Mountain Record of Zen Talks

by John Daido Loori

In this treasury of Zen wisdom based on his talks, the abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery in Mt. Tremper, New York, explores the eight areas of study that are the focus for training in his community: meditation, study with the teacher, liturgy, art practice, body practice, the study of scriptures, work practice, and the moral and ethical teachings. John Daido Loori also covers such topics as koans, the martial arts, and illness and healing, and he makes intriguing observations about the spirit and requirements of Zen in America.

Genres: Buddhism, Zen, Spirituality, Nonfiction

241 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1988

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

[Mandy]

Fun and confusing to my brain. This is one of the first zen texts I've read all the way through besides Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, which now I just want to read it again.

[Eric]

The author was an abbot of an American Buddhist Monastery. Probably best appreciated by those with some experience of Zen meditation. ( Although there is one chapt on beginning zazen.) Has lots of zen stories and koans.

One quote: "You begin to see that the pain, anger, fear and greed is what makes the illusion of self exist."

And

". . what you do and what happpens to you are the same thing."

[Tom Booker]

Daido likes to probe the reader: what do you understand by this? He doesn't want to be told, he wants to be shown.

The thrust of the teachings is that the feeling of separation (duality) is illusory and the cause of our suffering. Everything we do, we should be i.e. do it completely. The basis of this is zazen practice, out of which everything else arises.