Dogen – Beezone Library

[ portraits are rare; above and below said to be self-portraits
]

Dogen

(Eihei Dogen Zenji, Koso Joyo Daishi, Dogen Kigen)

(1200-1253 AD)

* * *

This slowly drifting cloud is pitiful

What dreamwalkers men become

Awakened, I hear the one true thing

Black rain on the roof of Fukakusa Temple.

* * *

The Buddha’s essential functioning,

the partriarchs’ functioning essence,

manifest without deliberation,

and accomplishes without hindrance.

Manifesting without deliberation,

its manifestation is intimate of itself.

Accomplishing without hindrance,

its accomplishement is realized of itself.

Its manifestation, intimate of itself,

has never been defiled.

Its accomplishement, realized of itself,

is neither absolute nor relative.

The intimacy that is never defiled

drops away without dependence.

The realization that is neither absolute nor relative

penetrates without intent.

Clear water soaks into the earth;

the fish swims like a fish.

The sky is vast and penetrates the heavens;

the bird flies like a bird.

* * *

links

Venerable
Master Dogen Zenji (1200-1253)

Eiheiji
Temple

(founded by Dogen)

(use the “next” five links and

take the temple tour

which includes:

The Joyoden

(mausoleum of Dogen)

from Zendo
(www.zendo.com),

San Francisco area Zen