No.

The one thought that should be on the boy's mind is whether he wants monkey stew or not. His mother and father are not part of this and will both die no matter what the boy does.

Of course, I'm assuming the monkey isn't the boy's mother who is about to kill his father.

This is interesting, before I read some peoples replies my intentions with the monkey would be to catch him and bring him home with me to show to my mother and father, then I would kill the monkey.

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Three Types of Players:
1) Those who doesn't know whats happening
2) Those who watch what happens
3) Those who make it happen

The monkey said that your father will die if you do not kill me. So my father would've died if I hadn't met the monkey. So his death is inevitable. so i don't kill the monkey and save my mother instead of father who is going to die anyway.

Ok I mediated on this thought last night and got to a point where I said to myself "Ï've had enough!!''

As I was still in my meditation state, a thought poped into my head and I realized what a stupid statement and thought it was. The thought which poped out was ''Wow!, I am really glad the monkey said that to the boy instead of me'' then another thought poped into mind "Thats a really tough decision to make, I will make the decision when the time comes instead of pondering about the thought that may or may not happen''

I believe this is the point of the monkey mind, we are all so caught up in our thoughts that we choose to think when we are faced with what we value and believe in rather then going with our gut feeling

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Three Types of Players:
1) Those who doesn't know whats happening
2) Those who watch what happens
3) Those who make it happen

Walks like a shit test, talks like a shit test, smells like a shit test, must be a shit test.

I mean, we can play recursive games of enumerable functions all night, but it doesn't matter. You have your world view, doesn't mean you have any more wisdom than anyone else. Many philosophical systems have dealt with these issues, not just Zen. My world view is that the problem is meaningless, and the choices are absurd, in the Existentialist sense.
Cute logic. But maybe it's only if someone meets the monkey, that a relative dies. He could be like a trap in an Indiana Jones movie. We do not know the rules of this mythology; we can only participate in it and learn from our actions as it happens.

This koan is like a koan. It's reads like a koan, it's tests you like a koan . . .must be a koan.
If so, why reply?
Could have and should have and maybe's are born from the ego. bvanevery, this is just a dumb little puzzle. Dumb yourself down a you might get it.

Because there's nothing to get. You're just lording yourself over others. The puzzle itself may be a koan, but the way you use it is a shit test.

LOL, you're replying because there's nothing to get? You've dumbed yourself down too much. Smarten up just a nod from here and you might get it.
This IS a koan. You perceive it as a shit test, thus your answer is shit every time. Some members have answered correctly in this thread and they wrote the correct answer EXACTLY as it is. Once they have it, they know it; it's a universal truth. I left this thread figuring most will simply study the thread and COPY the correct answer instead of earning it through effort. Some egos are so strong however, it seems they can't even accept the correct answer even when it's staring at them right in the face.

The truth is you are giving this a little TOO much thought. You are over-thinking this shit. It's hard... because... well you are an intelligent guy (I can tell from the prose you have written above.) This is why it is going to be... incredibly difficult for you to GET this.

Awww man I love this Koan. I'm glad this thread has been revived. It's just fun to watch and see if others can arrive at the answer. What's even more fun is that the answer is has already been revealed yet some people still can't figure it out.

This Koan, first introduced me to Buddhism... In fact I actually see this as being a pivotal moment in my life. This is way cool.

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*Justice renders the WEAK his due*
My Journal
here-vp445642.html#445642

Do you care to take ownership of the "correct" answer and state it, so that I can rip it apart and show you how "not so smart after all" you are? As far as I'm concerned all you're doing is playing poker. I've called your hand; lay out your cards or fold.

I can see you're getting PISSED off... This is actually good...But trying to trick us into giving you a freebie answer is not going to work...

Good try though... Why trick us... The answer is ALREADY here... You're so clever I'm sure you can spot it.

Oh yeah... Just one more thing. Kasabi won't tell you answer because he doesn't know what the answer is... but at the same time he does.

Do you know what I mean???

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*Justice renders the WEAK his due*
My Journal
here-vp445642.html#445642

The monkey mind jumps from thought to thought like a monkey jumps from tree to tree. Rather than existing in the present moment, the monkey mind focuses on one thought after another, and these thoughts distract us from existing in the present.

Sitting in meditation is a good way to see the monkey mind in its natural habitat. Just sitting still and clearing the mind is so challenging. You observe one thought popping up, and another, and another. This is inevitable, especially when you are getting started. The trick is to learn to observe the thoughts without engaging in them.

An analogy I like is to see the mind as the sky and the thoughts like clouds passing through. The sky is always there, even when it's blocked by clouds.

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An approach a day keeps the guru away.

I joined the forum soley for this thread man

So after reading it numerous times, coming back to every so often, I arrived at;

The monkey presenting his parents fate to him leaves him unable to act, as if it were me, my thoughts would be racing all over the place with "Where , when, how, why, what can I do?" and so on so forth.

But this isn't an answer so to speak, only demonstrating the monkey mind. (Still, a nice realisation on focusing on the present.)

But I want my answer to be "Say nothing and walk away" as said before there is a correct method.

However that would mean my Mother would die ? I don't see it as such, more like "I choose to leave" as opposed to not killling the money.

....Or plan B ?

Shoot the monkey in the kneecap. Everyone lives and no more monkey ultimatiums.

EDIT: F***...still counts as not killing him.

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ohai

If that's what you believe the answer is, then I already had that answer. The puzzle is meaningless and doesn't distract me. What distracts me are people who claim they know more than others, who claim they have magic answers or that Zen koans are especially clever. Existentialism is equally clever. The answer is absurd.
Prove that your knowledge and understanding is so special. It's one thing to claim it, it's quite another to prove it.