The Shōbōgenzō is the recognized spiritual masterpiece by the thirteenth century Japanese Sōtō Zen Master Eihei Dōgen. It is comprised of discourses that he gave to his disciples, in person or in writing, at various times between 1231 and his death twenty-two years later at age fifty-three. These discourses cover a wide range of topics pertinent to those in monastic life though often also relevant to those training in lay life. He discusses matters of daily behavior and religious ceremonial as well as issues involving the Master-disciple relationship. He also explores the deeper meaning that informs the so-called Zen kōan stories, which often puzzle readers by their seeming illogicality and contrary nature. This translation, one of only three complete, (the others are: Gudo Nishijima and Chodo Cross’s Master Dōgen’s Shōbōgenzō in four volumes and Shobogenzo, The Eye and Treasury of the True Law, by Kosen Nishiyama and John Stevens) is 1.144 pages long. Download it here (8.5 MB):
Shobogenzo complete
