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Dogen Talks

Zen Master Dogen

Dōgen Zenji (道元禅師; Japanese pronunciation: [doꜜː.ɡeɴ, -ŋeɴ], 26 January 1200 – 22 September 1253) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist monk, writer, poet, philosopher, and founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan. He is also known as Dōgen Kigen (道元希玄), Eihei Dōgen (永平道元), Kōso Jōyō Daishi (高祖承陽大師), and Busshō Dentō Kokushi (仏性伝東国師).

Originally ordained as a monk in the Tendai School in Kyoto, he was ultimately dissatisfied with its teaching and traveled to China to seek out what he believed to be a more authentic Buddhism. He remained there for four years, finally training under Tiāntóng Rújìng, an eminent teacher of the Cáodòng lineage of Chinese Chan. Upon his return to Japan, he began promoting the practice of zazen (sitting meditation) through literary works such as Fukanzazengi and Bendōwa.

He eventually broke relations completely with the powerful Tendai School, and, after several years of likely friction between himself and the establishment, left Kyoto for the mountainous countryside where he founded the monastery Eihei-ji, which remains the head temple of the Sōtō school today.

Dōgen is known for his extensive writings like the Shōbōgenzō (Treasury of the True Dharma Eye, considered his magnum opus), the Eihei Kōroku (Extensive Record, a collection of his talks), the Eihei Shingi (the first Japanese Zen monastic code), along with his Japanese poetry, and commentaries. Dōgen's writings are one of the most important sources studied in the contemporary Sōtō Zen tradition.

