Zen koan: When does death become life, and life death? When now is now!

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The old Zen master, Greddy Grochkin, had recently died, and was buried within the Zen monastery's cemetery. He was buried in a most simple grave, with only his name written upon the headstone. He wanted no dates to be added. Nevertheless, the next day some dates, and some words, were seen to have been scratched onto his headstone. They were: "He lived from the date 1772 to now, but as now is only now, he will live until now ends today, today, 1842, as it has ended his now, for now, here now, for you reading this now. But, where is he now?" This unlikely writing read like a koan, and his students scratched their heads to work out its meaning. Just then, another Zen master came up to the students, who were still looking at the writing on the headstone, transfixed onto it. "So, you like my handiwork there," he said. "A master never dies, because his now never ends." He smiled and walked away, and it was only then, that the students realised that this Zen master, was indeed really their old master too. Zen brings Zen to all, and Zen masters walk tall both in life, and in death. Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com Death remains an unsolvable koan to most, but a Zen master solves its mystery, continually in his now. Death is unknown, but not unknowable, to now.