The Heart of Dogen's Shobogenzo

by Norman Waddell (Translator), Norman Waddell (Translator), Masao Abe (Translator)

The Heart of Dogen's Shobogenzo provides exhaustively annotated translations of the difficult core essays of Shobogenzo, the masterwork of Japanese Zen master Dogen Kigen, the founder of Soto Zen. This book is centered around those essays that generations have regarded as containing the essence of Dogen's teaching. These translations, revised from those that first appeared in the 1970s, clarify and enrich the understanding of Dogen's religious thought and his basic ideas about Zen practice and doctrine. Dogen's uncommon intellectual gifts, combined with a profound religious attainment and an extraordinary ability to articulate it, make Shobogenzo unique even in the vast literature the Zen school has produced over the centuries, securing it a special place in the history of world religious literature.

Genres: Philosophy, Buddhism, Religion, Zen, Japan, Asia, Eastern Philosophy

132 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you aren't familiar with Dogen prepare to read this at a snail's pace. This is a very difficult book but worth the struggle -- though it could be that the struggle is the whole point.

Dogen alludes to a story about a monk who asks Shih-shuang, "What is the meaning of Bodhidharma's coming from the west?" The master replies, "A rock in emptiness." The master asks if he understands. The monk says no. "Good thing," the master responds. "If you did I'd break your skull."

Which is to say that understanding in the normal sense is not the goal here. And no, I can't tell you what the goal is.

The translation is fluid and the annotations are excellent.

[Eugen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best translation of some of the most important fascicles of the Shobogenzo. I also recommend Masao Abe's translated book of essays on Dogen (SUNY Press) as a guide. Dogen is the greatest philosopher to have written in Japanese and, in my judgment, the greatest Buddhist philosopher after Nagarjuna. Having lived from 1200 to 1253, his work is, perhaps, more relevant than ever.

[Michelle Wruck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an essential text for understanding Dogen’s work but it’s important to recognize that the translation and presentation are from a Western philosophical perspective. Kazuaki Tanahashi’s translation will give a very different feel for the same works.

Translating ancient Japanese poetry into contemporary English is tough. Japanese is a language that is so different from English that it is virtually impossible to fully communicate what is being said in Japanese. Japanese words and characters often have multiple meanings and Dogen, in particular, plays with those layers of meaning in his lectures. To communicate all of that in English is simply not possible.

If you can’t learn ancient Japanese but want some sense of what Dogen said, it’s best to read multiple translations of his work. This should be one of the books you read but it shouldn’t be the only one.

[John Redmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for Dōgen being a Zen titan. However, one must penetrate that the reading of his words is the time you are one with it and apart from it and then good luck uttering any of that to anyone or anything.

[mac macpherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book ever written about the nature of reality and self... shobogenzo was written by a 13th century zen monk