From Dōgen on Wikipedia

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Title	Speaker	Date
Wherever You Are, We Have Zen Way Of Practice Dogen, Shobogenzo, Genjokoan, Suffering, Pain, Don't Know Mind, Happiness,...	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 21 1971 City Center
Universal Practice for Laymen and Monks Serial: SR-00175 Whatever you do is practice; be careful not to practice for the sake of the self. Zazen as a way to find realization and get used to realization. Whether priest or layperson,... Practice, Zazen, Bodhisattva, Dogen, Sixth Patriarch, Buddha Mind, Faith, Truth,...	Suzuki Roshi	Jul 25 1971 Tassajara
Virtue of Mountain and River Dogen, Shobogenzo, First Principle, Soto Zen, Rinzai, Faith, Breath, Pain, Bell,...	Suzuki Roshi	Jul 24 1971 Tassajara
Sewing Sesshin Serial: SR-00122 Sunday, June 20, 1971 Sesshin Lecture No. ____ San Francisco Sesshin, Okesa, Dogen, Attachment, New Year, Freedom, Bodhidharma, Lay, Concentration...	Suzuki Roshi	Jun 20 1971 City Center
Sewing and Wearing the Buddhist Robes and How It Relates to Our Practice Serial: 71-06-19 Saturday, June 19, 1971 San Francisco Zendo Dogen, Soto Zen,	Suzuki Roshi	Jun 19 1971 City Center
Be Kind with Yourself Serial: SR-00112 Warm-hearted practice. Breathing and posture in zazen. We all have different circumstances, but in the monastery, we have one practice. Rules give freedom to practice. ... Dogen, Zazen, Tatsugami, Freedom, Instruction, Monks, Posture, Priest, American...	Suzuki Roshi	Feb 23 1971 Tassajara
Humor Is More Real Than Reallity Serial: SR-00274 Sesshin Lecture No. 5 Tuesday, February 9, 1971 San Francisco Sesshin, Eiheiji, Dogen, Discrimination, Dragons, Observe, Emotions, Instruction,...	Suzuki Roshi	Feb 09 1971 City Center
No Practice Will Destroy People Dogen, Dogen	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 27 1970 City Center
Zazen Practice and Listen to the Right Teacher Serial: SF-05631 ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #24, by Shundo David Haye ===== In the last years of Suzuki Roshi's life, very few talks were lost from the collections... Sesshin, Dogen, Bodhidharma, Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Observe, Precepts, Faith...	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 03 1970 City Center
Mudra Practice and How to Accept Instructions from Various Teachers Tatsugami, Yoshida, Beginners, Keizan, Dogen, Posture, Instruction, difficulty...	Suzuki Roshi	Jul 26 1970 City Center
Japanese Way, American Way, Buddhist Way Dogen, Genjokoan, Japan, American, Freedom, Culture, Doubt, Interview, Demons,...	Suzuki Roshi	Jul 19 1970 City Center
Ekō Lecture 1 Serial: SR-00225 The First Morning Eko Wednesday, July 8, 1970 Tassajara [This is the first in a series of six lectures by Suzuki on the four ekos chanted at the conclusion of... Eko, Dogen, Manjushri, Transmission, Chanting, Monks, Wisdom, Precepts, American,...	Suzuki Roshi	Jul 08 1970 Tassajara
Do Not Pass Your Days and Nights in Vain Serial: SR-00221 Sandokai Lecture XIII: “Don't Spend Your Time in Vain” Monday, July 6, 1970 Tassajara [This lecture is concerned with the following lines of the Sandokai:... Branching Streams, Sandokai, Sixth Patriarch, Dogen, difficulty, Tassajara Zen...	Suzuki Roshi	Jul 06 1970 Tassajara
A Short Talk During Zazen Branching Streams, Dogen,	Suzuki Roshi	Jun 28 1970 Tassajara
Helping Others Serial: SR-00138 Sesshin Lecture, No. 2, Saturday, May 2, 1970 San Francisco Sesshin, Dogen, Zuimonki, Building, Doubt	Suzuki Roshi	May 02 1970 City Center
Sincere Practice Serial: SR-00140 How To Have Sincere Practice Tuesday, April 28, 1970 San Francisco Tatsugami, Dogen, Precepts, Monks, Intuition, Don't Know Mind, Posture, Buddha...	Suzuki Roshi	Apr 28 1970 City Center
Rules Dogen, Posture, Balance, Doubt, Faith	Suzuki Roshi	Jan 18 1970 City Center
Fundamental Buddhist Point: To Adjust Ourselves To Our Surroundings Serial: SR-00192 Adjusting to life at City Center. Cleaning and zazen. Do we need furniture to practice? Dogen, Eiheiji, Zazen, Culture, Building	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 21 1969 City Center
Winter Sesshin Lecture No. 5 Serial: SR-00202 Winter Sesshin Lecture No. 5 Wednesday, December 3, 1969 Tassajara Sesshin, Bodhisattva, Dogen, Shobogenzo, Oneness, Ceremony, Precepts, Wisdom...	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 03 1969 Tassajara
Practice Should Not Be Perfect, So Descendants Have Something To Do Serial: SR-00203 Winter Sesshin Lecture No. 4 Tuesday, December 2, 1969 Sesshin, Dogen, Building, difficulty, Monastic Practice, Transmission, Zazen, Breath...	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 02 1969 Tassajara
Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. III-1 Serial: SR-00212 [Third Lotus Sutra Series]1 Monday Evening, October 20, 1969 Zen Mountain Center Introduction to third series of talks on the Lotus Sutra. Zen as practical... Lotus Sutra, Mahayana, Dogen, Mahayana, Lotus Sutra, Precepts, Ego, Sutra, Priest,...	Suzuki Roshi	Oct 20 1969 Series 3, Talk 1 Tassajara
Why I Came to America Serial: SR-00157 "Why I became a priest" Memories of his father as a temple priest. Wanting to be an unusual priest himself, to teach people. Training at a temple with Oka... Priest, Meiji, Japan, Dogen, Priest, New Year, Ceremony, Enemies, Monks, Sutra, Forms...	Suzuki Roshi	Sep 16 1969 Sokoji
Pure Silk, Sharp Iron Serial: SR-00246 Sitting cross-legged - and then what? Having the right state of mind. Chinese and Japanese culture. His absent-mindedness, impatience. Virtue of endurance. Zazen, Dogen, Culture, Ego, Transmission, Patience, Forms, Pain, War, American,...	Suzuki Roshi	Sep 14 1969
Stand Up By The Ground Serial: SF-05209 Protection Master "Suzuki Roshi summer sesshin 1969 2nd night lecture Sesshin, Second Night Lecture September, 1969 Tassajara Sesshin, Dogen, Time, Continuous Practice, Freedom, Doubt	Suzuki Roshi	Sep 1969 Tassajara
Wherever You Are, Enlightenment Is There Serial: SF-05184 Sesshin: First Night Lecture, “I Don't Know Zazen” September 1969 Tassajara Knowing that we have buddha nature even while we are in the... Dogen, Buddha Nature, Enlightenment, Practice, Enlightenment, Zazen	Suzuki Roshi	Sep 1969 Tassajara
