As a practitioner, intellectual understanding alone is not enough. This is the first book to offer the great masters incisive wisdom in short selections taken from the whole range of his voluminous works. It is a manifesto of the zen life in which dogen proclaims the religious insight that stands at the core of everything he wrote subsequently. Zen koan collections 40 books meet your next favorite book. One of the greatest religious practitioners and philosophers of t. Dogen zenjis shobogenzo genjokoan dogen, nishiari bokusan. A basic soto zen reading list ocean gate zen center santa. Today, id like to talk about what is the position of genjokoan within dogen zenjis writings and also on the meaning of the title genjokoan. In part i, hes chosen twelve poems from the sansho doei, a collection of poetry composed by master dogen zenji between 1245 and 1253. 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. Alongside that of bokusan, quoted earlier, we also have others by the well known zen teacher shunryu suzuki 1904 1971, and kosho uchiyama 1912 1998. Genjo koan complete manifestation of established truth. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Very simply, for those interested in dogen and his genjokoan, there is no other meaningful commentary available in english. The wholehearted way, eihei dogens bendowa commentary by kosho uchiyama roshi. The second commentary is by suzuki roshi 19041971, and the third commentary is by kosho uchiyama 19121998. Like all masterful commentaries, this one finds in the few short lines of the text the entire span of the buddhist teachings.
The key to dogens shobogenzo annotated edition by okumura, shohaku isbn. Genjo koan, loosely interpreted, means the hidden, whole action of impartiality. From section 4 to 7 of genjo koan, dogen zenji discusses delusion and enlightenment, and buddhas and living beings based on the relationship between the self and all myriad things. Genjo koan is really important is one wants to understand the meaning of zazen practice and daily activities as bodhisattva practice. Read unlimited books and audiobooks on the web, ipad, iphone and. This fascicle, genjo koan, is the most difficult of the entire shobo genzo treasury of the true dharma eye.
Kodo takeuchi center for soto zen studies chief research fellow genjo koan is the title of the first fascicle of the 75fascicle version of shobogenzo, which is thought to have been compiled by dogen zenji himself. A fresh translation of and insightful new commentary on genjo koan, the most influential work by th century zen master. The translation adheres closely to the original japanese, with a clear style and extensive annotations. Cooks translation of genjokoanis as accurate as possible, faithful to. Not holding on i recently acquired a new book on dogens genjo koan three commentaries including the essential 19th century commentary by nishiari bokusan. Your insightful commentary, your ability to articulate the many subtleties one encounters in genjokoan, the grounding of your comments in so great a breadth of knowledge, and the distinctiveness of what you bring to the text its really quite an exceptional book. Anyway, thats not whats going on with dogens genjo koan. Three commentaries, and it contains a commentary on genjo koan by shunryu suzuki, the.
Its a really important point and a key to dogens meaning in genjo koan. A commentary on dogens genjokoan and dogens genjo koan. Therefore, genjokoan means to answer the question from true reality through the practice of our everyday activity. Dogens genjo koan is the first chapter in that book, and for many followers it might be thought to contain the gist of dogens workit is one of the groundwork texts of zen buddhism, standing easily alongside the diamond sutra, the heart sutra,and a small handful of others. From section 4 to 7 of genjokoan, dogen zenji discusses delusion and enlightenment, and buddhas and living beings based on the relationship between the self and all myriad things. Although genjo koan has been translated into english many times, and is familiar to buddhists both east and west, it is still not well understood. A new book of three commentaries on dogens genjo koan. Mar 17, 2012 as mentioned above, there are three translations of the genjo koan with a separate commentary each. Dear genjoers, this week or two, we will see how it goes, lets read the full genjo koan translation from page 1, and all of the short chapter 1 on dogens life up until writing it. Three commentaries 9781582438276 by dogen, eihei and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books. Truth unfolding, or genjo koan, is a definitive, elegant exposition. If you have never read it before or even if you have, please pick a sentence or two, or a passage, that really jumps out at you. The commentary by nishiari bokusan alone is worth buying the book for. This one is originally written in japanese and has a japanese sensibility, but is well translated and delves deeply into the nuances of dogens masterpiece.
Forgetting the self in dogens genjo koan david brazier. A list of koan collections from both the soto and rinzai traditions of zen buddhism, as well as books about koans. There are many different things to ponder and it has been a great book to read. Interested readers who pick up a copy of the book will discover that much of bokusans commentary on the nature of genjo koan is closely related to this question. This is the best text to start to study dogens teachings. Shohaku okumura on the first chapter of dogen zenjis shobogenzo during stillpoints april 2000 sesshin in pittsburgh, pennsylvania. And in this context koan does not refer to these teaching stories, but to the heart of the matter. Okumura sensei says the japanese character genjo means reality actually and presently taking place and koan refers to the intersection of the two aspects of reality. Genjo koan complete manifestation of established truth rev. A basic soto zen reading list ocean gate zen center. It contains past and present, the three worlds, the ten directions, delusions, enlightenment, all buddhas, sentient beings, birth, and death. This line may be the most direct expression in the whole shobogenzo. The reason there are so many authors in this book is because it is a compilation of three commentaries, each of which has two or three authors or editors attached. The centerpiece of the translation is genjokoan manifesting absolute reality.
