JOHN DAIDO LOORI was the spiritual leader and abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery in Mt. Tremper, N.Y., and the founder and director of the Mountains and Rivers Order. He was a dharma heir of Taizan Maezumi Roshi and a lineage holder in both the Soto and Rinzai lineages. He was also a painter and photographer with many exhibitions to his credit. He authored numerous other books including The Eight Gates of Zen.