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koan
[ koh-ahn ]
noun
, Zen.
, plural ko·ans, ko·an.
- a nonsensical or paradoxical question to a student for which an answer is demanded, the stress of meditation on the question often being illuminating.
koan
/ ˈkəʊæn /
noun
- (in Zen Buddhism) a problem or riddle that admits no logical solution
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Word History and Origins
Origin of koan1
1945–50; < Japanese kōan, earlier koũ-an < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese gōngàn public proposal
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Word History and Origins
Origin of koan1
from Japanese
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Example Sentences
A famous koan asks the novitiate to describe her face before she was born.
From Nautilus
This is one of the meanings of the famous Zen koan, “If you see the Buddha on the road, kill him.”
From The Daily Beast
This is a Zen koan of American political thought, a perfect yin and yang.
From The Daily Beast
The question of how to combat 9/11 amnesia while moving forward can feel like a Zen koan.
From The Daily Beast
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