Dogens 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 dogens workit is one of the groundwork texts of zen buddhism, standing easily alongside the diamond sutra, the heart sutra, and a small handful of others. Dogens seminal teaching, translated by robert aitken and kazuaki tanahashi. Genjo koan is one of the most wellknown chapters of dogen zenjis shobogenzo. Dogens genjo koan is the first chapter in that book, and for many followers it might be thought to contain the gist of dogens work. This is the first in a series of three lectures given by rev. Zen cats, zen dogs, zen horses, zen underwater life,zen girls treasury of the true. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Before we dive into okumura roshi commentary, i would like to know your feelings. When you come to know it intimately, you will see why it encompasses everything. William m bodiford claims that bokusan was the first to lecture on how to understand dogens sh ob ogenz oi op cit. Apr 05, 20 dogens genjo koan is the first chapter in that book, and for many followers it might be thought to contain the gist of dogens workit is one of the groundwork texts of zen buddhism, standing easily alongside the diamond sutra, the heart sutra, and a small handful of others. Read realizing genjokoan by shohaku okumura,taigen dan leighton for. Dogens 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 dogens workit is one of the groundwork texts of zen buddhism, standing easily alongside the diamond sutra, the heart sutra, and a.
The commentaries in this text help to open genjokoan for readers, but are themselves difficult texts which require repeated readings and contemplation. Genjo koan is the original selfnature of the universal dharma realm as it is. I would like to talk about the line about carrying the self forward. Actualization of reality, part one this is the first in a series of three lectures given by rev. Realizing genjokoan is a stunning commentary on the famous first chapter of dogens shobogenzo. We are not alone in this endeavor, however, for the book contains three separate translations and accompanying commentaries on its subject, the genjo koan, which is the opening chapter of dogens mammoth treatise shobogenzo. Forgetting the self in dogens genjo koan paperback. Eihei dogen zenji was born in japan on january 19, 1200. Lets go to nishiari bokusans understanding of genjo koan. The song of the wind in the dry tree is a book of commentaries given by zen master philippe coupey from two thcentury japanese texts.
Bokusan nishiari one of the greatest religious practitioners and philosophers of the east, eihei dogen zenji 12001253 is today thought of as the founder of the soto school of zen. Genjo koan, says nishiari bokusan, the late head of the soto school. In the end of section 7, dogen zenji says, when we conceive our body and mind in a confused way and grasp all things with discriminating mind, we mistakenly think. Dogens genjo koan by eihei dogen zenji overdrive rakuten. The lifetime teaching of dogen can be found in one phrase. Those interested in connections between the gurdjieff teaching and dogens conception of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading dogens genjo koan.
Pdf realising genjokoan download full pdf book download. The first is a commentary by nishiari bokusan 18211910. Shobogenzo, genjokoan flowers fall, weeds flourish. Dogens genjo koan is the first chapter in that book, and for many followers it might be thought to contain the gist of dogens workit is one of the groundwork texts of zen buddhism, standing easily alongside the diamond sutra, the heart sutra, and a small handful of others.
Information, bibliography, quotations, notes, index. There are three commentaries that essentially comprise this text. The essays were chosen to span the range from introductory to advanced, from practical to philosophical. Genjo koan is a text he emphasized, so that makes it really special for us. Dialog on the way of commitment, or bendowa, is an introductory essay directed towards the newcomer to zen buddhism.
A commentary on zen master dogens genjokoan zen doodle drawing box set 5in1. Our unique edition of dogens genjo koan actualization of reality contains three separate translations and several commentaries by a wide variety of zen masters. This term is also frequently found in dogens other writings. Commentary on the diamond sutra, han shan, in chan and zen teachings, vol. Mar 22, 2012 as mentioned above, there are three translations of the genjo koan with a separate commentary each. Nishiari bokusan, shohaku okamura, shunryu suzuki, kosho uchiyama. As mentioned by nishiari bokusan 1821 1910, one of the commentators, said that dogens entire teaching begins and ends with this essaythe other. A line in shobogenzo, genjokoan, says and though it is like this, it is plainly that flowers, while loved, fall and weeds while hated, flourish. Shohaku okumura says that gen means to appear, to show up, or to be in the. Genjo koan is the most important chapter in zen master dogens principal major work, the shobogenzo. Read realizing genjokoan online by shohaku okumura and. Genjos dharma talks and essays have been published in several dharma journals beginning with the theosphical societys quest magazine in 1991 and more recently in the lions roar and nwda news. Our unique edition of dogens genjo koan actualization of reality.
Abridged and edited by barbara byrum and cynthia schrager. Genjo koan 19 jijuyu zanmai 23 repentance 26 bodhisattva vows 26 three refuges 26 dedications 28. Dogens genjo koan is the first chapter in that book. Three commentaries kindle edition by zenji, eihei dogen, bokusan, nishiari, okamura, shohaku, suzuki, shunryu. Pdf the essential dogen download full pdf book download. Even the teachers of old made mistakes and developed distorted views.
It contains past and present, the three worlds the ten directions, delusion, enlightenment, all buddhas, sentient beings, birth, and death. He used an interpretive style i havent seen before, kind of attempting to clarify things while keeping them abstract and. Genjo roshis commentary on koan practice has been translated into several languages. I was very intrigued by the first commentary in this book, by nishiari bokusan. The pithy and powerful readings, arranged according to theme, provide a perfect introduction to dogenand inspire spiritual practice in. According to taigen dan leighton the word genjo means to fully or completely manifest, or to express or share.
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