What is the sound of one hand clapping?

Answer 1

I don't know.

An initial answer to the question: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

"The sound of one hand clapping is the sound of the other hand, the absent or invisible hand that claps because one hand cannot clap, there can only be two hands clapping. One hand cannot clap without the other. The one hand is made complete only by the other, so that even in its individuality, the one hand claps with the other."

Another answer to the question: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

"The sound of one hand clapping cannot be heard. We do not have the physical capacity to hear the sound of one hand clapping. Therefore, we have to recognize our human limitation. When we accept our human limitation, we can reconcile ourselves to the natural world, and can live in harmony with the universe."

Another answer to the question: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

"The question is logically inconsistent, and therefore cannot be answered logically. To answer the question, we would have to accept the premise that one hand can clap. But this is an impossibility, so there is no logical answer to the question."

Another answer to the question: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

"The question has no answer, because it asks: `What is the sound of something which has no sound?'"

Another answer to the question: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

"The question is intended to play a trick on the listener, by asking the listener to try to answer something that has no answer."

A better answer to the question: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

"There is no sound, and if you seek to discover the sound, you have to accept that there is nothing. If you can accept the nothingness, then you have freed yourself from the need to intellectualize experience, and are free to be aware of existence."

A more insightful answer to the question: "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

"Nothing."

Answer 2

Only Philo seems to know, he must really love wisdom.
"What is the sound of one hand clapping?" is probably the most-well know 'koan' (kong an) - which is a riddle with no fixed or determined answer. These 'koans' are used to test the development and the insight of novice practioners of Zen Buddhism by their masters. Another is - "What was your original face before you were born?"
Thanks for the "one thumb down"...

Answer 3

Wait a minute....one hand can't clap. You need two to make a sound!

Answer 4

The sound of one hand clapping is "cl". The other hand makes the "ap".

Answer 5

its the same as two hands clapping, however, you are imagining how it would sound. try it. clap one hand. you subconsciously think of a normal hand clap.

Answer 6

J.S. gave you a definitive answer; It's a 'koan' (kong an) - a riddle with no fixed or determined answer.

I thought it was the sound of solitude as only with a similarly challenged friend can you produce results.

Answer 7

People who take koans seriously are like people who insist that the emperor really is wearing clothes.

Answer 8

I believe there is a simpsons episode that sumst his up quite nicely haha.

Answer 9

sounds like wind,
not as in breaking wind

Answer 10

I think it's snapping! You're just putting your fingers together.