Jig of Life Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Theresa_Gionoffrio 

Cover art for Jig of Life lyrics by Kate Bush

THE SOUND OF ONE HAND

Two hands clap and there is a sound. What is the sound of one hand? ~ Hakuin Ekaku

A ko­an is a story, dialogue, question, or statement in the history and lore of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, generally containing aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, yet may be accessible to intuition. A famous ko­an is: "Two hands clap and there is a sound; what is the sound of one hand?" (ignoring the fact that by folding your hand you can clap with one hand.) (oral tradition, attributed to Hakuin Ekaku, 1686-1769, considered a reviver of the koan tradition in Japan).

One Hand Clapping (1974) (film) is a television special featuring Paul McCartney and Wings.

One Hand Clapping (1961) (book) is a work by Anthony Burgess published originally under the pseudonym Joseph Kell. The line, "Two hands clap and there is a sound; what is the sound of one hand?" is a traditional Zen koan, and the novel takes its title from this. Burgess justified the title as follows: "The clasped hands of marriage have been reduced [by the novel's end] to a single hand. Yet it claps."

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