t feel enlightened. On the other hand it is kinda cool to know what the sound of one hand clapping is
January 16, 2025
I still don't get why this was such a big secret...
November 13, 2023
One of the strangest books I've ever read. The original Japanese title is absolutely brilliant -
Gendai sōjizen hyōron - Contemporary Pseudo-Zen Critique. Written by an anonymous monk in 1916 who, Hoffmann reckons, was extremely learned and deep into one Zen sect or another, it aimed to reveal the shallow basis of the koan traditions through the publication of the answers to these famous paradoxes.
I'm not an expert on Zen, but I thought I knew a thing or two, and I certainly hadn't known that koans were supposed to have answers. Specific answers, not personal interpretations that illustrate a deeper spiritual understanding of what is implied.
The answers are likely to be controversial. By which I mean, it is impossible not to read this book and not find the answers stupid. You will find your appreciation of Zen shrink and depreciate. You will relate to the Japanese author who felt it necessary to expose the bullshit.
With that understanding in mind, you may appreciate the translator, who had an especially difficult job in translating these opaque and esoteric koans and their insipid answers. A true believer would try to frame things in the best light possible, while a polemicist would strive to expose the pseudo-Zen in fierce English. The book, instead, is a strange mixture of genuine provocative, insightful koans, and the baggage of tradition and hierarchy. I have never really been into Zen because, although I am fascinated by Buddhism, Zen has always connotated the worst aspects of Japanese culture - blind unyielding obedience to superiors, the vanity of purity, vague anti-humanism...it seemed to put itself above the 'Buddhist' parts of Buddhism. As its own thing, though, I have enjoyed studying it, even if it is not the path for me, or for most.
Gendai sōjizen hyōron - Contemporary Pseudo-Zen Critique. Written by an anonymous monk in 1916 who, Hoffmann reckons, was extremely learned and deep into one Zen sect or another, it aimed to reveal the shallow basis of the koan traditions through the publication of the answers to these famous paradoxes.
I'm not an expert on Zen, but I thought I knew a thing or two, and I certainly hadn't known that koans were supposed to have answers. Specific answers, not personal interpretations that illustrate a deeper spiritual understanding of what is implied.
The answers are likely to be controversial. By which I mean, it is impossible not to read this book and not find the answers stupid. You will find your appreciation of Zen shrink and depreciate. You will relate to the Japanese author who felt it necessary to expose the bullshit.
With that understanding in mind, you may appreciate the translator, who had an especially difficult job in translating these opaque and esoteric koans and their insipid answers. A true believer would try to frame things in the best light possible, while a polemicist would strive to expose the pseudo-Zen in fierce English. The book, instead, is a strange mixture of genuine provocative, insightful koans, and the baggage of tradition and hierarchy. I have never really been into Zen because, although I am fascinated by Buddhism, Zen has always connotated the worst aspects of Japanese culture - blind unyielding obedience to superiors, the vanity of purity, vague anti-humanism...it seemed to put itself above the 'Buddhist' parts of Buddhism. As its own thing, though, I have enjoyed studying it, even if it is not the path for me, or for most.
February 2, 2021
Looking for a nice book of koans to ponder, saw this at the library. Even keeping in mind the bizarre nature of some koan “answers”, I still can’t imagine anyone finding anything of value here. It contains such gems as...
MASTER: Ha! You trespass!
ANSWER: “Stick.”
Pretty deep stuff. If you’re looking for Zen stories, something to make you reflect and think - as I was - try “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.”
MASTER: Ha! You trespass!
ANSWER: “Stick.”
Pretty deep stuff. If you’re looking for Zen stories, something to make you reflect and think - as I was - try “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.”
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March 19, 2012Loved this, would like to find a copy. Read it during college.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews