BEING WITHOUT SELF
EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY
calligraphy by Keidô Fukushima
After 10 years studying and practicing in the United States, Jeff Shore went to Japan in 1981. He first spent a year living with Mumon Yamada, head abbot of Myôshinji monastery in Kyoto, and got his toes wet training at the monastery of Shôfukuji in Kobe. In 1982 he began practice under Keidô Fukushima, former Zen master and Head Abbot of the major Rinzai complex of Tôfukuji in Kyoto. As lay successor to Fukushima Rôshi, Jeff’s focus is directly pointing out the very core of Zen and the heart of living Buddhism. Jeff is also professor of Zen in the Modern World at Hanazono University in Kyoto, the sole Rinzai-affiliated university in the world, where he has taught since 1987. For further detail, see his autobiographical essay.
Dharma talks
These talks are offered as PDF files. See below for sound files and links to videos and photos.
- No Bull: Zen Oxherding Pictures for the Modern World (2009)
- 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: Zen Buddhism in the Light of Religious Experience (2007)
- Encounters on the Way (a diary of Jeff's 2006 sabbatical)
- 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 von Innen (1995)
Book
The Dutch edition of Jeff's book, Zijn Zonder Zelf: de kern van zen (Asoka, 2008) is available for €15,95 at bookstores in the Netherlands and Belgium and can also be ordered online.
The English edition, entitled Being Without Self: Zen for the Modern World contains chapters not found in the Dutch translation. It is available for free. Send a self-addressed envelope and €5 (or the equivalent in your currency) to cover postage to Ruth Mouton, Bollenhofsestraat 79/A, 3572VK Utrecht, Netherlands.
In the US, copies can be picked up for free in Pennsylvania and Maryland or ordered for $5 (to cover postage). For Pennsylvania, contact Dale Shimizu's Clearwater Sangha. For Maryland, contact Tina Shore.
A limited edition Hungarian translation of Jeff's book was published in March, 2010. A revised publication will appear soon; details to follow.
Jeff also contributed to What Is Self? A Study of the Spiritual Journey in Terms of Consciousness (by Bernadette Roberts, Sentient Publications, 2005), and The Sayings of Layman P'ang: A Zen Classic of China (Shambhala, March 2009). For Fukushima’s biography, see The Laughing Buddha of Tofukuji: The Life of Zen Master Keidô Fukushima (by Ishwar Harris; World Wisdom). For the teaching of Fukushima’s master Zenkei Shibayama, see Gateless Barrier (Shambhala), formerly published as Zen Comments on the Mumonkan (Harper & Row). An In Memoriam for Zenkei Shibayama by Kudo Sumiko is found here (PDF file).
Audio, Video, and Photos
Audio files (MP3)
- Philadelphia, February-March 2010: Lecture 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
- Steyl March 2009: Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Egmond March 2009: Day 1, 2, 3
- Egmond November 2008: Day 1, 2, 3, 4
- Steyl February 2008: Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
- Interview for Dutch radio, May 14, 2006 (external link, .rm streaming media)
- No-self in Zen Buddhism (2004)
- Principles of Zen Practice (2003)
- The Unconditioned (2001)
- Zen in Early Buddhism (2000)
- The source of Zen (1998)
Videos
Recent videos can be found on YouTube by searching for "Jeff Shore Zen".
Photos
Some pictures taken at recent retreats can be found here.
Jeff's talks and all original materials on this website are released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Netherlands License.
Upcoming retreats
with Jeff Shore
August 26 - September 1, 2010
Lioba Priory, Egmond, Netherlands
The retreat at the Lioba Priory in Egmond will run from Thursday, August 26 to Wednesday, September 1, 2010. Registration is now closed. Coordinator's phone number during the retreat: +31628115216. For emergencies only! Don't call, but send a single text message and wait for a response.
