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Mu: The Chan Way to Say ‘Who Cares’ to the Wrong Questions

Does a dog have a Buddha nature? And anxiety?

AI Image by Author — Leonardo.AI

Let’s explore Chan Buddhism’s enigmatic “Mu.” In this famous koan, a monk asked Zhaozhou whether dogs possess Buddha nature, and Zhaozhou simply replied “Mu!” The term, from Chinese “無” (nothing/without), isn’t mere negation — it challenges the question’s very premise.

Think of “Mu” as Buddhism’s elegant system crash: neither yes nor no applies when the question itself misses the mark. These koans function as philosophical short circuits, deliberately bypassing logical thought to spark insight. Zhaozhou’s terse response doesn’t answer the monk’s query — it dissolves it entirely, pointing toward an understanding that transcends conventional dualistic thinking.

Anxiety

Anxiety builds two prisons with a panoramic view of nothingness. In the first, the person tattoos “ANXIOUS” on their forehead like it’s a superpower, only it’s the most useless power ever. “I should be stronger,” they keep telling themselves while piling on more layers of anxiety-like they’re collecting trading cards.