Listen free for 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Essential Dogen cover art

The Essential Dogen

Written by: Kazuaki Tanahashi - editor, Peter Levitt - editor
Narrated by: Brian Nishii
Try for $0.00

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $2.58

Buy Now for $2.58

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Eihei Dogen (1200 - 1253), founder of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism, is one of the greatest religious, philosophical, and literary geniuses of Japan. His writings have been studied by Zen students for centuries, particularly his masterwork, Shobo Genzo or Treasury of the True Dharma Eye. This is the first book to offer the great master's incisive wisdom in short selections taken from the whole range of his voluminous works. The pithy and powerful readings, arranged according to theme, provide a perfect introduction to Dogen - and inspire spiritual practice in people of all traditions.

©2013 The San Francisco Zen Center (P)2014 Audible Inc.

More from the same

What listeners say about The Essential Dogen

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    29
  • 4 Stars
    18
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    30
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    23
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

utterly useless

This book should be titled "deep thoughts from Homer Simpson".. By far, this is the most useless text on Buddhism or zen or spiritual development I have ever read, and I've read a ton.
Don't waste your time, just go meditate for 5 hours...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

inspirational to real life and with the calmness of ones inner demons when listening it helps with the thought that you can put all towards life

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Enlightened or Confused?

This seems like a good introduction to this influential ‘reformer’ of Zen, but was he enlightened or confused? Perhaps it’s the editors selections and sequence but it seems like a little of both. There is insight but there is also redundant and pointless rumination. Perhaps culturally this was motivating to his students at the time but a lot of it seems irrelevant to contemporary practitioners (and doesn’t seem irrelevant to contemporary practitioners to use Dogen’s overused device).

The narrator is good but perhaps a bit too dramatic for the topic of enlightenment which is usually characterized by being more even keeled. In any event it’s a good introduction (and it isn’t).

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

informative but some what confusing language

this book was very informative, however the language used can be confusing. the main points are danced around by confusing Metaphore. Overall good book just a bit complex to understand.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A Finger in the Nostril

Pierce ignorance and enjoy the dharma. Fresh wisdom and insight.
Flowing like a liquid mountain into the gentle breeze and crashing against a lotus tree. The monk smiles.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!