Jeff Shore: Zen Classics for the Modern World

Translations of Chinese Zen Poems & Prose with Contemporary Commentary (Diane Press, Philadelphia, 2011)

Dedicated to the memories of Keidō Fukushima and Jeff’s twin sister, Jean, Zen Classics for the Modern World contains three Chinese Zen texts from different traditions and eras: the delightful, poetic masterpiece, Enjoying the Way, from the 8th century Northern Zen tradition; the profound poems — and stunning illustrations — of Ten Oxherding Pictures, from the 12th century Rinzai tradition; and the hard-hitting Exhortations for Those Who Don’t Arouse the Doubt, from the early 17th century Sōtō tradition. Much of the material never translated before, the work also offers authoritative, contemporary commentary, developed in conjunction with retreats held in Europe and the United States, revealing the depth and diversity of Zen Buddhism as a living tradition. Here is the true face of Zen practice as it strips away facile generalizations and false assumptions, leading the reader to a genuine encounter with the heart of the matter.

“Jeff Shore is the first westerner to complete the Rinzai koan training in Japan under a Japanese Zen master. Fluent in both oral and written Japanese language, he speaks with both the authority of his own practice in Zen and of his long training in the Rinzai text tradition. In Zen Classics for the Modern World, he brings to bear the full force of his experience to show the way in Zen practice. In dharma talks that are both illuminating and practical, he explains the stumbling blocks, the frustration, the self-deception and the final fulfillment of Zen practice.”
— Victor Sogen Hori, Rinzai Zen monk, professor of Japanese religions, McGill Univer­sity, Montreal, Author of Zen Sand: The Book of Capping Phrases for Koan Practice

“As a Rinzai Zen master and professor of Zen in the Modern World at Hanazono University in Kyoto, no one is more qualified than Jeff Shore to comment on these Zen Classics. Much of the translated materials are presented here for the first time in English. Aimed at the modern reader, the translations are deep, direct, and clear. Jeff does not stop at a scholarly analysis of old texts. No, he brings the texts to life and confronts us with our very own questions: ‘Who am I? What am I doing here? How am I to live this life?’ Do not look for answers in books, not even this book. Let this book help you cut to the heart of the question at hand, the question of your life here and now.”
— Muho Noelke, Abbot of Antaiji Sōtō Zen Temple, Hyogo, Japan

“The texts translated are classical, the translations are scholarly and yet elegant in the best sense. The commentaries, which provide the true core of this work, are fresh and lively. The poetry translations are bilingual, and the illustrations are treasures.”
— J. P. Seaton, a leading translator of Chinese poetry, author of Cold Mountain Poems: Zen Poems of Han Shan, Shih Te, and Wang Fan-chih

Thanks, Jeff!

Koan of Noise and Silence - a poem

'You can only understand
What noise is
When your heart knows
True silence.'

Koan Of Noise and Silence - red the full poem here


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Some photos from a zen retreat with Jeff Shore

Koan Of Noise and Silence - a Poem

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Zazen is your koan

Zen bölcsességek, történetek

A kötet a japánul Zen, kínaiul Csan néven ismert buddhista irányzat legismertebb történeteiből kínál ízelítőt. A Zen történetekben, anekdotákban, dialógusokban olvasható, a nyugati logikától homlokegyenest eltérő vitatkozási, érvelési technikák a számunkra megszokott eszközöknél sokkal radikálisabban fürkészik a lét alapigazságait. A Zen mesterek meghökkentő, sok esetben megdöbbentő reakciói mind-mind azt a célt szolgálják, hogy a felesleges, rosszul megfogalmazott kérdések, a helytelen válaszok és a szócséplés világának kusza hálójából kiszabadítsák a tanítványt, és a tévedésekre, hibákra rámutatva segítsék hozzá egy szavakon túli, magasabb igazság megismeréséhez, a megvilágosodáshoz.

Kōan practice

At the beginning of the Song Dynasty, practice with the kōan method became popular, whereas others practiced "silent illumination."^[117] This became the source of some differences in practice between the Linji and Caodong traditions.
A kōan, literally "public case", is a story or dialogue, describing an interaction between a Zen master and a student. These anecdotes give a demonstration of the master's insight. Koans emphasize the non-conceptional insight that the Buddhist teachings are pointing to. Koans can be used to provoke the "great doubt", and test a student's progress in Zen practice.
Responding to a kōan requires a student to let go of conceptual thinking and of the logical way we order the world, so that insight into sunyata arises naturally and spontaneously in the mind. But this does not mean that words are useless, as is demonstrated already by the mere fact that koans are words:

[T]he way to Satori is not through dependence upon words, even if they be words of the Buddha or past Masters; however, one should not reject words, for, imperfect as they are, they are the only means we have of attaining enlightenment. They should use the words and ideas contained in the koans to reach satori, but they should never confuse the two. Conceptualizations, words, logic and reason are means whereby one attains enlightenment, but they must not be equated [w]ith enlightenment.^{[web 16]}

Kōans and their study developed in China within the context of the open questions and answers of teaching sessions conducted by the Chinese Zen masters. The recorded encounter dialogues, and the koan collections which derived from this genre, mark a shift from solitary practice to interaction between master and student:

The essence of enlightenment came to be identified with the interaction between masters and students. Whatever insight dhyana might bring, 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^[118]

This mutual enquiry of the meaning of the encounters of masters and students of the past gave students a role model:

One looked at the enlightened activities of one's lineal forebears in order to understand one's own identity [...] taking the role of the participants and engaging in their dialogues instead^[119][h]

Today, the Zen student's mastery of a given kōan is presented to the teacher in a private interview (referred to in Japanese as dokusan (独参), daisan (代参), or sanzen (参禅)). Zen teachers advise that the problem posed by a kōan is to be taken quite seriously, and to be approached as literally a matter of life and death. While there is no unique answer to a kōan, practitioners are expected to demonstrate their understanding of the kōan and of Zen through their responses. The teacher may approve or disapprove of the answer and guide the student in the right direction. There are also various commentaries on kōans, written by experienced teachers, that can serve as a guide. These commentaries are also of great value to modern scholarship on the subject. Kōan-inquiry may be practiced during sitting meditation (zazen), walking meditation (kinhin), and throughout all the activities of daily life. Kōan practice is particularly emphasized by the Japanese Rinzai school, but it also occurs in other schools or branches of Zen depending on the teaching line.