What is the sound of one hand clapping?

It is the sound of Niels Bohr's voice when he said...

Clap with one hand, and listen.

Now, clap with two hands, and listen. What does this tell you?

The "sound of one hand clapping" is a non-concept, a phrase without meaning, since a clap is performed by two hands. Zen Buddhists adore these "koans" because trying to think about them leads to a state of mind which is either a kind of confused headache, or "enlightenment", depending on your point of view.

I'll go with 'confused headache'.

Of course I was being frivolous, and (I am not an expert on Buddhism) I suppose that the purpose of contemplating paradoxical notions such as the "sound of one hand clapping" is as a mental exercise, to empty the mind, to somehow become aware of or focus upon the nature of "meaning" (by contrasting it with "non-meaning"). Or to somehow become intoxicated mentally by infinite regress. It reminds me of those questions like "What happens when an irresistible cannonball strikes an immovable post?" or Russell's famous piece of paper which says, on both sides: "The statement on the other side of this piece of paper is false". It also reminds me of mediaeval monks locking themselves up in cells and meditating upon the ineffable nature of the Holy Ghost. (Or at least that's what they told everyone they were doing). I suppose that it is clear from these remarks of mine that I cannot really see the point of doing this, and that I dislike mysticism, and I fully expect to be told that I am misunderstanding something profound, but there it is.

On the other hand, everything that is obscure in not always profound.

You mean, the one which is not clapping at the moment?

Bravo !

It's the sound philosophers make when they have run out of original ideas.

clapping is simply the striking of two flat objects together

so the sound of one hand clapping could sound like one hand striking a table top, a thigh, a wall etc, nothing mentioned about one hand and no other object

In ordinary English, "hands clapping" means "two hands striking each other". That is the whole point of the koan, which you appear to have missed. In any case, one hand striking another object or part of the body is normally referred to as "slapping". Therefore, your post is mistaken.

just going by the general definition of clap

didn't miss a thing, i get the metaphysical masturbation of the statement, i just find it pointless


clap⋅ping, noun

"verb (used with object)
1. to strike the palms of (one's hands) against one another resoundingly, and usually repeatedly, esp. to express approval: She clapped her hands in appreciation.
2. to strike (someone) amicably with a light, open-handed slap, as in greeting, encouragement, or the like: He clapped his friend on the back.
3. to strike (an object) against something quickly and forcefully, producing an abrupt, sharp sound, or a series of such sounds: to clap a book on the table.
4. to bring together forcefully (facing surfaces of the same object): She clapped the book shut.
5. to applaud (a performance, speech, speaker, etc.) by clapping the hands: The audience clapped the actors at the end of the act.
6. to put or place quickly or forcefully: to clap a lid on a jar; She clapped her hand over his mouth. They clapped him in jail.
7. to make or arrange hastily (often fol. by up or together).
"verb (used without object)
8. to clap the hands, as to express approval; applaud: After the audience stopped clapping, the tenor sang two encores.
9. to make an abrupt, sharp sound, as of flat surfaces striking against one another: The shutters clapped in the wind.
10. to move or strike with such a sound: She clapped across the room in her slippers.

so under the definition of clapping, it could be one hand striking another object

stick that in your mantra and smoke it

Oh well, have it your way. There's always gotta be a wise guy! (Mutters: dick!)

I'm still waiting for an explanation of the Holy Trinity.

you could say dick out loud, it matters not to me

if a question can be answered it should be, philosophy be damned

I think you might wait a long time. Belief in God as a Trinity is considered essential by Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and orthodox Protestantism. However, Christian faith does not ask for comprehension: it must be understood that God is a Trinity, for the sake of knowing who God is, and for understanding the salvation he has accomplished. Beyond such practical issues, speculation regarding a theory of the divine being is not necessarily encouraged. The believer does not need to know how it is that God is a Trinity.

I did, actually, and I also said "Vain prating coxcomb!"

the great ron bennington, posed this question as it relates to music, comedy, writing, etc, it provoked an entertaining response from the listeners to the radio show

in music one suggestion was that robert johnson was the father, the beatles were the son and elvis was the holy ghost

I knew there was a Holly Madison:



And a Holly Valance:




But I knew nothing about Holly Trinity...