The Mountains and Waters Sutra: A Practitioner's Guide to Dogen's "Sansuikyo"

by Shohaku Okumura, Issho Fujita (Foreword), Shodo Spring (Editor)

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.

Shohaku Okumura—renowned for his translations of and magisterial teachings on Dogen—guides the reader through the rich layers of metaphor and meaning in “Sansuikyo,” which is often thought to be the most beautiful essay in Dogen’s monumental Shobogenzo . His wise and friendly voice shows us the questions Dogen poses and helps us realize what the answers could be. What does it mean for mountains to walk? How are mountains an expression of Buddha’s truth, and how can we learn to hear the deep teachings of river waters? Throughout this luminous volume, we learn how we can live in harmony with nature in respect and gratitude—and awaken to our true nature.

Genres: Buddhism, Zen, Philosophy, Spirituality, Religion, Japan

328 pages, Paperback

Published May 29, 2018

Reviews

[Nagapriya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a commentary on a key chapter from Dogen's Shobogenzo. Okumura is clearly steeped in Dogen studies and is able to marshal a broad range of references from other writings both by Dogen and other Zen writers. The book is formed from talks and this show at times with a certain lack of continuity and an episodic quality. At the same time, there are many engaging insights and reflections. One thing I liked a lot is Okumura's personal revelation of his own life and his experiences with his teacher Ucchiyama Roshi. The book is a great way to find your way into Dogen's complex and difficult writing Sansuikyo. After reading it, I feel equipped to continue to explore Dogen's magnum opus, the Shobogenzo, in more depth.

[Joseph Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough review of Sansuikyō, with attention to the many references that are lost in time and translation.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put it down. Stunning.

[Lori Shinkō Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most difficult fasicle of the Shobogenzo, and a very trying read. I love the philosophical and poetry of Dogen's Mountains and Waters Sutra. Okumura Roshi is very honest in his translation and ability to convey understanding of this fascicle. We can study it all our lives. This is not a book for someone just starting out in Zen, or do it and then come back to it later. We can all keep coming back to it, over and over again like the stream down the mountain, to the clouds and back to snow on the mountain top.

[Moreno Stefanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's okay not to understand ;)

[William Sowka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is based on the lectures given by by Shohaku Okumura on the fascicle of Dogen’s Shobogenzo called Sansuiko, meaning mountain and water sutra. Mountains and water expound the physical world that is not only constantly moving and changing (much like our own “self”), but also the physical world that all beings are fully a part of. We are awakened to this reality of interdependence and impermanence through the practice of Zazen. Okumura, as usual, explains the text of this sutra with beautifully articulate and understandable insight. Nonetheless, I needed to read through this text several times. sitting on each line for months, to only partially appreciate its brilliance. Regardless, a very helpful book to pass along the way.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a bit more repetitive than others by this author. He seems to take each of Dogen's sentences and interprets it in isolation using a few paragraphs of commentary, and many of those commentary paragraphs say nearly the same thing. I suspect if he had taken a series of translated statements and interpreted them together, the book would have been shorter and more focused.

And yet, I got a lot out of this book. There's a later section on the student-teacher relationship, and on "transmission," and I appreciated Okumura's diligent work--and his encouragement to his audience--in the face of Dogen's arcane, cryptic, and poetic writing.

[Bill Yake · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most accessible commentary of this classic Zen text I've yet read. Still, absorbing the Sutra and Okuma's perceptions, can be slow going. It's worth it. [With valuable contributions by Carl Bielefeldt (translator of the Sutra), Gary Snyder, and Issho Fujita.]

[Jim McGurn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vital