Book Description
Rational Zen consists of selection from Dogen's two masterworks, Shobogenzo (the famed "Treasury of Eyes of True Teaching, " Japan's most sophisticated philosophical work) and Eihei Koruko ("Universal Book of Eternal Peace"), now in English for the first time. The translator's commentary and a compendium of authentic source materials enhance the reader's insight into Dogen's methods, linking them to the great classical traditions of Buddhism that ultimately flowered in Zen.Thomas Cleary holds a Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University and is a former fellow of Kyoto University. Having published over forty volumes of Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian works, he is the most prolific translator of Asian spiritual classics today.
Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Japanese
Rational Zen: The Mind of Dogen Zenji ANNOTATION
These writings by 13th-century Zen master Dogen Zenji illustrate the rational side of Zen, which is usually thought of as anti-intellectual. It consists of selections from Dogen's two masterworks "Treasury of Eyes of True Teaching" (the famed Shobogenzo) and "Universal Book of Eternal Peace."
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Zen has often been portrayed as being illogical and mystifying, even aimed at the destruction of the rational intellect. These new translations of the thirteenth-century Zen master Dogen - one of the most original and important Zen writers - illustrate the rational side of Zen, which has been obscured through the centuries, tainting people's understanding of it. Rational Zen consists of enlightening selections from Dogen's two masterworks, "Treasury of Eyes of True Teaching" (the famed Shobogenzo, Japan's most sophisticated philosophical work) and "Universal Book of Eternal Peace," which until now has been unavailable in English. The translator also provides explanations of the inner meanings of Dogen's writings and sayings - the first commentaries of their kind in English. A compendium of authentic source materials further enhances the reader's insight into Dogen's methods, linking them to the great classical traditions of Buddhism that ultimately flowered in Zen.
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