September 5 - September 9, 2010
St. Raphaela Retreat Center, Haverford, PA, USA
The next retreat at the St. Raphaela Retreat Center in Haverford PA will run from Sunday, September 5th to Thursday, September 9th 2010. Sunday from 13:00 to 21:00 will be open to beginners and those who cannot attend the entire retreat. Sunday night through Thursday will be for more intensive practice. Everyone is expected to sit through the night, health permitting. For more information or to register, contact Tina.
March 14 - March 19, 2011
Missiehuis, Steyl, Netherlands
Registration has not yet started. Details to follow.
March 25 - 27, 2011
Tannenhof, near Munich, Germany
The next retreat in Tannenhof will run from Friday 25th, 18:00 till Sunday afternoon, March 27th, 2011. It will accommodate beginners, as well as experienced practitioners. We will sit through both nights, health allowing. A public lecture in Munich city is planned for March 23rd or 24th. Registration has not yet started.
If you want to add an item to this list of upcoming retreats with Jeff, please send an announcement no longer than 150 words to this address. Make sure to specify start and end dates and times, location, cost, and an email address for further information and registration.
Shibayama Zenkei (right) and Fukushima Keido, USA, circa 1970
Zazenkai
Affiliated meditation groups
UTRECHT, Netherlands: ZEN onder de Dom.
Wednesdays 20:15-22:30, for experienced sitters. €80 per 3 months. Yogacentrum, Lange Nieuwstraat 3, Utrecht. Website. Contact ZEN onder de Dom before attending.
OUDE TONGE, Netherlands: Zen op Flakkee.
Tuesdays: beginners (19:00-20.30) and experienced sitters (20.30-22.30). €45,- per 10 evenings. Website (in Dutch). Contact Guus before attending.
MIDDELBURG, Netherlands: Zendo Zeeland.
Wednesday nights 19.45-21.30, Pakhuis 22, Oostkerkplein 22, Middelburg.Website (in Dutch).
BUDAPEST, Hungary: One Drop Zendo.
Monday-Friday 7:00-8:30, 18:00-19:30. Saturday 9.00-10.30. No fee. Every month there's also a weekend sesshin. Bp. VI. Hajós u. 32, Budapest. Website (in Hungarian). Contact.
WASHINGTON, DC, USA: Zen Buddhist Center of Washington, DC (Ka Shin Zendo).
Saturday mornings 8:30-10:30 (two 30-40 minute periods of zazen, followed by tea/discussion). Tuesdays 18:30-21:00. (three 40-minute periods of zazen). Fee $5 per visit. Note to newcomers: The zendo is open to anyone with prior experience at a Zen or Buddhist practice center, and/or to those who have attended an orientation session. Website
PHILADELPHIA Area, Levittown, PA, USA: Clearwater Sangha.
Zazen on Saturday evenings at 19:00 and 20:00, with tea and Dharma discussion afterwards, and the first Saturday of every month from 9:00 until noon. All are welcome. For details, contact Dale Shimizu.
MUNICH, Germany: One Drop Zendo.
Every Thursday 19:00-21:00 and every Tuesday 7:00-8:30. Once every month, Saturday all day, 8:00-18:00. Amalienstr. 71, Meditationroom of the DBU. Website (in German and English). Contact.
HANNOVER, Germany: Zen-Meditation e.V..
Zazenkai (open to everybody) Thursdays 19:30-21:30. Various sesshins throughout the year, rohatsu-sesshin first week of January. Contact Hartmut Borges for details.
KYOTO, Japan: Zazen at the Hermitage.
Morning zazen every Saturday 9.30 - 12:00 at Jeff's hermitage, including one-on-one with him when he's in Japan. Longer sits monthly. All those with a serious commitment to zazen are welcome, regardless of experience. No fee, donations received with gratitude.
Contact David for details.
If you'd like to add a not-for-profit zazen group to this list, please send the necessary information to this address, using the same format as the other listings (CITY, Country: Name of group, and so on).