Exploration Through Example

Example-driven development, Agile testing, context-driven testing, Agile programming, Ruby, and other things of interest to Brian Marick

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Fri, 11 Jun 2004

Maybe something about coaching

In response to an editorial I derived from my posting about William James, a correspondent quotes some Zen:

We use [kong-ans (Korean) or koans (Japanese)] to teach how it is possible to function correctly in everyday life. Sometimes old Zen Masters' answers to a question are not correct, but they used the situation to teach correct function, correct life to others. For example, two monks were fighting over whether a flag was moving or the wind was moving. Hui-neng, the sixth patriarch, who was passing by, said, "It's your mind that's moving." Again, this is not correct, but he used "your mind is moving" to teach correct life.

If I tried that sort of thing, the two monks would stop, look at me, look at each other, roll their eyes in harmony, and walk off together laughing. (See, I do know how to teach correct functioning in everyday life... but since I get quite enough eye-rolling from my children already, thank you, I try to stick to correct answers.)

## Posted at 07:42 in category /misc [permalink] [top]