The Iron Flute: 100 Zen Koans

by Ruth Strout McCandless, Ruth Strout-McCandless

The author clarifies the meaning of Koan and the commentaries of the work compiled by Genro, a Zen master in 18th century Japan.

Genres: Zen, Poetry, Buddhism, Philosophy, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Religion

153 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1985

Reviews

[Fr. Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to leave this one unrated. My interest in religion and philosophy is wide-ranging, and this is certainly interesting, but even with the explanations as provided, I found it only partly penetrable. I blame this partly on my current spiritual flow and my complete lack of desire to embrace Zen itself. No judgment here, hence no point in a low rating, and no enticement, hence no point in a high rating. I experienced it, said okay, and now I move on. I suspect this book is of high value to those on this particular path. It just requires more effort on my part than I am at this point willing to put forth.

[m4ltose · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Thirty years I trained riding horses, yet today I fell off a donkey."

Among the Koan Collections I've read or tried to read, this one stood out as rather comprehensible, while still being humorous. Never thought I'd laugh about monks insulting and baiting each other throughout these pages, but well.

Mu-Chou: "Dignified Gent!"
*The monk spoken to turns around.*
Mu-Chou: "You Brickhead."

But exactly that is what makes Zen appealing to me: It doesn't have to take itself seriously, it furtherso heavily discourages becoming caught up in stiff rituals and unquestioned guidings. You can almost imagine these sages laying intellectual traps for each other, just for shits and giggles. Sometimes the comments to Koans will point you towards understanding, sometimes they seem to just try and confuse you more, because after all: There is nothing to explain here.

[Dr. Carl Ludwig Dorsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of the 1783 volume upon which this book is based ("Tetteki Tosui") might be translated "Blowing Upside Down the Solid Iron Flute."

[B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book even though many of the koans were difficult to even follow.

[LucianTaylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zen humor at its finest. It has the purpose to empty you while you read the Koans to Awaken.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the most enjoyable book I have encountered in a while. It has had the effect of making me talk like a loon more frequently than usual.

[Dave Garnand · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me this was the perfect book of Zen; examples of Zen happening in real time, minimal comments in the spirit of Zen, and requiring multiple readings for one open to a less objective, less analytical approach to "reality". For one wanting concrete, answers-to-everything, this is probably not, as Tolle would say, a book in which to find something "interesting" (i.e. something that can be kept at a distance, conceptual). But to read (or listen to the Audible version narrated wonderfully by Ken McLeod) multiple times feels like an excellent experience in letting the Zen way of engaging the world sink into your very being and open your heart's eye to a world so missed in our crazy, frenetic lives but sitting right there in front of us at every moment.

Hey!

[Serdar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a by-now-classic collection of kōans that works as a good "200" lesson to advance to from the "100" lesson of something like "The Gateless Gate" (a favorite of mine). I take the Sōtō rather than the Rinzai approach to this sort of stuff -- meaning, these are stories best understood in the contexts they were first devised in as ways to illustrate points about Zen, rather than aides towards enlightenment. The commentaries provide perspectives that make them useful in that light. Another good place to start before coming to a book like this might be "Dropping Ashes On The Buddha" -- and, of course, one's own zazen, as there's no substitute for that.

[Jason Comely · Rating 5 out of 5]

I revisit this book regularly. Always fresh.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would have to say this is my all time favourite piece of Buddhist writing. Everytime I read this book I gain new insights into the way of zen. The explanations and commentaries are invaluable for gaining a greater perspective. I also found quite a few good laughs throughout.One of the best eastern mystical book I've ever read. If you want something to take your mind out of your mind and bring you into a space of silent contemplation, this is the book for you.

[Gnuvolante · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il libro raccoglie 100 koan, come da titolo, che nelle loro interpretazioni racchiudono la concezione zen della vita. 100 aneddoti su cui riflettere e che, nonostante l'apparente futilità di alcuni di essi, racchiudono senso profondo.

[X999 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't really understand it much, but I do have more appreciation for zen koans and the culture. [Refers to Audible edition]

[Anton Koval · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utterly boring and hard to read in comparison to say '101 Zen stories'

[valixt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Deja-vu