The Shape of the Cosmos
摘要
Master Mokurai was sitting in the courtyard of a Zen temple when he heard the gong announcing the arrival of his young student Toyo. After bowing three times, Toyo settled down on the cushion next to his master and remained there in perfect silence. Without taking his gaze from the horizon, Mokurai questioned the student with the following koan: “You know the sound of two hands clapping, but what is the sound of one hand clapping?” The boy retreated to his room, striving to listen to the silence with his eyes shut.