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Thread: The Partially Examined Life - blog entry on Dogen

  1. #1

    The Partially Examined Life - blog entry on Dogen

    http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com...ussion-of-zen/


    Neat summary of Dogen's 'intention' in his teaching here.

    There are some interesting pod casts on this site.

    Gassho

    Willow

  2. #2
    Interesting piece. Thank you, Willow!

    Gassho
    Andy

  3. #3
    Mp
    Guest
    Thank you Willow.

    Gassho
    Shingen

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by willow View Post
    http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com...ussion-of-zen/


    Neat summary of Dogen's 'intention' in his teaching here.

    There are some interesting pod casts on this site.

    Gassho

    Willow
    I confess to reading twice and not getting much at all. What? The summarizing of Dogen in a few closing sentences seems narrow at best, and more than a little silly. What is the meaning of this? I need an explanation.

    Rather than the un-involved, detached and Utopian conception of Zen perhaps Dōgen is actually teaching the radical philosophy of total historical and social contingency. There is no self, no suchness, nothing to practice without a body that practices, a place of practice, a world that allows for practice and the historical Buddha, now a collection of symbols and only symbols.
    The best treatments of Dogen's approach to Buddhist philosophy and modus operandi are the two books by the great Dogenologist Dr. Kim (He wrote them a few years apart, and changed interpretation slightly over the years just a drop ) ... Each can be rather heavy going at points, but worth it for serious Dogenites.

    http://www.amazon.com/Eihei-Dogen-My...1161011&sr=8-3

    http://www.amazon.com/Dogen-Meditati...d_bxgy_b_img_b

    Next, I would put Taigen's book and Okumura Roshi's book, discussed here ...

    http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...-to-Read-Dogen
    .
    Gassho, J
    Last edited by Jundo; 10-28-2013 at 03:14 PM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  5. #5
    Hello Willow,

    thanks for the link. I am currently really enjoying the Upaya Norman Fisher talks (in my view both great for new beginners and old beginners ) that were linked to in another recent thread:

    https://www.upaya.org/dharma/beyond-...s-all-8-parts/


    It has to be said that he has a great voice too!


    Gassho,

    Hans Chudo Mongen

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    I confess to reading twice and not getting much at all. What? The summarizing of Dogen in a few closing sentences seems narrow at best, and more than a little silly. What is the meaning of this? I need an explanation.



    The best treatments of Dogen's approach to Buddhist philosophy and modus operandi are the two books by the great Dogenologist Dr. Kim (He wrote them a few years apart, and changed interpretation slightly over the years just a drop ) ... Each can be rather heavy going at points, but worth it for serious Dogenites.

    http://www.amazon.com/Eihei-Dogen-My...1161011&sr=8-3

    http://www.amazon.com/Dogen-Meditati...d_bxgy_b_img_b

    Next, I would put Taigen's book and Okumura Roshi's book, discussed here ...

    http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...-to-Read-Dogen
    .
    Gassho, J
    Hi Jundo - yes, I have to agree - on re-reading the last bit - it isn't very clear. But I think what he means by 'uninvolved' is not able to be talked about. But this isn't a view he agrees with - he sees that as a shallow view of Zen. He's referring back to what he says earlier about the misunderstanding of Zen as detached, etc.

    He makes a couple of valid points - that all that we name (the process of signification) is ultimately arbitrary - and that this naming ( or intellectual understanding - which he also equates with historical symbols) is at a distance (outside the self).


    I think he wants to argue that Dogen's teaching transcends the above by clearly situating the body/mind within a total 'social and historical contingency' I think I might leave a comment on the blog asking for some clarification.

    A blog post is of course no substitute for the books/talks mentioned (thank you for links, and Hans also) .

    However, it caught my attention ... and has shown me up as a sucker for overblown philosophy

    Gassho

    Willow
    Last edited by Jinyo; 10-29-2013 at 01:36 AM.

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