JAMES ISHMAEL FORD
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Talks on Koans

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Zen's koan tradition is one of James' major passions. In addition to co-editing one of the standard study guides, the Book of Mu, he is also author of an introduction to Zen meditation focused on the koan. Here are a collection of links to talks on specific koans.

Koan Introspection: A Quick and Dirty Introduction

From the Harada Yasutani Miscellaneous Collection
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Stopping that Distant Temple Bell: Miscellaneous Koan
​Save A Ghost: Miscellaneous Koans
Inside the Stone Crypt: Miscellaneous Koan

From the Gateless Gate
On the Ordinariness of Mu, Gateless Gate, Case 1
My Life as a Fox, Gateless Gate, Case 2
Zen Master Juzhi & the Matter of the Finger that Wasn't There. Gateless Gate, Case 3
Zen & the Art of Foolishness, Gateless Gate, Case 4
​Where Is Paradise? Gateless Gate, Case 5
The Flower Sermon: Gateless Gate, Case 6
Creatures of Pain & Joy: Gateless Gate, Case 7
Go Wash Your Bowls: Gateless Gate, Case 7​
Xizhong & His Magical Cart, Gateless Gate, Case 8
As Easy As Falling off a Log, Gateless Gate, Case 9
A Cricket, Singing. Gateless Gate, Case 10
​Ryuyan Calls To Himself, "Master": Gateless Gate, Case 12
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The Last Word. Gateless Gate, Case 13
​A Love Letter from the Deep: Gateless Gate, Case 15 ​
The Bodhisattva Way & a Robe of Many Colors, Case 16
Ordinary Mind is the Way: Gateless Gate, Case 19
Yunmen's Dried Shitstick, Gateless Gate, Case 21
The One Sermon: Gateless Gate, Case 25
Intimate Intimate: Gateless Gate, Case 26
The Buddha and the Non Believer, Gateless Gate, Case 32 
Knowing. is not the way, Gateless. Gate, Case 34
​One Continuous Mistake, Gateless Gate, Case 38
Bodhidharma Sighed, Gateless Gate, Case 41
The Connoisseur of Sadness, Gateless Gate, Case 41
​​Doushuai's Three Barriers: Gateless Gate, Case 47

From the Blue Cliff Record​
​​No Zen Masters in the West, Blue Cliff, Case 11
A Zen Teaching for the Last Age, Blue Cliff, Case 14 
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Following the Scented Flowers, Blue Cliff, Case 36 
Layman Pang's Snowball Fight, Blue Cliff, Case 42
Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head: Blue Cliff, Case 46
Daowu's Condolences: Blue Cliff, Case 55
Zen & the Boundless Way, Blue Cliff, Case 61
Sixteen Bodhisattvas, Blue Cliff, Case 78
​How Does Guanyin Use Those Many Hands, Blue Cliff, Case 89
​The Buddha Takes His Seat, Blue Cliff, Case 92

From the Book of Serenity
The World in a Blade of Grass: Book of Serenity, Case 4
The Price of Potatoes in Idaho: Book of Serenity, Case 5
​TTheA Baptist Koan: Book of Serenity, Case 28
Creatures of Pain and Joy: Book of Serenity, Case 39

From Entangling Vines
What Will You Do:: Entangling Vines, Case 154​
​Buddha's Teaching & Bodhidharma's Intention,
Entangling Vines, Case 170


Odds & Ends on Koans
Master Rujing Explains Mu
Dogen's Fukenzazengi & the Koan of Shikantaza
A Sufi Spills the Beans on What a Zen Koan Is 
The World is On Fire: A Meditation on the Adittapariyaya Sutta as a Zen Koan
Encountering Zen's Precepts as Koan
Layman Pang is Corrected
A Zen Koan from the Bible
The Great Way is Not Difficult


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  • Home
  • About James
  • Books & Other Writing
  • Talks on Koans
  • Retreats, Talks, Pastoral Services
  • Calendar
  • Some Pictures
  • Contact James