Was there a purpose for the ridiculous Zen koans?
Our human mind produces a nearly non-stop stream of discursive thinking – the storytelling everyone engages in (“I’m a disorganized person;” “Bob doesn’t like me;” “Zen is ridiculous”). This thought-stream prevents us from perceiving the truth of life. Instead of direct perception, we get quickly lost in the images created by the thought-stream. As a result, we frequently fail to act in ways that benefit ourselves and others. It’s very hard to put and end to this thought-stream. Years of sustained meditation can do it. And in the Zen tradition, koans are used to cut through the thought-steam, if only for a few moments. When this occurs, a Zen student might experience life in a fresh, new way. That’s the point!
