Koanversation Ep. 4 - A Beardless Foreigner

Welcome to Koanversation, a podcast exploring Zen nuggets to free your mind and inspire new thinking.

In this episode, host Sanj Krishnan is joined by a philosopher in the truest sense of the word’s Greek root (philos + sophia = love of wisdom): Derek Gummer, a gearhead Renaissance man with an astonishing breadth of knowledge and some equally impressive self-taught maker skills, which you can see at his YouTube channel.

Our Koan, number four in The Gateless Barrier, is “A Beardless Foreigner” - a short, seemingly inane one that turns out to provoke incredibly rich discussion. We talk about authenticity, the deeply rooted impulse to conform, and where a person’s worth ultimately lies.

Text of the Koan, “A Beardless Foreigner”:

Wakuan complained when he saw a picture of bearded Bodhidharma: "Why hasn't that fellow a beard?"

There’s no song this time, which may come as a relief to some.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, feel free to hit ‘Subscribe’ below and check out the first three Koanversations. And share your thoughts by leaving a comment!

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