Welcome to the Philosophical Corner! This is a Kōan Meditation that utilizes a Zen Kōan: an unanswerable question, story, or statement used in Zen practice. Traditionally presented to a student from a teacher, Kōans are innately designed to be unknowable, and are intended to stimulate deep thought and contemplation.

The Kōan in this meditation is as follows:

One day as Manjusri stood outside the gate, the Buddha called to him, “Manjusri, Manjusri, why do you not enter?”

Manjusri replied, “I do not see myself as outside. Why enter?”

Don’t struggle to decipher its meaning. Come to peace with the lack of clear answers, and accept that it can only be understood by your spirit, not your intellect. It may help you become more comfortable with the unknowable, as well as the uncontrollable parts of your own life and the world around you. Remember: the point is not to find an answer, but simply to ponder!

This meditation is ideal for people who are more curious or experienced in meditation.