The Zen Riddle No One Can Solve
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We are accustom to stories, jokes, ideas, riddles, etc. that have answers or conclusions. Things we can walk away with and hold on to. In Zen, however, there is a riddle that goes the other way. A riddle that self-destructs itself and denies you access to a conclusion or answer. This story-like riddle is known as a kลan, and no one can solve it.
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@healthdoc
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
It is the fearful, uncomfortable with lifeโs measured emergence, that insist on a narrative of certainty to quiet the terrors of doubt.
@WinkLinkletter
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
'Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.'
I wish I could get my housemate to wash his dishes after eating.๐
@TheeBohemian
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
My father named me Zen, only to, in his violent and alcohol-saturated histrionic fashion, to torment me day and night during my most formative childhood years — the ones most vital for personality development, and in so doing psychologically paralyzed me with a host of mental disorders, including an inextricable guilt complex, poverty of speech, staggered reflexes and untreatable severe OCD; That has made living not even remotely peaceful. I tried meditation, yet it only made things worse. My very name is distilled mockery. Only basic dopamine-loading offers temporary relief, yet I know it is a dead-end with no realistic exit. I'm a categorical write-off, but I will say that these experiences have enlightened me to the true nature of this ostensible school of thought. I don't care what elaborate words you use to describe sophisticated bullsh!t, it's still bvllsh!t. Those Buddhists are and were, in their part of the world and beyond, just a terminally bored, socioeconomically privileged class — including the princely Buddha — that refused to meaningfully participate, be it politically or socially, within greater society nor engage in any measurable manual labor necessary to sustain life. Choosing instead to whittle away the hours preoccupied with inconsequentialities and devising abstract and thereby useless puzzles; and whose rationalized pseudophilosophy was picked up by the impressionable and spoiled children of the consumerist class here so that they themselves could use this subjectivist nonsense to rationalize their indolence and self-importance. Narrowminded, sophomoric and ultimately fatalistic. Doesn't impress me and never will. Call me emotionally biased, and you predictably will, but you can't deny I have the point. Stop wasting your time with this frivolous and hypocritical elitist garbage, and start prioritizing the basics. You live in a physical universe, and have physical needs. Meet your body's caloric and nutritional demands. Secure yourself affordable shelter. Put in the best job you capably can and don't cut corners. Be frugal with your purchases. Use scientific reasoning where possible, but don't place religious faith in it. Be selective on who you choose to spend your time with, and locate a trustworthy mate. If you have children, keep your ego in check, as in don't see them as an ornamental lifestyle object or an extension of your own self-image, and act responsibly. That's it. Nothing complicated so don't make it complicated. There is no transcendence, only corporal existence. So start acting like it. Live by principles, so as to mitigate suffering. No more, no less.
@TofinoRider
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Before enlightenment: Carry water, chop wood.
After enlightenment: Carry water, chop wood.
@marcbernat9625
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
โ What is the way?
Daily life is the way.
Can it be studied?
If you try to study it, you will be one thousand and one miles from it. โ
@brianarsenault8882
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Clearly this riddle made me think and that was the opposite of what desired ๐
@dickturpin435
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Nobody can think for you but you can tolerate those who try to.
@ObjectiveZoomer
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
No reason to reason since nothing can be known
@atticus.1Q84
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Isn't the meaning of the introduction anecdote similar with the thinking : "be fluid like water". Isn't the monk implying to not worry about things and just do what needs to be done in the current moment.
@alicewhite607
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Businessman
&
Monk
A Zen Story
By Alice & The white Rabbit
Bm: Excuse me sir, do you have the time?
Monk: Huh?
BM: Do you know what time it is?
Monk: When
BM: Now
Monk: There you go
BM: Thatโs not what I meant
Monk: What did you mean?
BM: I meant I am late
Monk: Oh. So, you are lost?
BM: No. I am late
Monk: Same thing
BM: No. I am late to get somewhere
Monk: Other than here?
BM: Yes
Monk: Well then goodbye, I hope you find it; but I cannot help you get there
BM: ok good sir. Thank you for your time.
Monk: Huh?
