Editing Koan (section)

=== The Chan master's role ===
According to Kasulis, the rise of {{transliteration|zh|gōng'àn}} contemplation in Song-era Zen led to a greater emphasis on the interaction between master and student, which came to be identified as the essence of enlightenment, since "its verification was always interpersonal. In effect, enlightenment came to be understood not so much as an insight, but as a way of acting in the world with other people."{{sfn|Kasulis|2003|p=30}}

This mutual inquiry of past cases gave Zen students a role model and a sense of belonging to a spiritual family since "one looked at the enlightened activities of one's lineal forebears in order to understand one's own identity."{{sfn|McRae|2003|p=130}}{{refn|This role-taking is described by the Swedish psychologist of religion [[Hjalmar Sundén]], though McRae does not seem to be aware of this.|group=note}} The practice also served to confirm an individual's enlightenment and authority in a specific lineage or school. This formal authorization or confirmation ({{lang-zh|印可|yìn kě}}, Japanese: {{transliteration|ja|inka}}, Korean: {{transliteration|ko|inga}}) was given by their teacher and was often part of a process of "[[dharma transmission]]" ({{lang-zh|傳法|chuán fǎ}}) in a specific lineage.<ref>Haskel, Peter (2001). ''Letting Go: The Story of Zen Master Tōsui'', p. 2. University of Hawaii Press. {{ISBN|0-8248-2440-7}}.</ref>{{sfn|Schlütter|2008|p=109}}<ref>Bodiford, William M. (2008), ''[https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/Bodiford-transmission-ZenRitual.pdf Dharma Transmission in Theory and Practice. In: Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen Buddhist Theory in Practice]'' (PDF), Oxford University Press.</ref> This formal act placed the "confirmed" Chan master in a special unique position as an interpreter and guide to the {{transliteration|zh|gōng'àn}}.{{sfn|Schlütter|2008|p=109}}

The importance of the teacher student relationship is seen in modern Japanese {{transliteration|ja|kōan}} training which always requires an authorized teacher ({{transliteration|ja|[[rōshi]]}} or {{transliteration|ja|[[oshō]]}}) in a specific lineage who has the ability to judge a disciple's understanding and expression of a {{transliteration|zh|gōng'àn}}. In the [[Rinzai school|Rinzai Zen school]], which uses {{transliteration|ja|kōan}} extensively, the teacher certification process includes an appraisal of proficiency in using that school's extensive {{transliteration|ja|kōan}} curriculum. According to Barbara O'Brien, the practice of going to a private interview with one's Zen master ({{transliteration|ja|[[sanzen]]}}) where one has to prove one's understanding of {{transliteration|ja|kōan}} "is the real point of the whole exercise".<ref>Barbara O'Brien, ''The Circle of the Way'', p.239</ref>