Koan
/ˈkoʊ.ɑːn/noun
A paradoxical question, statement, or anecdote used in Zen Buddhism to provoke insight beyond ordinary logical reasoning.
Did you know?The term originally referred to a Chinese legal “public case” or authoritative precedent before Zen teachers transformed it into a case for the mind to investigate.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
公案
“A public case, official matter, or legal precedent”
9th–10th Century
Middle Chinese
公案 (gong’an)
“A public case used metaphorically for an authoritative Buddhist example or teaching”
12th Century
Japanese
kōan (公案)
“A Zen case, question, or exchange intended for contemplative investigation”
17th Century
Japanese/European usage
kōan
“A term encountered in Western accounts of Japanese Zen practice”
20th Century
Modern English
koan
“A paradoxical Zen problem or teaching designed to disrupt conventional reasoning”