Zen Koans Explained: "Mokusen's Hand"

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Hamilton Nolan

09/06/13 01:53PM

Filed to: zen

"Zen" is far more than the sound that a ninja's throwing star makes as it whistles past your ear. Contrary to popular belief, the role of ninjas in Zen is minor, at most. What is Zen really about? Koans. What are koans? Oh ho.

The koan: "Mokusen's Hand"

Mokusen Hiki was living in a temple in the province of Tamba. One of his adherents complained of the stinginess of his wife.
Mokusen visited the adherent's wife and showed her his clenched fist before her face. "What do you mean by that?" asked the surprised woman.
"Suppose my fist were always like that. What would you call it?" he asked. "Deformed," replied the woman.
Then he opened his hand flat in her face and asked: "Suppose it were always like that. What then?" "Another kind of deformity," said the wife.
"If you understand that much," finished Mokusen, "you are a good wife." Then he left.
After his visit, this wife helped her husband to distribute as well as to save.

The enlightenment: Shortly afterwards, Mokusen Hiki was removed from the Society of Professional Zen for making physical threats towards women. He went on to found a short-lived newsletter on amateur woodworking. The back issues of that newsletter are all that remain of him today.

This has been "Zen Koans Explained." A horse?

[Photo: Shutterstock]

The following replies are approved. To see additional replies that are pending approval, click Show Pending. Warning: These may contain graphic material.

1

LifeModelDecoy Hamilton Nolan 09/06/13 02:01PM

Other than to display your knowledge of Japanese stereotypes, I don't understand why you felt the need to even mention ninja in an article about an aspect of Zen Buddhism. This comes off as jingoist and uneducated without even the slightest interest in expanding your or the reader's understanding of the subject.

Do your homework:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._T._Suz…

4

Ken Layne LifeModelDecoy 09/06/13 02:29PM

Let's all do more homework, all day, all the time, so that nobody has reason to shit on Hamilton's nice post about a koan ... a koan that is quite obviously about a ninja. (Do your homework.)

2

LifeModelDecoy Ken Layne 09/06/13 02:32PM

Well that was dismissive and asinine...

MiloStephens LifeModelDecoy 09/06/13 02:41PM

Max Contrarian LifeModelDecoy 09/06/13 02:54PM

Do you know where we are?

11

Withnail Hamilton Nolan 09/06/13 02:13PM

I'd applaud this post, but I only have one hand.

the actual bajmahal Withnail 09/06/13 03:53PM

You could still wiggle yours fingers approvingly.

2

twizzler Withnail 09/06/13 04:11PM

I don't hear that and I applaud.

2

Albatrocity Withnail 09/06/13 04:11PM

I hear that.

Heedman Withnail 09/06/13 04:19PM

Brilliant.

2

raincoaster Hamilton Nolan 09/06/13 05:46PM

I want these all to be gathered in a little picture book, perfect for gift-giving.

4

DoctorNine Hamilton Nolan 09/06/13 03:44PM

"..After his visit, this wife helped her husband to distribute as well as to save..."

This translation isn't quite correct. The literal word order should be 'this wife helped her husband to save and then distribute', but the ideograms actually more loosely refer to 'pent up frustration' and 'spilling seed'.

It is for this reason that 'Mokusen Hand' is one of the most favored of koans amongst teenage Zen devotees.