Zen Buddhism: Dogen

An indispensible map of a classic Zen text. "Mountains and waters are the expression of old buddhas." So begins Sansuikyo, or Mountains and Waters Sutra, a masterpiece of poetry and insight from Eihei Dogen, the thirteenth-century founder of the Soto school of Zen.

Insightful commentary on a beloved ancient philosopher of Zen by a beloved contemporary master of Zen.

How are the teachings of a thirteenth-century master relevant today? Twenty contemporary writers unpack Dogen's words and show how we can still find meaning in his teachings.

The Shobogenzo (The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye) is a revered 800-year-old Zen Buddhism classic written by the Japanese monk Eihei Dogen. Despite the timeless wisdom of his teachings, many consider the book difficult to understand and daunting to read.

Eihei Dogen (1200–1253), founder of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism, is one of the greatest religious, philosophical, and literary geniuses of Japan. His writings have been studied by Zen students for centuries, particularly his masterwork, Shobo Genzo or Treasury of the True Dharma Eye.

One of the greatest religious practitioners and philosophers of the East, Eihei Dogen Zenji (1200–1253) is today thought of as the founder of the Soto school of Zen. A deep thinker and writer, he was deeply involved in monastic methods and in integrating Zen realization into daily life.

Zen is about questioning. Zen continuously questions. This does not necessarily involve finding answers, but finding a space in which to sustain uncertainty, being willing to remain present and upright in the middle of investigations.