Sam Harris speaks with Meido Moore Roshi about Meido’s early encounter with the Dhammapada, his formative meeting with Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, his indirect path to Zen, and his experience with psychedelics. They also discuss meditation as a psycho-physical practice, integrating awakening into the body, kenshō vs. satori, Rinzai vs. Sōtō Zen, eyes-open vs. eyes-closed meditation, the centrality of compassion as a motivator for practice, the role of meditation teachers, the importance of community, and other topics.

Meido Moore Roshi began Zen practice in 1988. He received inka shomei, recognition as an 86th-generation Rinzai Zen lineage holder, in 2008. He serves as abbot of Korinji, a monastery he founded in Wisconsin, USA.

Meido is additionally ordained in the Shingon tradition, and has received lineage transmission (dento) of Ein Horyu, the major Shingon Shugendo practice lineage.

For many years he was a professional teacher of Japanese martial arts. He practices Sado (tea ceremony), calligraphy, and is a trained bladesmith. He is the author of The Rinzai Zen Way: A Guide to Practice and Hidden Zen: Practices for Sudden Awakening and Embodied Realization, published by Shambhala.