Dokusan

Dokusan (interview)

One important aspect of koan training is that a student must constantly go before his or her teacher in dokusan (interview, a process which in itself is good training). In the breakthrough koan practice students must demonstrate the truth of the koan and can't merely present theories or ideas. They see their false notions in the mirror the teacher holds before them or have the legs of deluded notions cut out from under them. In subsequent koan practice there is a constant refining for there is always more to "not-do", yet not to leave undone.