Just This Is It - Dongshan and the Practice of Suchness

[Tomás ESP]

Following up with the dream I shared last week on the forum, I have been looking for books that expanded on the idea of "this is enough" or "this is it". I found "Just This Is It: Dongshan and the practice of suchness", by Taigen Dan Leighton. Anyone familiar with the text or with this zen master? First time I have come accross him (Dongshan I mean). Much appreciated.

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

[Jundo]

Following up with the dream I shared last week on the forum, I have been looking for books that expanded on the idea of "this is enough" or "this is it". I found "Just This Is It: Dongshan and the practice of suchness", by Taigen Dan Leighton. Anyone familiar with the text or with this zen master? First time I have come accross him (Dongshan I mean). Much appreciated.

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

Dongshan (aka Tozan in Japanese) is the "to" of "Soto," and is considered the progenitor of Soto Zen ("Tsaodong" in Chinese. There is some debate about where the "So" of Soto comes from, but I personally believe that it comes from a name for the 6th Ancestor, Hui-neng, Tsaoxi). In any case, that is an excellent book on Soto history and doctrines, as is ANY book or writing by the great Taigen Dan Leighton, a friend of Treeleaf.

Special Zazenkai with Rev. TAIGEN DAN LEIGHTON
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...N-DAN-LEIGHTON

Gassho, J

STLah

[Tomás ESP]

Dongshan (aka Tozan in Japanese) is the "to" of "Soto," and is considered the progenitor of Soto Zen ("Tsaodong" in Chinese. There is some debate about where the "So" of Soto comes from, but I personally believe that it comes from a name for the 6th Ancestor, Hui-neng, Tsaoxi). In any case, that is an excellent book on Soto history and doctrines, as is ANY book or writing by the great Taigen Dan Leighton, a friend of Treeleaf.

Special Zazenkai with Rev. TAIGEN DAN LEIGHTON
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...N-DAN-LEIGHTON

Gassho, J

STLah

Thank you for the information Jundo, I will check out the special zazenkai you linked

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

[Kokuu]

Hi Tomás

I must admit to having that book on my shelf yet to be read but, as Jundo says, Dongshan Lianjie is a bit of a big deal in the Sōtō lineage! He is in the eleventh generation of Zen ancestors:

Bodhidharma (Jp. Bodai daruma)
Dazu Huike (Taiso Eka)
Jianzhi Sengcan (Kanchi Sosan), Hsin Hsin Ming (Faith in Mind) is attributed to him
Dayi Daoxin (Daii Doshin)
Daman Hongren (Daiman Konin)
Dajian Huineng (Daikan Eno), the sixth ancestor of the Platform Sutra
Qingyuan Xingsi (Seigen Gyoshi)
Shitou Xiqian (Sekito Kisen), author of Sandokai (Identity of Relative and Absolute) and Song of the Grass Roof Hermitage
Yaoshan Weiyan (Yakusan Igen)
Yunyan Tansheng (Ungan Donjo)
Dongshan Lianjie (Tozan Ryokai)

--11 generations--

Tiantong Rujing (Tendo Nyojo)
Eihei Dōgen


Dongshan also wrote Hōkyō zanmai (Song of the Precious Mirror Samadhi): https://www.sotozen.com/eng/practice.../pdf/01/06.pdf


Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-