Zen master Taiun Jean-Pierre Faure was ordained as a monk by master Taisen Deshimaru in 1981. In 2003, he received the transmission of the Dharma from Minamizawa Zenji, a high authority in Zen and abbot of Eiheiji temple in Japan. He is now abbot of Kanshoji Monastery in the Dordogne region of France. He transmits […]
When we talk about the zazen posture, we are talking about the posture of the body-mind. The body is involved, the mind is involved. In fact, we cannot separate the body from the mind, the mind from the body. What is asked is to keep this body-mind poised at the heart of the universe, without […]
If you let your life be led solely by the ego, don’t be surprised if you encounter suffering. It is important to make room for Buddha, for what is as it is, for that which exists by itself, for that which is beyond our personal consciousness, for reality as it is. The ego must give […]
Believing that peace can be brought about through war is not only a common view, but also a counterproductive one. It’s not through hatred that we can bring about harmony and peace. It is not by entering the world with angers, indignations, and ideologies that we bring peace to the world. Buddha, the patriarchs, and […]
Appreciate the present moment. There is nothing other than the present moment. The universe exists in its totality in the present moment and only in the present moment. The past always ends in the present moment. The future always begins in the present moment. Don’t defile this present moment with your expectations, your regrets, your […]
In Buddhism, we always define the self as that which possesses and directs the body and mind. Of course, such a self does not exist; it is only a mental fabrication, an illusion. In fact, we cannot separate one existence from the myriad existences of the universe. Whether we know it or not, life, my […]
Having discovered the existential sufferings of human beings – illness, old age, death, etc. – Shakyamuni Buddha left his father’s palace. He followed the many teachings that existed in India in his time, but none satisfied him. So he sat in zazen, determined not to get up until he had the answer to the suffering […]
The Way of the Buddha does not, under any circumstances, require you to sacrifice yourself for others. One day, during the time of the Buddha, the king of Kosala asked his wife: ‘Of you or of me, who do you love the most?’ The queen replies: ‘Your Majesty, it is I that I love the […]
Zazen 11 a.m. The monk Joshu asked Master Nansen : ‘What is the Way?’ Master Nansen’s answer has become famous: ‘The spirit of daily life is the Way.’ There is no need to stand on your head, to do strange things or flagellate yourself. The spirit of daily life is the spirit we need to have […]
The past no longer exists, the future does not yet exist. What exists is the present moment, even if this present moment has no temporal duration; for this reason it is said to be elusive. Ultimate reality, even if we can’t grasp it, manifests itself at every moment. The best way to live is not […]