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

(Koan)

First reaction

Why can't he see the beard?

Exploration

Wakuan is looking at the picture and he can see that Bodhidarma has a beard.
Is he lying? Why would he lie?
His eyes are receiving the data, is his brain interpreting it correctly?
What stops Wakuan from seeing the beard?


Possible meaning

The truth is right in front of you but you cannot see it. An observer who can see the truth cannot make you see it. You must see it for yourself.

There is no barrier to the truth, it is self evident. What stops us from seeing is ourselves. We stand in our own way.

Ideation, conception, expectation and speculation blind us to what is really in front of us. Our desires and thoughts cloud our minds and we see what we want to see, not the reality.

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