1st Edition

Dogen's Formative Years An Historical and Annotated Translation of the Hokyo-ki

By Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Copyright 1980

    Originally published in 1980.

    Dogen was the founder of the Soto School of Zen and one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Japanese Buddhism. When originally published, this historical and textual study was the first to examine in detail the line of continuity between Dogen and his Chinese predecessors, through his Chinese master, Ju-ching.

     

     

    Chapter 1 Before the Trip to China. Aristocratic Birth. The Great Doubt on Mt Hiei. The Quest for the "Authentic Teacher". En Route to China. Chapter 2 Dogen in China. A Chronological Reconstruction. The Chief Cook from A-yü-wang Mountain. Under Wu-chi Liao-p’ai of T’ien-t’ung. Mountain: Controversy over the Criteria for Monastic Seniority. Documents of Succession. Kuang-li Monastery on A-yü-wang Mountain. The Two Korean Monks. Pilgrimage to Other Monasteries. Ju-Ching, the "Authentic Teacher". Myozen’s Death. Dropping the Body and Mind. Remaining Days at T’ien-t’ung Mountain. Returning to Japan "Empty-handed". Southern Sung Ch’an and its Background. Ch’an Through the Sung Period. Ta-hui Tsung-kao and His Teachings. The Ts’ao-tung School. Ju-ching.

    Biography

    Takashi James Kodera

    "Kodera's work makes fascinating reading for anyone curious about Dogen's background in Sung China. A sterling translation of Dogen's Hokyo-Ki, supported by careful annotations and historical background material ... Happily,it has the merit of being informative without ever being stuffy.  Minus Kodera's careful annotations, much about this text would remain obscure and the author's work helps to put it in proper context." - Richard Hunn, Kyoto, Kansai Japan

    (review on Amazon)