Zen Master Dogen

A picture of my legs in lotus pose on a purple yoga mat with 3 books on it. From left to right: A Year with Saint Francis of Assisi, Three Zen Sutras, and The Essential Dogen.

In this chaotic, broken world, I find that it's important to practice skillful ways of keeping a calm, clear mind. One way I do that is by reading. The simple act of focusing on one thing, even for a few minutes, is centering. I tend towards spiritual texts, but I say read whatever floats your boat.

Screenshot of the book Meeting the Myriad Things on Kobo bookstore

Now reading Meeting the Myriad Things
A Zen Practitioner's Guide to Dogen's Genjokoan by Shinshu Roberts www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...

Morning Meditation: All of these names simply point to the One Mind. Though there are ten thousand different names, there are not even two dharma realities.
Bassui Tokushō

"...both Heidegger and Dogen invite us to reconsider our relationship to time and being, urging us to embrace the richness of each moment and to recognize the inherent interconnectedness of all things." brucelinton.medium.com/time-and-bei...

Exploring the Intersection of AI and Zen: A Virtual Dogen Zenji I created an AI chatbot inspired by Zen master Dogen to explore how technology engages with historical teachings. This experiment raises questions about AI's role in spiritual exploration and cultural...

More on AI Dogen zenmasterdogen.com/exploring-th...

I've built an AI Zen Master Dogen. It's trained on his writings, and analysis of his life and writings. It's still a WIP but it's working surprisingly well. I generated the image with Midjourney.

Morning Meditation: All of you! If you want to return to your homes, simply wake up to your true nature.
Bassui Tokushō

YouTube video by Peacefulness Leonard Cohen on his Life as a Zen Monk

Cohen on Zazen: Things arise that are very disturbing and there's no way around it there's no way over it there's no way under it...you have to sit in the very bonfire of that distress and you sit there until you're burnt away and and it's ashes www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lww...

Why Buddhism? I'll discuss a couple of quick reasons why we might want to consider adopting a Buddhist outlook and Buddhist practice into our lives.🧡 If yo... Why Buddhism?

Today's video: Why Buddhism?

Featured Faculty: Ben Van Overmeire - CSCC | Duke Kunshan University Dr.  Ben Van Overmeire is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at DKU. Prof. Van Overmeire has been a dynamic force within the CSCC, co-leading the

Honored to be Featured Faculty on DKU's Center for the Study of Contemporary China's website. Read on for my thoughts on Zen, autobiography, and Buddhism in space! www.dukekunshan.edu.cn/cscc/feature...

YouTube video by The Ho Center for Buddhist Studies at Stanford Bryan D. Lowe: A Temple in Every Village? Buddhism’s Spread in Seventh- through Ninth-Century Japan

Here's a recent lecture I gave on temple construction and the spread of Buddhism to the Japanese provinces from the seventh through ninth centuries. This is basically a summary of the first three chapters of my new book, which will come out in 2026. www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0t_...

Screenshot of jademountains.net

Just off a Zoom chat for a much needed catch up with Rev. Mugo. Do check out her blog. www.jademountains.net

The Zen Journey of Shohaku Okumura Zen master Shohaku Okumura's journey from postwar Japan to "good-for-nothing" meditation reveals profound insights on finding peace and meaning through simply being, challenging our goal-driven societ...

Zen master Shohaku Okumura's journey from postwar Japan to "good-for-nothing" meditation reveals profound insights on finding peace and meaning through simply being, challenging our goal-driven society with timeless wisdom. zenmasterdogen.com/the-zen-jour...

It's a Fine Day Nyogen Roshi explores Zen's core teachings on Samadhi and mind-nature, using Wumen Huikai's poem as a starting point. He emphasizes emptying the mind, avoiding discursive thinking, and realizing the e...

Nyogen Roshi explores Zen's core teachings on Samadhi and mind-nature, using Wumen Huikai's poem as a starting point. He emphasizes emptying the mind, avoiding discursive thinking, and realizing the ever-present Buddha-nature beneath our conditioned responses. zenmasterdogen.com/its-a-fine-d...

Faith Exploring how critical examination and personal experience transformed initial doubt into deep commitment, and why this faith feels fundamentally different from traditional religious belief.

Exploring how critical examination and personal experience transformed initial doubt into deep commitment, and why this faith feels fundamentally different from traditional religious belief. zenmasterdogen.com/faith/

The Unity of All Things A glimpse into my first real grasp of Dogen's teachings. This old post marks the beginning of my journey with his profound idea that practice itself is enlightenment.

A glimpse into my first real grasp of Dogen's teachings. This old post marks the beginning of my journey with his profound idea that practice itself is enlightenment. zenmasterdogen.com/the-unity-of...

Ordination Thoughts Reflections on suffering, survival, compassion, and gratitude.

Reflections on suffering, survival, compassion, and gratitude. zenmasterdogen.com/ordination-t...

I Am Not a Western Buddhist Zen beyond labels: Navigating the East-West debate, religious institutions, and the true essence of practice. A reminder that Buddhism isn't about being Buddhist—it's about being you.

Zen beyond labels: Navigating the East-West debate, religious institutions, and the true essence of practice. A reminder that Buddhism isn't about being Buddhist—it's about being you. zenmasterdogen.com/i-am-not-a-w...

Getting Out of My Own Way A quarter-century Zen journey: from dusty bookstore finds to quiet self-reflection. Exploring ritual, form, and the profound simplicity beneath life's complexities.

A quarter-century Zen journey: from dusty bookstore finds to quiet self-reflection. Exploring ritual, form, and the profound simplicity beneath life's complexities. zenmasterdogen.com/getting-out-...

Climbing the Unclimbable Mountain A middle-aged journey from couch to mountaintop reveals unexpected parallels with Zen practice. Both paths demand persistence, challenge expectations, and ultimately show that the summit may already b...

A middle-aged journey from couch to mountaintop reveals unexpected parallels with Zen practice. Both paths demand persistence, challenge expectations, and ultimately show that the summit may already be beneath our feet. zenmasterdogen.com/climbing-the...

Original Zen Poetry - by AI I asked AI to write Dogen-style Zen poems. The results showcase both AI's poetic ability and its grasp of Zen concepts.

I asked AI to write Dogen-style Zen poems. The results showcase both AI's poetic ability and its grasp of Zen concepts. zenmasterdogen.com/original-zen...

A bit of a reboot Welcome - or welcome back. For the past 15 years or so, I've blogged about Zen and Buddhism in general, sharing insights and reflections as my practice evolved. However, this site was offline for a co...

Here we are now - not on schedule, but still present. zenmasterdogen.com/a-bit-of-a-r...

Unexpected Teachings A dying woman's gratitude transforms a routine call into a profound lesson. Her grace in the face of death reveals life's enduring beauty and the far-reaching impact of small kindnesses.

A dying woman's gratitude transforms a routine call into a profound lesson. Her grace in the face of death reveals life's enduring beauty and the far-reaching impact of small kindnesses. zenmasterdogen.com/unexpected-t...

A bit more about me and the blog zenmasterdogen.com/about/

The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Dogen An exploration of Zen Master Dogen's life, from aristocratic origins to spiritual awakening in China and founding Sōtō Zen. Examines his philosophy, writings, and enduring influence. Includes a glossa...

Just getting setup here. This seems like a good place to start zenmasterdogen.com/the-life-and...