@murnoth
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Although X-plaining Zen is not the point of Zen, I will bastardize it with my own 2 cents in case if anyone might find this useful. Essentially, a Koan will elicit neuroplasticity in the brain where the elemental mechanism to be used for your own answer is being stimulated. It is like an exercise or a drill. It's like teaching an engineer the proper way to design a mold for casting Anything rather than to teach how to design a specific thing. Hopefully an understandable example might be the case where a person seeks an apprenticeship to be groomed to build and expand a business empire. Then the Teacher breaks out the board game Go and all he ever does is play Go with him. The student might be confused why he's sitting there playing a damn game instead of how to take over the world, but that is exactly what the game teaches his brain. It's opening up all the pathways of thinking that he will need to come in under the radar, and by the time the competition knows he's in business, they've already lost because they couldn't recognize what he was developing. So basically koans will pry you from the cultural hegemony that grips you and you will see the mechanisms behind the mechanisms going on behind the seen.
@quantumphantasm6354
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
"A monk seeking guidance from Zhao Zhou, the master of a Zen monastery, asks Zhao Zhou if he will teach him the way to enlightenment. In response, Zhao Zhou asks the monk, "Have you eaten your meal?" The monk replies, "Yes, I have." "Then go wash your bowl," says Zhao Zhou. At that moment, the monk was enlightened."
Yes! This is the perfect Koan.
"Right off the bat, you might find this anecdote to be abrupt and confusing. With further thought, you might try to figure out why; what the meal and the bowl might represent and what the metaphorical lesson might be. After more thought, you might conclude that it all appears to have no point. With this, you would be correct. It doesn't."
No! It DOES have a point, and it's so obvious, on the nose, in your face, that you'll miss it if you're trying too hard to understand it, or looking too 'deep' and trying to extract some 'profound' answer from it. And THAT is the point.
When you do something like eating a meal, the next thing you should do is clean up after yourself. Many people resist this duty or advantage of maintenance in the mundane things in life. If you're Zen (or Chan), you don't.
I had never heard this one before, but it immediately reminded me of "chop wood, carry water." The daily work may seem daunting, but gladly doing the work means you won't be cold and thirsty later.
If you know, you know. If you don't, there is no way for anyone to make you get it. You have to do the work to reach the understanding yourself.
@99desi9n
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Thank you for sharing, you speak with much conviction. Although I do believe you might also fail to see the lesson of this koan. The easy way out would just be to assume that it makes no sense and declare it as such. This is the ego attempting to establish itself. But this is only a small part of the lesson. The very purpose of koans is being able to see through self inflated opinions. When you see it you will realize that there actually isn't any problem to solve. It simply points to the way. I can only show you the way to the gateless gate, but it is up to you to step through it.
@johnnyisdead
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
It's not brain breaking. He just told the guy to get on with his life because living is the point.
@foxymetroid
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
I don't think the food and bowl represent anything more than food and a bowl. Perhaps the point of the video is that, if you want to understand Zen, you should first realize you can't ever understand Zen. To be understood contradicts its entire point. The student was told to wash his bowl because it was dirty and he should already be washing it.
@mightymicroworlds4566
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
There is a profound peace found in these videos ๐
@BackroadBender
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
that was a great video
@MidnightSamuraiSake
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Lord buddha is great ๐
@deborahmartin6365
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Most interesting but how fast did the reader narrate this ?
@fab1an42-l7m
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
You are not only talking about Zen Buddhism but also about daoism witch is a Religion from China jet simmelar but different
@AgMak
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
true retarded philosophy
@ZenAndPsychedelicHealingCenter
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
That's odd, because I've seen many Zen students solve Koans. You have no idea what you're talking about.
@Nate-dj8is
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
โZen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.โ – Alan Watts
@ietsepiensAdvice
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Hey how are you apple? Your funny apple heheh yes
@skyluke9476
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
The point of the Koan is to simply teach us, their is no single path to enlightenment, no correct way, just go about life however you do it man. We all arrive at the end one way or another โค
@flossyhades8141
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
It is what it is
@BB1CC666
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
I think the meaning of the riddle is: There is no secret or one true answer to enlightenment/success, you still need to do your everyday work, live your everyday life.
Enlightenment can only be achieved, over time, through hard work and life experience.
@notzelenqk
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
The point is that when you're done with something you'll have to start something else to continue living your life
@MourningNihilist
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 pm
When you're done, sitting on the great white throne. Wipe. Solve that one…..
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