The Spark ("The Sound of One Hand Clapping")

koans

“We know the sound of two hands clapping. But what is the sound of one hand clapping?”

– Zen Master Hakuin Ekaku (1686-1769)

Koans in Zen Buddhism are riddles, paradoxical stories to challenge the mind and demonstrate the inadequacy of logical thinking for enlightenment.

Koans can provide valuable insights into leadership by challenging us to think differently and consider new perspectives. You can use koans as a tool for reflection and contemplation to help re-frame problems.

According to Yoel Hoffman in “The Sound of One Hand: 281 Koans with Answers,” the acceptable answer is for the student to face the Zen master, “take the correct posture, and silently extend one hand forward.” This response incorporates much of what Zen study tries to teach us about the preferred way to be in the world—immediate, non-verbal, spontaneous and intuitive.

Another way to think about it is through the power of thought. The idea of one hand clapping is not literal, however we don’t need to eliminate the experience of sound here. You can extend your hand and vividly recall in your mind the sound of a loud, clear clap. No clapping happened but you heard the sound of one hand clapping, and that’s the power of a thought; you freed the mind

An insight… many times the answers we seek cannot be found through traditional means, or found at all. We need to be present and open to observe, or perhaps explore inside where the answer may already exist.

“Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality”.- Shunryu Suzuki

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