One Hand Clapping

The Sound of the One Hand has been and is the most famous and probably the most commonly used of all meditative stories there are. It is only through understanding and enlightenment that one frees himself and gains insight and moves forward. There are many variations of the story. Here is one.

A very young student watched his fellow students receive instruction day in and day out from the master. Yet when he went before the master, he was told only how to correct his posture and how to breathe better and which precepts he needed to pay more attention to. He was very envious of the older students and long to learn as they did. He knew they had all been given their ids and were working toward finding some greater understanding that was never going to be shown to him. Finally, one day, when he had his turn with the master, he asked why he was being held back. The master assured him this was not the case. He was learning and progressing much as others before him had. The young man was sure this was not so. Again he asked, only this time he plead with the master to give him a story to contemplate, to help him in his path.

The master questioned whether he was ready for the step. He pointed out that many meditated for years before their first problem was provided and the young man had only been with the master for a relatively short period of time. Still the youth insisted. He was sure of himself and he wanted to be like his older comrades. Finally the master relented.

This is what he said. "Everyone, yourself included, know what sound is made by two hands clapping. However, can you tell me what sound one hand clapping makes? Meditate upon that and when you can answer me, come to me and show me your answer."

So the youth went off to meditate and consider this problem. He thought and thought about it. One day he was listening to an artist he knew play a composition that was very moving and he thought he had the answer. He thought about this some more and eventually he came back to his master. His master asked him if he was ready to show him what sound came from one hand clapping. The youth immediately picked up a guitar and began to play a beautiful melody, sweeter than many have ever heard. When he finished, he looked at his master for a response. The master simply said that is not the answer.

Not discouraged, the young man returned to his meditations to reconsider the problem. What could be the sound of one hand clapping. Perhaps he had been going down the wrong path. It was likely that music and the city and noise were a distraction to him and he needed to get immersed in nature and find solitude to find his answer. So he began to seek quieter places to meditate and moved away from the city. He found himself settling in more rural locations to meditate. One day, while sitting alongside a steam, near a waterfall, meditating, he heard water dripping into the stream. The sound of that water amazed him and seemed so electrifying and focusing to him. He thought, "At last, I have my answer."

He rushed back to his master. Again the master asked him what was the sound of one hand clapping? This time, the young student showed him water dripping from a leaf into a pool. Fascinated, the master watched for several minutes. Eventually he looked and shook his head and said, "No, yes is not the answer."

Over many months, stretching into years, the young man continued to meditate and continued to return to his master. Each time he came before the master he offered another sound, another response to that same question, "What is the sound of the one hand clapping?" He offered the howl of the wolf, the chirp of the cricket, the crick of the floorboards, and various sounds. All were interesting, but all were wrong.

One day, the student returned. He sat before his master as before. The master again said, "What is the sound of the one hand clapping?" The student stood before the master. "I have exhausted all resources. There are no more sounds. All that is left is the soundless."

Now he understood.