Sitting with Koans: Essential Writings on Zen Koan Introspection

by John Daido Loori (Editor), Tom Kirchner (Introduction)

The Zen tradition has just two main meditative 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

Genres: Buddhism, Zen, Religion, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Spirituality

368 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2005

About the author

John Daido Loori was a Zen Buddhist rōshi who served as the abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery. He was the founder of the Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Buddhism and CEO of Dharma Communications.

Reviews

[Luke Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting something more academic — and soporific, if I'm honest — but found a really informative, insightful, and surprisingly modern take on the history of, what to do with and how to think about Zen koans. Of course, it's Zen we're talking about so it's nothing quite so prescriptive as that.

Highly recommended reading for those curious about Zen or about koans or about Buddhist thinking in general — even if you're an uninitiated layman like me.

[m4ltose · Rating 4 out of 5]

As another reviewer has already stated, this is more an intellectually-oriented read. If you want to learn more about the Five Houses of Zen and Koans in general, I would definitely recommend it though. Especially if you come from a Western standpoint and feel like a lot of things go over your head in other Zen-related writings due to the cultural differences, this can prove useful.

[Conor · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a comprehensive history of Rinzai Koan's rather than a spiritual book. Fascinating but i felt like I would have gotten more from this if I had more of a familiarity with Rinzai. Will definitely return but only when I have more practical understanding.

[Mark Westmoquette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on the art of meditating with a koan. A whole range of contributors with clearly deep understandings of their own taking you through the history, development and use of koans in Zen.

[Peter Allum · Rating 1 out of 5]

A collection of academic-style essays on the historical use of koans in Zen. More for those with an intellectual rather than practical interest in Zen practice.

My Zen reviews, ranked