John Daido Loori
John Daido Loori was, until his death in 2009, the spiritual leader and abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery in Mt. Tremper, New York. Trained in koan Zen as well as in the subtle school of Master Dōgen’s Zen, he was the Dharma heir of Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi Roshi. Devoted to maintaining authentic Zen training, he developed a distinctive style, called the Eight Gates of Zen, based on the noble eightfold path. Drawing on his background as scientist, artist, naturalist, and Zen priest, Abbot Loori was an American master who spoke directly to students from the perspective of a common background. His books include Mountain Record of Zen Talks and The Heart of Being.
Books, Courses & Podcasts
Sitting with Koans
The Zen tradition has just two main meditative practices: shikantaza, or “just sitting”; and introspection guided by the powerful Zen teaching stories called koans. Following in the tradition of The Art of Just Sitting (endorsed as a “A book we have needed for a long, long time”), this new anthology from John Daido Loori illuminates the subtle practice of koan study from many different points of view.
Includes writings by:
- Robert Aitken
- William Bodiford
- Robert Buswell
- Roko Sherry Chayat
- Francis Dojun Cook
- Eihei Dogen
- Heinrich Dumoulin
- Hakuin Ekaku
- Victor Sogen Hori
- Keizan Jokin
- Philip Kapleau
- Chung-fen Ming-Pen
- Taizan Maezumi
- Dennis Genpo Merzel
- Soen Nakagawa
- Ruth Fuller Sasaki
- Sokei-an Sasaki
- Nyogen Senzaki
- Zenkei Shibayama
- Eido Shimano
- Philip Yampolsky
- Hakuun Yasutani
- Wayne Yokoyama
- Katsushiro Yoshizawa
The Art of Just Sitting
Shikantaza—or “just sitting”—is one of the simplest, most subtle forms of meditation, and one of the most easily misunderstood. This peerless volume brings together a wealth of writings, from the Buddha himself to Bodhidharma and Dogen and many of modern Zen Buddhism’s most influential masters, all pointing directly to the heart of this powerful practice. Edited by one of America’s pre-eminent Zen teachers, this book is a rich resource for wisdom seekers and scholars alike.