koan (koan)

(Language: Japanese)

Short Description: used to describe a phrase or a statement that cannot be solved by the intellect

Long Description: a Japanese word used to describe a phrase or a statement that cannot be solved by the intellect. In Rinzai Zen tradition, koans are used to awaken the intuitive mind.

Sources: The Laughing Buddha of Tofukuji: The Life of Zen Master Keido Fukushima , by Ishwar C. Harris