Clearing Your Mind

This chapter discusses Buddhist practices that aim at a direct experience of the world free from concepts and labels. As an important practice in some schools of Zen Buddhism, koans have many uses and functions, some of which involve moving beyond language and concepts. One important role koans play is as a tool for the teacher to verify that a student has had a certain experience—that they have realized and internalized certain facts about the world. This is not about whether or not they know these things intellectually, but whether they get them on a gut level. Another practice important in Zen is called zazen—literally sitting Zen. These techniques aim at getting into a particular calm and receptive state of mind, free from the misleading effects of thought and categorization. In this state, one can better realize that all experiences are empty; since they are relational and impermanent, they all contain the key to solving the problem.