Zen Paris — zen dojo and Buddhist association in Paris

Zen Paris is a Buddhist zen dojo and non-profit association located at 50 rue Labat (Paris 18th). Led by monks and nuns of the Kosen sangha, in the lineage of Taisen Deshimaru, it hosts zazen sessions every Sunday.

History

Zen Paris was founded in the late 1990s by Josy Genji Thibaut (1925–2017), a zen nun and feminist activist, signatory of the Manifesto of the 343 and a figure of the MLF. Initially run informally at her home, the practice group was constituted as a non-profit association under French law (loi 1901) in March 2014.

Since Josy Thibaut's passing in 2017, Zen Paris has been led by monks and nuns of the Kosen sangha, in the spirit — both rigorous and open — of its founder.

The lineage: Deshimaru → Kosen → Zen Paris

Zen Paris belongs to the direct lineage of Taisen Deshimaru (1914–1982), the zen master who brought soto zen to Europe in the 1970s. After his death, the formal dharma transmission (shiho) was given to three of his disciples by the senior Japanese zen authority, including Stéphane Kosen Thibaut (1950–2025).

Master Kosen devoted more than fifty years to transmitting zazen in Europe and South America. He founded the Kosen sangha — the international community of which Zen Paris is a member — and the Yujo Nyusanji zen temple in southern France.

Josy Thibaut — founder of Zen Paris

Josy Genji Thibaut (1925–2017) was Master Kosen Thibaut's mother and a remarkable figure — an ordained zen nun and committed feminist activist. Signatory of the Manifesto of the 343 in 1971 and an active member of the MLF, she led a zazen group at her home for many years before founding Zen Paris in the 1990s. She practised zazen until nearly 90.

The practice

Zen Paris practises soto zen, founded on zazen as transmitted by Dōgen Zenji in the 13^th century. The zazen posture — precise, silent, demanding — is the heart of the practice. It cannot be improvised: initiation with a monk or nun is essential.

Sunday sessions include zazen (seated meditation), kinhin (walking meditation) and sutras. Duration: about two hours. Open to beginners — intro session €5.

Legal status