Dogen: Japan's Original Zen Teacher

by Steven Heine

An essential introduction to the life, writings, and legacy of one of Japan's most prolific Buddhist masters.

The founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan, Eihei Dogen (1200–1253) is one of the most influential Buddhist teachers of all time. Although Dogen’s writings have reached wide prominence among contemporary Buddhists and philosophers, there is much that remains enigmatic about his life and writings. In Japan’s Original Zen Teacher , respected Dogen scholar and translator Steven Heine offers a nuanced portrait of the master’s historical context, life, and work, paying special attention to issues such


Synthesizing a lifetime of research and reflection into an accessible narrative, this new addition to the Lives of the Masters series illuminates thought-provoking perspectives on Dogen’s character and teachings, as well as his relevance to contemporary practitioners.

Genres: Zen, Nonfiction, Japan, Buddhism

360 pages, Paperback

Published December 21, 2021

Reviews

[Andy McLellan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will now be the book I give to anyone who wants to read an overview of Dogen's life and work. Steven Heine is the author of many books on Dogen and Soto Zen and this is an excellent collation of material about Dogen's life, dividing it up into a number of stages and illuminating the turning points in his practice and writing. Highly recommended.

[diwili · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of Dogen's life and works. I now have a better understanding of the context and chronology of Dogen's writings and will base my decision of what works to read (and in what order) on what I've learned from this book.