Impossible Situations: A Buffalo Passes Through the Window

About this episode

This episode discusses the Zen koan 'A Buffalo Passes Through the Window' and its implications for understanding life's challenges.

Recorded April 18, 2026. Today’s teisho is on "Gateless Barrier" Case 38 — “A Buffalo Passes Through the Window.” Wu-tsu said, “It is like a buffalo that passes through a window. Its head, horns, and four legs all pass through. Why can’t its tail pass through as well?” Hakuin comments: "Hard for even the most clear- sighted Zen monks to crack, A Buffalo Passing Through the Window trips them all up. " In this life we'll all face situations, places, events, times that seem . . . beyond us,...

People in this episode

Host: Roshi Rafe Martin

Topics covered

• Zen Buddhism
• teisho
• Gateless Barrier
• spiritual challenges
• philosophical inquiry

Keywords

• Zen
• Buddhism
• koan
• spirituality
• teisho
• philosophy
• Wu-tsu
• Hakuin

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Gateless Barrier, A Buffalo Passes Through the Window

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