Not Always So Serial: SR-00124 August Sesshin Lecture Thursday, August 7, 1969 San Francisco Sesshin, Dogen, Interdependence, Freedom, Gratitude, Composure, Posture, Emptiness,...	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 07 1969 Sokoji
The Most Important Precept Precepts, Dogen, Eiheiji, Sanctuary, Hate, Suffering, Truth	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 01 1969 Tassajara
Eulogy For Trudy Dixon Given During Her Funeral Ceremony Serial: SR-00028 Words from the funeral eulogy for Trudy Dixon. Magnanimous mind Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Dogen, Buddha Mind, Buddha Mind, Passions, Compassion...	Suzuki Roshi	Jul 11 1969 Sokoji
Rinzai Zen and Soto Zen Serial: SR-00033 July 1969 San Francisco Morning. Dogen, Buddha Nature, Evil, Freedom, Priest, Ego, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center,...	Suzuki Roshi	Jul 1969 Sokoji
Direct Experience of Reality Baso, Dogen, Sutra, Forms, Pain	Suzuki Roshi	Jun 22 1969 Sokoji
How should we establish our system of practice in San Francisco Serial: SR-00019 Tuesday Evening, June 17, 1969 San Francisco Just sit, and follow the teacher's instruction. Story of four kinds of horse. Humans go to the moon, but don't... Rinzai, Soto Zen, Dogen, Zazen, New Year, Concentration, Big Mind, Priest, Pain,...	Suzuki Roshi	Jun 17 1969 Sokoji
How To Take Our Bodhisattva's Vow Serial: SR-00017 Tuesday Morning, April 29, 1969 San Francisco Dogen, Agama Sutra, Precepts, Mahayana, Sutra, Observe, Freedom, Vow, Enemies, Hate,...	Suzuki Roshi	Apr 29 1969 Sokoji
At The End Of The Year We Clean Up Our House Serial: SF-05970B Dec 1968 New Year Lecture Beginner’s Mind, Dogen, Japan, New Year, Beginners, Transmission, Instruction, Priest...	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 29 1968 Sokoji
The True Dragon Dogen, Baso, Dragons, Freedom, Soto Zen, Emptiness, Bodhidharma, Instruction, Zazen...	Suzuki Roshi	Oct 12 1968 B Sokoji
The Ten Powers Of A Bodhisattva Serial: SF-05106 Sunday Morning, August 25, 1968 [This date is probably incorrect. Earlier (July 21, 1968), Suzuki mentioned that he had already explained the ten powers of a bodhisattva.... Bodhisattva, Dogen, Rinzai, Soto Zen, Emptiness, Five Ranks, Attachment, Posture,...	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 25 1968 Sokoji
Esalen Institute: First of two lectures Serial: SF-05870 This is the first of two talks given at Esalen. Dogen, Time, Four Noble Truths, Lotus Sutra, New Year, Continuous Practice, Emptiness...	Suzuki Roshi	Jun 28 1968 Esalen
The Mind Which We Will Acquire Practice, Work, Dogen	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 06 1967 A Tassajara
Nature of Our Practice Serial: SF-05141B Tuesday, December 5, 1967, Lecture B Evening Sesshin Lecture Tassajara Sesshin, Dogen, Fukanzazengi, Dragons, Daily Life, Observe, Freedom, Beginners,...	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 05 1967 B Tassajara
The More We Study Our Way, The More Difficult It Is To Explain It Serial: SF-05142 SR018 - Track 1 - Roshi's Lecture sesshin #4 12/4/67 Evening - copied Sesshin, Dogen, Observe, Ceremony	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 04 1967 Evening Tassajara
Putting Power In Your Hara Serial: SF-05133A Afternoon Sesshin Lecture Friday, December 1, 1967, Lecture A Zen Mountain Center Sesshin, Dogen, Fukanzazengi, Buddha Mind, Big Mind, Separation, New Year,...	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 01 1967 A Tassajara
Genjo Koan no 4 Serial: SF-05136 Track 1 17/8 - Suzuki lectures - beginning missed, one or two sentences; beginning: This is the last lecture of sesshin. We have talked of emptiness and form, but have not... Sesshin, Dogen, Genjokoan, Time, Faith, Emptiness, Continuous Practice, Dragons...	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 24 1967 A Tassajara
Buddhism Is Not a Special Teaching; Enlightenment Is Not a Particular Stage Serial: SF-05134D ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #17, by Shundo David Haye ===== About half way through this sesshin talk, you can start to hear crickets in the background, getting... Sesshin, Dogen, Genjokoan, Enemies, Continuous Practice, Doubt, Religion, Peace...	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 23 1967 Tassajara
Genjo Koan no 2 Serial: SF-05134C ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #16, by Shundo David Haye ===== This third talk from the historic inaugural sesshin at Tassajara in 1967, given the day after the... Sesshin, Dogen, Priest, Emptiness, Dragons, confusion, Hate	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 21 1967 Tassajara
Genjo Koan Serial: SF-05134A ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #14, by Shundo David Haye ===== The acquisition of Tassajara in 1967 was a huge leap for Zen Center. Suzuki Roshi had long been... Genjokoan, Dogen, Sesshin, Emptiness, New Year, Interview, Freedom	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 20 1967 Morning Tassajara
"The mind itself is Buddha" Serial: 67-08-14 Monday, August 14, 1967 San Francisco [?] SDH notes: from the tone of the talk I think it is quite possible that it was given during the first practice period at... Dogen, Shobogenzo,	Suzuki Roshi	Aug 14 1967
Original Buddhism Dogen,	Suzuki Roshi	Apr 06 1967 Los Altos
Give up all Preconceived Ideas and Feelings Serial: 67-04-05 Wednesday, April 5, 1967 Sokoji Tony Artino notes “Give up all preconceived ideas and feelings” Dogen,	Suzuki Roshi	Apr 05 1967 Sokoji
Our Pockets Are Full Of Treasure Right Now Serial: 67-04-02 Sunday April 2, 1967 Sokoji Tony Artino notes “Our pockets are full of treasure right now.” Dogen, Beginner’s Mind,	Suzuki Roshi	Apr 02 1967 Sokoji
The Need for Training in Buddhism without Self-Seeking Mind Serial: SF-05121B Original recording Sesshin, Dogen, Buddha Nature, Hate, Observe, Instruction, Doubt	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 17 1966 B Sokoji
In the first instruction of ten instructions in Gakudō-yōjin-shū Sesshin, Dogen, Shobogenzo, Sixth Patriarch, Platform Sutra, Instruction,...	Suzuki Roshi	Dec 17 1966 A Sokoji

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