Dogen's Genjo Koan: Three Commentaries

by Dōgen

The classic Buddhist text in three engaging new translations, with commentary from contemporary Zen masters. 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. At times The Shobogenzo was profoundly difficult, and he worked on it over his entire life, revising and expanding, producing a book that is today thought to be one of the highest manifestations of Buddhist thought ever produced. Dogen’s Genjo Koan (Actualization of Reality) is the first chapter in that book, and for many followers it might be thought to contain the gist of Dogen’s work—it is one of the groundwork texts of Zen Buddhism, standing easily alongside The Diamond Sutra, The Heart Sutra, and a small handful of others. Our unique edition of Dogen’s Genjo Koan contains three separate translations and several commentaries by a wide variety of Zen masters. Nishiari Bokusan, Shohaku Okamura, Shunryu Suzuki, Kosho Uchiyama. Sojun Mel Weitsman, Kazuaki Tanahashi, and Dairyu Michael Wenger all have contributed to our presentation of this remarkable work. There can be no doubt that understanding and integrating this text will have a profound effect on anyone’s life and practice.

Genres: Buddhism, Zen, Philosophy

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

Dōgen Zenji (道元禅師; also Dōgen Kigen 道元希玄, or Eihei Dōgen 永平道元, or Koso Joyo Daishi) was a Zen Buddhist teacher and the founder of the Sōtō Zen school of Buddhism in Japan.

Reviews

[Lori Shinkō Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a practicing Zen Buddhist, this is recommended reading. Dogen Zenji speaks from the pure land of thought that cuts through illusion and is beautifully poetic. This book is a compilation of many pure minds that help to bring awareness and understanding to the deep writings of Dogen. I found myself reading a few pages, then letting them sit with me for greater understanding. I will continue to live just two sentences from the Koan:

"Yet in attachment, blossoms just fall, and in aversion weeds just spread."

[Colin Small]

I was very intrigued by the first commentary in this book, by Nishiari Bokusan. He used an interpretive style I haven't seen before, kind of attempting to clarify things while keeping them abstract and almost a little bit mathematical. I've read books by both Suzuki and Uchiyama before and so I'm a little familiar with the topics that these two westernizers of Soto Zen often return to, topics which seem to themselves come from Dogen and even specifically Genjo Koan. So reading the first commentary solidified my understanding of some tropes that I had previously only been familiar with intuitively and maybe been a little incredulous about. I really wish I could find other writings by Nishiari Bokusan translated into English.