Our Treeleaf Sangha is about to begin dancing - and living - the 100 Koans of the treasured “BOOK OF EQUANIMITY”. So, it’s a good time to look at some all too common MISUNDERSTANDINGS, NARROW VIEWS, BIASES, SECTARIAN DOGMAS, “MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY-isms”, PARTIAL TRUTHS and PREJUDICES that plague discussion of Koan Practice in the modern Zen world.

In doing so, my purpose is not to impose my own sectarian dogma and “my way or the highway-ism” in place of others. In fact, my central point is that there are MANY excellent Paths of Koan Practice, that the Koans belong to all of us. There are MANY good paths up and down the mountainless-mountain.

Discussion of these topics can be surprisingly sensitive to many Zen folks, a bit like challenging any religious talisman, such as Christians discussing “the one true way to believe in Jesus”. (Zen folks can get fired up too when faced with challenges to their own religious sacred cows, although usually in an understated Buddhist way). In fact, there are many right ways to believe in Jesus suited to different believers, just as there are several right ways to practice Koans suited to different practitioners. Thus, most of the following misunderstandings arise from the belief that there is only one right way to enter the Koans, when in fact there has always been more than one way to skin “Nanzan’s cat”.

A few of the common misunderstandings and biases still prevalent arise from the fact that some of the earliest and most popular books on Zen first published in the West, such as the writings by D.T. Suzuki, the “Three Pillars of Zen” and others (including even many current authors), present a certain view and personal approach to the Koans and Koan Practice which (while surely rich and fruitful for such practitioners) seem to characterize various other approaches as less authentic. Those writings often leave the false impression that the views expressed by the authors correctly have represented the one traditional path to Practice with Koans … or even the oldest, most mainstream, or necessarily most fruitful and powerful use of Koans as encountered throughout Zen Buddhist history and for all practitioners.

It simply was not so.

Better said, there have been several ancient, traditional Paths of Koan Practice, each fruitful and boundlessly powerful to those on that Path.

Before beginning discussion, let me underline again that I am not and never will be critical of the ways of Koan Practice expressed by those authors or other Koan practioners, Teachers and Students, undertaking the Koans in personal ways they find powerful, fruitful Practice for their own needs. Wonderful! I support each and all to find and express the Path suitable for their own walking. My point is merely to challenge various wide spread suppositions, narrow sectarian views and a common lack of awareness of Zen Buddhist history regarding the development of Koan Practice that lead to “my way or the highway-ism”. Throughout our history, there have been several enlightening ways of dancing the Koans, and my 'finger wagging' is directed only at those folks who would assert that they stand as guardian of the one and exclusive truly authentic, traditional, most powerful, original, legitimate enlightening way of Koan Practice.

Hockey pucks!

So, what are some of the common misunderstandings, biases, prejudices etc. about Koan Practice? I will discuss these in my talk today, including:

I - The first misunderstanding, believed by many, is that the one truly enlightening, and most ancient or original, way to Practice with Koans is through what is sometimes called “Koan Introspection Zazen”, including the “Kanhua” or “Wa’to” methods of Koan introspection. Although a wondrous way for its practitioners beyond any question of when it developed in history, it is not the only or oldest way. (Likewise, neither is Dogen’s way the “oldest way”, nor the way for all practitioners).

II - Another misunderstanding is the assertion that D