Recommended works by and about Dōgen

The following works are recommended by Okumura Roshi for the study of Dōgen. They are organized by three traditional study topics.[1]

Precepts (Sila) & Shingi: guidelines for our basic attitude toward life

(Dogen’s texts)

  • Kyojukaimon (教授戒文, Comments on Teaching and Conferring the Bodhisattva Precepts That Have Been Authentically Transmitted by Buddhas and Ancestors): unpublished in English
  • Eihei Shingi (永平清規, Dogen’s Pure Standards for the Zen Community): translated by Taigen Daniel Leighton & Shohaku Okumura, SUNY, 1996
  • Shobogenzo Bodaisatta Shishobo (正法眼蔵菩提薩埵四摂法, Bodhisattvas’ Four Embracing dharma): The Bodhisattva’s Embrace: Dispatches from Engaged Buddhism’s Front Lines (Alan Senauke, Clear View Press, 2020)

(Other Books)

  • The Mind of Clover: Essays in Zen Buddhist Ethics (Robert Aitken, North Point Press,1984)
  • The Heart of Being: Moral and Ethical Teachings of Zen Buddhism (John Daido Loori, Tuttle, 1996)
  • Being Upright: Zen Meditation and the Bodhisattva Precepts (Reb Anderson, Rodmell Press, 2001)
  • From the Zen Kitchen to Enlightenment: Refining Your Life (Dogen & Uchiyama, translated by Thomas Wright, Weatherhill,1983)

Meditation (Samadhi): 只管打坐（Shikantaza, just sitting）

(Dogen’s texts)

  • Fukanzazengi (普勧坐禅儀, The Way of Zazen Recommended Universally)
  • Shobogenzo Zazengi (正法眼蔵坐禅儀, The Way of Zazen)
  • Shobogenzo Zazenshin (正法眼蔵坐禅箴, Acupuncture Needle of Zazen)
  • Shobogenzo Zanmai-o-zanmai (正法眼蔵三昧王三昧, King of Samadhi)

(Other Books)

  • Samadhi of the Self (Jijuyu Zanmai): Menzan Zuiho (Heart of Zen, Sotoshu Shumucho,1988)
  • Manuals of Zazen in Soto Zen: translated by Shohaku Okumura, unpublished
  • Dogen’s Manuals of Zen Meditation: Carl Bielefeldt, University of California Press, 1988
  • Opening the Hand of Thought: Foundation of Zen Buddhist Practice (Kosho Uchiyama, translated by Tom Wright, Jisho Warner, & Shohaku Okumura, Wisdom,2004)

Wisdom (Prajna)

(Dogen’s Texts)

  • Shobogenzo (正法眼蔵)
    • Master Dogen’s Shobogenzo Book 1-4: translated by Gudo Nishijima & Chodo Cross Windbell Publications, 1994
    • Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen’s Shobo Genzo: edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi, Shambhala, 2020
    • The Heart of Dogen’s Shobogenzo: translated by Norman Waddell & Masao Abe, SUNY, 2002
  • Eihei Koroku (永平広録)
    • Dogen’s Extensive Record: translated by Taigen Dan Leighton & Shohaku Okumura, Wisdom, 2004

(Other Books)

  • Realizing Genjokoan: The Key to Dogen’s Shobogenzo: Shohaku Okumura, Wisdom, 2010
  • Dogen’s Genjo Koan: Three Commentaries: translations and commentaries by Bokusan Nishiari, Shohaku Okumura, Shunryu Suzuki, Kosho Uchiyama, Sojun Mel Weitsman, Kazuaki Tanahashi, and Dairyu Michael Wenger, Counterpoint, 2011
  • Deepest Practice, Deepest Wisdom: Three Fascicles from Shobogenzo with Commentaries: Kosho Uchiyama, translated by Daitsu Tom Wright & Shohaku Okumura
  • Being-Time: A Practitioner’s Guide to Dogen’s Shobogenzo Uji: Shinshu Roberts
  • The Mountains and Waters Sutra: A Practitioner’s Guide to Dogen’s “Sansuikyo”: Shohaku Okumura, with contributions by Carl Bielefeldt, Gary Snyder, & Issho Fujita, Wisdom, 2018

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[1] “Sangaku, 三學 ‘The three learnings’; the three ways of learning: (1) kai 戒, (observance of) precepts; (2) jō 定, meditation; and (3) e 慧, wisdom (cultivated by studying the Buddhist teaching).” from Hisao Inagaki, A Dictionary of Japanese Buddhist Terms, Stone Bridge Press, 1992 p. 264

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