What is a koan?
In the zazen shin koan meditation, we will introduce the koan “polishing a tile.” A koan is a riddle used in Zen practice to help students transcend logic and attain a deeper understanding of reality. Koans are part of Zen teaching and serve as tools to provoke an experience of enlightenment or direct understanding. The “polishing a tile” koan can vary in its specific formulation. The essence of the riddle is as follows: A master sees a student practicing zazen, and through their dialogue, the master starts polishing a tile, posing a paradox about the nature of Buddha. If we are already Buddha, why practice?
The paradox of the zazen shin koan
This koan raises deep questions about the nature of Zen practice and the quest for enlightenment. When a student works on this zazen shin koan under the guidance of a Zen master, they are expected to meditate deeply on it. In doing so, they abandon conventional logic and seek an answer that goes beyond conceptual thought. The understanding sought is a direct and profound experience that transcends words and concepts. Ultimately, the “polishing a tile” koan, along with other similar koans, is used as a pedagogical tool to help students transcend the duality of the mind and reach a non-conceptual understanding of reality.
Meditation Workshop
Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 17:00, in-person and online. The workshop lasts two hours, during which Zen master Lluis Nansen Salas will guide us in a meditation to delve into the practice of the zazen shin koan. Location: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 665, Barcelona
This workshop is part of the Koan Meditations course. For more information about the schedule and prices, you can fill out the form or visit: Koan Meditations.