Did Dogen Go to China?: What He Wrote and When He Wrote It

About this book

Dgen (1200-1253) the founder of the St Zen sect in Japan is especially known for introducing to Japanese Buddhism many of the texts and practices that he discovered in China. Heine reconstructs the context of Dgens travels to and reflections on China by means of a critical look at traditional sources both by and about Dgen in light of recent Japanese scholarship. While many studies emphasize the unique features of Dgens Japanese influences this book calls attention to the way Chinese and Japanese elements were fused in Dgens religious vision. It reveals many new materials and insights into Dogens main writings including the multiple editions of the Shbgenz and how and when this seminal text was created by Dgen and was edited and interpreted by his disciples. This book is the culmination of the authors thirty years of research on Dgen and provides the reader with a comprehensive approach to the masters life works and an understanding of the overall career trajectory of one of the most important figures in the history of Buddhism and Asian religious thought.