Who Needs an Explanation?
As a Buddhist, I have some mixed feelings about your “project”. My “understanding” of Zen koans (both stories and riddles) are to enable students of Zen to gain insight into the experience of life/living. The “point” of most koans is that of “direct experience,” and your request for readers to “explain” their “understanding” of these stories deflects their primary goal (IMHO). Sooo, while walking down a Zen monastary path, a student cannot pass his master and say nothing, nor can he stop and talk with him. What does he do? Censoring the Negatives Particularly interesting to me is the varied reactions to the stories. I compliment you on publishing these responses without censoring the negative responses. Often, the responses sounding the most intellectual offer the most negative criticism and the least perception. Zen masters would find that interesting, no doubt.
