Tradition
Hua Tou
Overview
Hua Tou (simplified Chinese: 话头; traditional Chinese: 話頭, Korean: hwadu, Japanese: watō) is part of a form of Buddhist meditation known as Gongfu 工夫 (not to be confused with the Martial Arts 功夫) common in the teachings of Chan Buddhism, Korean Seon and Rinzai Zen. Hua Tou can be translated as 'word head', 'head of speech' or 'point beyond which speech exhausts itself'. A Hua Tou can be a short phrase that is used as a subject of meditation to focus the mind.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
This form of knowledge is indeed, from its nature, quite incapable of apprehending that truth pure and in itself, and even stands in contradiction to it, yet in the form of a myth it received a substitute for it which was sufficient as a guide for conduct. For the myth enables the method of knowledge, in accordance with the principle of sufficient reason, to comprehend by figurative representation the ethical…
Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Idea
Close in meaning to Hua Tou; the term itself is not named.
Both characteristics belong to all Chinese literature and art, and to the conversation of cultivated Chinese in the present day. All classes in China are fond of laughter, and never miss a chance of a joke.
Bertrand Russell, The Problem of China
Close in meaning to Hua Tou; the term itself is not named.
It may mean: “The less a man has seen, the more he finds to wonder at,” or “There is much to wonder at for the man who has seen little.” Naturally there is no occasion to choose between these two translations which differ only in grammatical construction. We are assured that in spite of these uncertainties the Chinese language is a quite exceptionally good medium of expression; so it is clear that indefiniteness…
Sigmund Freud, Introductory lectures on psycho-analysis
Close in meaning to Hua Tou; the term itself is not named.
Related ideas
- Dahui Zonggao
- Rinzai school
- Japanese language
- Linji school
- Korea
- Korean language
- Koan
- Buddhist meditation
- Simplified Chinese characters
- Traditional Chinese characters
- Blue Cliff Record
- Jinul
- Nianfo
- Chan Buddhism
- Korean Seon
- Mu (negative)
- Atthakatha
- Satipatthana
- The Gateless Barrier
Place in the tradition
Part of Nondualism.