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Being-Time: A Practitioner's Guide to Dogen's Shobogenzo Uji
A tour-de-force guide to Zen Master Dogen’s most subtle and sophisticated philosophical that being and time are inseparable.
“Impermanence is time itself, being itself—yet time and being are not at all as we imagine them to be. To really understand and fully embrace this point is to live in a radically different world—a world of awakening, inclusion, and love. Zen Master Dogen frames the teaching on impermanence explicitly as a teaching about time—and all of Dogen’s profoundly poetic teachings flow from his seminal understanding of time, as expressed in Uji (Being-Time), the famous—and famously difficult—essay in his masterwork, Shobogenzo. In Uji, Dogen teaches that time itself, being itself, is luminous awakening. It is all-inclusive, all-elusive, ultimately healing, and eternal.
In this book, Shinshu Roberts does full justice, as does no other book I know of, to Dogen’s words. She offers interpretation of Uji only after careful consideration and marshaling of many sources—and offers simple everyday examples to illustrate points that seem at first abstruse. If this text causes you to doubt your most cherished concepts about your life, it will have done its work.”
—from the Foreword by Norman Fischer
Being-Time thoroughly explores Dogen’s teaching on how we practice as Buddhas by understanding the relationship between being and time as it is—and as we perceive it to be. Using Dogen’s Shobogenzo Uji (The True Dharma Eye, Being-Time), Shinshu Roberts offers a twofold analysis of this the meaning of the text and practice with the text, giving examples how we apply Dogen’s complex teaching to our daily lives.
“Impermanence is time itself, being itself—yet time and being are not at all as we imagine them to be. To really understand and fully embrace this point is to live in a radically different world—a world of awakening, inclusion, and love. Zen Master Dogen frames the teaching on impermanence explicitly as a teaching about time—and all of Dogen’s profoundly poetic teachings flow from his seminal understanding of time, as expressed in Uji (Being-Time), the famous—and famously difficult—essay in his masterwork, Shobogenzo. In Uji, Dogen teaches that time itself, being itself, is luminous awakening. It is all-inclusive, all-elusive, ultimately healing, and eternal.
In this book, Shinshu Roberts does full justice, as does no other book I know of, to Dogen’s words. She offers interpretation of Uji only after careful consideration and marshaling of many sources—and offers simple everyday examples to illustrate points that seem at first abstruse. If this text causes you to doubt your most cherished concepts about your life, it will have done its work.”
—from the Foreword by Norman Fischer
Being-Time thoroughly explores Dogen’s teaching on how we practice as Buddhas by understanding the relationship between being and time as it is—and as we perceive it to be. Using Dogen’s Shobogenzo Uji (The True Dharma Eye, Being-Time), Shinshu Roberts offers a twofold analysis of this the meaning of the text and practice with the text, giving examples how we apply Dogen’s complex teaching to our daily lives.
288 pages, Paperback
Published March 20, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 30, 2018
Of late, I’ve been steeped in a study of Time-Being, Uji, and the physics of time. Along with this book, just finished "The Order of Time” by Carlo Rovelli. Just finished "A Tale for the Time Being” by Ruth Ozeki, a fictional tapestry of modern Japan and Dōgen”s Uji. Reading these three books together help me grok this whole notion of Being-Time. All these books are highly recommended.
Time is not what we think it is. On this point, Dōgen and Shinshu Roberts would agree with the Italian Quantum Physicist Carlo Rovelli. I found that their two positions complementary, spiritual in the case of Dōgen and Roberts and the physical, temporal, conceptual in the case of Rovelli in his recent book, "The Order of Time”. Both are complex narratives that required me to reread a few times before ‘getting it’ or not.
Dogen exposé on time and being and the unity of being-time. Beautifully unfolded by Shinshu Roberts taking a stanza at a time form Dōgen’s Shōbōgenzō Uji. Some of this is a bit ethereal but Shinshu is quick to ground Dōgen’s text. Here is a sample, in response to Dōgen’s “Wrong!, Wrong!, Wrong!”
“Knowing something with our mind is not the same as enacting our understanding. Yet knowing with our mind can be helpful. We should not discard intellectual understanding altogether, nor should we be led around by it. Our practice is on the edge of Mañjuśrï’s wisdom sword. If we know how to travel that fine edge, we are free from this and that. The two [3] wrongs become sparks from a stone, intimacy’s immediate fire, and lighten’s flash in the dark night. It is only through engaging our life that we will find our path along the edge.”
Dōgen’s ideas are “vast, poetic and concrete at the same time”. Reading felt like I was being asked to hold to counter opposing notions in my consciousness at the same time. I hear this is a skill that can be fostered and developed with practice. When I wasn’t being stretched by Dōgen’s poetics, Shinshu Roberts gently guided me in an exploration of being-time. A rich and rewarding experience.
Time is not what we think it is. On this point, Dōgen and Shinshu Roberts would agree with the Italian Quantum Physicist Carlo Rovelli. I found that their two positions complementary, spiritual in the case of Dōgen and Roberts and the physical, temporal, conceptual in the case of Rovelli in his recent book, "The Order of Time”. Both are complex narratives that required me to reread a few times before ‘getting it’ or not.
