“Bring to rest the thoughts of the ceaselessly seeking mind, and you will not differ from the Buddha. Do you want to know the Buddha? He is none other than you who stand before me listening to my discourse.”
The Record of Linji (Rinzai)
Here you can find videos, transcripts and texts from Jeff and others touching on various aspects of practice.
Text Translation & Commentary
- Enjoying the Way — commentary on an 8th century poem by Nanyue Mingzan.
- No Bull: Zen Oxherding Pictures for the Modern World — a commentary on the well-known pictures and verses by 12th century Chinese Zen master Kuoan Shiyuan.
- Great Doubt: Getting Stuck & Breaking Through the Real Koan — translation and commentary on “Exhortations for those who don’t rouse doubt” by 16th century Chinese Zen master Boshan. A simplified version, with further Exhortations for those who Rouse Doubt, is available in book form as Great Doubt: Practicing Zen in the World (Wisdom Publications, 2016).
Diving Deeper
- Zen in America & the Necessity of the Great Doubt — a 1958 discussion between D. T. Suzuki and Shin’ichi Hisamatsu, published in the FAS Society Journal, 1986.
- Lay Zen — a revised version of the Introduction to The Sayings of Layman P’ang: A Zen Classic of China (Shambhala, 2009), with illustrations added.
- Layman Pang — translation from the Layman Records of the Japanese Tripitaka, by Haochen Yu.
- Rinzai Zen in the Modern World — Jeff Shore was invited to write this paper for the International Symposium on Rinzai Zen sponsored by the umbrella organization of Japanese Rinzai monastic institutions and held in Kyoto at Hanazono University on May 13 & 14, 2016 (the paper has been published in Japanese & Chinese translations in the symposium proceedings). The symposium was held to coincide with commemorations of the 1150th anniversary of the passing of Rinzai. Jeff’s paper surveys the development of Zen in the West, while the last few pages address serious problems that have developed in the Western Zen tradition.
- Rinzai Zen Now: An Interview with Jeff Shore — given at the above-mentioned International Symposium on Rinzai Zen held in Kyoto in 2016.
- Zen & the Practice of Poetry — Jeff Shore’s final Dharma talk, Day 5, Hoepertingen, Belgium, Summer 2017.
- What is a Koan and What Do You Do With It? — a revised version of a chapter written for the Oxford Handbook of Buddhist Practice.
Archive
A wider collection of material from across the sangha — texts, stories, audio and video. Select to expand.
Browse the archive
Texts
- Zazen Manual — translation by Jeff Shore.
- Zazen Manual (Hungarian) — translated by Levente Józsa and Máté Borda.
- Zazen Manual (Spanish) — translated by Sergio Negrete.
- Against the Stream — Gaofeng Yuanmiao (English & German)
- Was ist ein Kōan? (German)
Transcribed Retreat Talks
Transcripts of Jeff Shore’s retreat talks, newest first. Many are also available in Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Hungarian and other translations — just ask. Released under a Creative Commons licence.
- Through Doubt, Through Contentment — UK retreat, 2022
- Open To What Is — 2017
- Spring 2017 Philadelphia Retreat (with Q&A) — Day 1, 2, 3
- What Hindrance Remains — 2016
- Comfortably Seated Under the Rose-Apple Tree — 2016
- How to Meditate: The Classic Zazen Manual For Today — 2015
- Where Do You Draw the Line? — 2014
- Ordinary Mind Is The Way: Cultivating Practice — 2014
- The Pearl Revealed — 2013
- Exhortations For Those Who Do Rouse The Doubt — Part 1, Parts 2 & 3 (2011–2012)
- Clarifying the Mind of Nirvana — 2008
- The Constant Practice of Right Effort — 2008
- A Rinzai–Soto Dialogue — 2007
- Religious Experience in the Light of Zen Buddhism — 2007
- Becoming One and Being Without Self — 2005
- No-self in Zen Buddhism — 2004
- Principles of Zen Practice: Illuminating the Source — 2003
- Basics of Zen Practice: Just Be One — 2002
- The Unconditioned — 2001
- Zen in Early Buddhism — 2000
- The Source of Zen: Who Transmits What? — 1998
- Koan Zen From the Inside — 1995
Stories from Practitioners
- East of Eden — Christian Wagner
- Death is Only a Breath Away — Birgit
- Learning to Breathe (audio, Feb 2024) — Tünde Kulman
- Teaching Zen – LOL — Marcus
- Hermitage — Greg
- The Elusive Koan: What is “this”? — Jeff Ward
- Breathing
- Great Doubt and The Koan of Religion — Leonie
Audio
Older retreat lecture recordings (audio). Some prefer these plain recordings to video.
- Philadelphia, May 2015 — “How to Meditate: The Classic Zazen Manual For Today” — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Belgium (Hoepertingen), March 2015 — “How to Meditate” — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Philadelphia, Feb–March 2010 — “Great Doubt: Getting Stuck & Breaking Through The Real Koan” — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
- Steyl, August 2009 — “No Bull: Zen Oxherding Pictures for the Modern World” — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Egmond, March 2009 — Day 1, 2, 3
- Egmond, November 2008 — “Clarifying the Mind of Nirvana” — 1, 2, 3, 4
- Steyl, February 2008 — “The Constant Practice of Right Effort” — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
- No-self in Zen Buddhism (2004)
- Principles of Zen Practice (2003)
- The Unconditioned (2001)
- Zen in Early Buddhism (2000)
- The Source of Zen (1998)
Video
Local groups’ own YouTube channels are listed on the Groups page.
Being Without Self 