Dogen exposé on time and being and the unity of being-time. Beautifully unfolded by Shinshu Roberts taking a stanza at a time form Dōgen’s Shōbōgenzō Uji. Some of this is a bit ethereal but Shinshu is quick to ground Dōgen’s text. Here is a sample, in response to Dōgen’s “Wrong!, Wrong!, Wrong!”
“Knowing something with our mind is not the same as enacting our understanding. Yet knowing with our mind can be helpful. We should not discard intellectual understanding altogether, nor should we be led around by it. Our practice is on the edge of Mañjuśrï’s wisdom sword. If we know how to travel that fine edge, we are free from this and that. The two [3] wrongs become sparks from a stone, intimacy’s immediate fire, and lighten’s flash in the dark night. It is only through engaging our life that we will find our path along the edge.”
Dōgen’s ideas are “vast, poetic and concrete at the same time”. Reading felt like I was being asked to hold to counter opposing notions in my consciousness at the same time. I hear this is a skill that can be fostered and developed with practice. When I wasn’t being stretched by Dōgen’s poetics, Shinshu Roberts gently guided me in an exploration of being-time. A rich and rewarding experience.
July 29, 2018
Zen teachings from one of the great Zen text of all times. Although this is not an easy read, you may have to really take your time reading these teachings to truly grasp what's being said. I find myself going back and rereading more than once to further my understanding. If you are looking to deepen your understanding of Zen and Dogens teachings, this is a great read.
December 14, 2025
Dogen's Uji has been compared to Heidegger’s being in time for many reasons, not least of all both are concerns with being and time. And I would argue, both are difficult to understand without help.
Shinshi Roberts is a priest in the same school as Dogen, having trained at the famous Zen Center in San Francisco, she knows her stuff. I was grateful to read this book as it helped me a lot in understanding Uji, especially on the connection between being-time and that of awakening. As it explains in the title, it is a practioner's guide. Since I am not a Zen practioner, I worried it would not be a good use of my time to read the book, since it is after all devoted to those who practice meditation and study the religion. That said, I found her explanation of how Dogen's concept of time maps on to things like empathy, realization of inter-dependence and co-existence, as well as to that of joy to be really profound.
It is scholarly and at the same time surprisingly accessible to someone outside the American Zen tradition. I both listened on Audible (excellent narration) and read on Kindle. I loved it so much I think I will get the paperback as well. Also looking forward to getting my hands on her new book.
Shinshi Roberts is a priest in the same school as Dogen, having trained at the famous Zen Center in San Francisco, she knows her stuff. I was grateful to read this book as it helped me a lot in understanding Uji, especially on the connection between being-time and that of awakening. As it explains in the title, it is a practioner's guide. Since I am not a Zen practioner, I worried it would not be a good use of my time to read the book, since it is after all devoted to those who practice meditation and study the religion. That said, I found her explanation of how Dogen's concept of time maps on to things like empathy, realization of inter-dependence and co-existence, as well as to that of joy to be really profound.
It is scholarly and at the same time surprisingly accessible to someone outside the American Zen tradition. I both listened on Audible (excellent narration) and read on Kindle. I loved it so much I think I will get the paperback as well. Also looking forward to getting my hands on her new book.
March 16, 2025
Stick to some other translation of Dogen. This entire book is about one chapter, UJi, in Dogen's Shobogenzo. I found Robert's level of abstraction in her writing is so high that I found it almost unreadable. OK, I did quit half way through. Life is short. Brad Warner makes Uji far more clear in just one chapter of his book, Don't be a Jerk. I'm open to changing my mind as I grow, of course. But I am almost 82 so my time is limited.
December 20, 2021
If you're interested in Zen in general, and Eihei Dōgen in particular, this mind-blowing masterpiece is a must. It's often hard-going and esoteric, but as Norman Fischer writes in the foreword: "If this text causes you to challenge your most cherished concepts about your life, it will have done its work."
December 14, 2020
I can’t add anything to Norman Fischer’s profound forward. Only to say that Roberts uses many other writings from Dōgen, not just Uji. This book was a very useful companion to Kazuaki Tanahashi’s edition of Dōgen’s writings called Moon in a Dewdrop.
February 4, 2022
Seems like a scholarly dissection rather than a book meant to convey deep meaning. Couldn't understand a word... disruption.. meaning... highly complicated concept.. scholarly gibberish.. unnecessary detours.. meaning... disruption and back again.
January 17, 2021
An in-depth explanation of one of Master Dogen's densest fascicles. Very helpful.
February 14, 2021
Interesting book to wrap one’s head around. I’m not very familiar with Zen writing so I cannot compare this to others, but enjoyed different modes of thought presented.
January 1, 2022
An absolutely fabulous read. So happy I ended 2021 with this book.
January 7, 2022
"Dogen's teaching in 'Uji' is that we must hold more than one view" (169).
July 11, 2024
A highly engaging exploration of Dogen's Shobogenzo Uji. Enjoyed and learned from it, and can picture myself reading it again.
August 9, 2025
One of the best commentaries I've ever read on the Shobogenzo
August 5, 2021
I have stopped reading this book. Its not giving me the impact that I thought it would. Maybe for another time.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews