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The Essential Dogen
- Writings of the Great Zen Master
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Politics & Social Sciences, Philosophy
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Summary
Eihei Dogen (1200 - 1253), founder of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism, is one of the greatest religious, philosophical, and literary geniuses of Japan. His writings have been studied by Zen students for centuries, particularly his masterwork, Shobo Genzo or Treasury of the True Dharma Eye. This is the first book to offer the great master's incisive wisdom in short selections taken from the whole range of his voluminous works. The pithy and powerful readings, arranged according to theme, provide a perfect introduction to Dogen - and inspire spiritual practice in people of all traditions.
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What listeners say about The Essential Dogen
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- D.Fish
- 08-01-19
Says what it is on the Tin...
Interested in Dogen? This couldn't be more essential. The price is in no ways a demonstration of the value.
4 people found this helpful
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- Huskyaddict
- 09-05-21
Dogen for all
Dogen is at once brilliant and also so so difficult to get your head around. This book is a starting place for folk like me who want to understand more about the life and work of this monk who is still providing insight and guidance hundreds of years after his death.
2 people found this helpful
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- Paidí Delaney
- 05-07-20
narrator
The narration by Brian Nishii is suberb. It is surprisingly effective to hear Dogen's words rather than to read them. Highly recommended.
2 people found this helpful
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- Adrian Chan-Wyles Ph.D
- 27-10-20
Piercing the Void
Dogen pierces the void with a napkin. After-all, this is the only way that which does not exist, can be penetrated by that which does. The Cao Dong in China has flowed to the Soto in Japan - taking the robe and bowl with it. A portrait and a few Certificates - this is how the Dharma is transmitted.
1 person found this helpful
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- Storm
- 24-07-20
Excellent and thought provoking
A wonderful journey through Great Master Dogen's teachings and the history of Zen Buddhism
1 person found this helpful
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- Mr. R. J. Mallon
- 17-01-22
Full of wisdom, humour and compassion.
Inspirational, full of stories of kindness, humanity and massively supportive of the dharma. Loved it.
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- Luis
- 30-04-15
Hard book to understand
The book is hard to follow. Sometimes was hard to understand the meaning of the narration.
7 people found this helpful
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- Jem
- 24-08-16
Highly recommended
A really enlightening book and a pleasure to listen to. One to which you can keep returning.
3 people found this helpful
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- IndyInAsiaPacific
- 08-06-17
A Great Pearl of Little Price
For $1.95 (the price I paid for this Audible Audiobook) this may be, penny for penny, the greatest value I have ever received on a book of Religion / Philosophy.
Many hours of The Great Dogen for less than 2 bucks is…Unsurpassable.
I especially appreciate the performance of Brian Nishii, who did not clobber the Chinese, but rendered, in almost every case, accurate pronunciations of the Mandarin readings of the names of the Chinese Zen Masters, and the place names associated with them.
To sum up:
BUY THIS AUDIBLE AUDIOBOOK !
20 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-11-16
Dogen is difficult to comprehend
Dogen is a difficult read, which should not be seen as a critique of the author or the narrator. Both have done a good job handling the material. That being so, the material is difficult to comprehend.
4 people found this helpful
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- joe
- 24-03-20
Felt less Dogen, more post-modern biased
Narration was good, name pronunciation was well done, it touches on Zen and Dogen but inserts it's post modern bias using the modern "sexism/ racism" terms to compare society today with Dogen's society and culture. I just want his teachings without the ideologically possessed nonsense of the anti-western neo-marxists that flood our media today.
3 people found this helpful
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- Tom Phillpotts
- 21-08-15
One of Buddhism's most influential teachers.
Dogen is mind-blowing. The narrator was passable, but put a little too much into it.
11 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 30-01-17
Perfect for blind donkeys
Hold your breath and cover your ears. Then you will be ready to listen. Seeking entertainment instead of cleaning the red dust out of your eyes, you have already received thirty blows.
18 people found this helpful
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- Jeremy W. Adams
- 19-04-15
Dogen
Would you listen to The Essential Dogen again? Why?
I will listen to The Essential Dogen again and I have already!
What other book might you compare The Essential Dogen to and why?
Living Buddha Living Christ, New Seeds of Contemplation.
What about Brian Nishii’s performance did you like?
It was relaxed and peacefully done.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No.
Any additional comments?
Great for the novice to the master meditator. If there is such a thing.
6 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 30-01-15
Great work on Dogen
Great narrator. Well structured even for a beginner. I would highly recommend this listen for those on the way. master Dogen paints a verbal work of art to help you to focus your mind. Not 1, not 2.
6 people found this helpful
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- Seth Gonzales
- 04-11-20
Basically just a commentary
Basically just a commentary, Not what i expected, and is not really the writings i wanted to hear.
2 people found this helpful
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- Metta Bhavana
- 28-03-18
Body and mind will drop away...!!!
Then, what do you do? After body and mind drop away? It's a really tough question. Excellent. :)
1 person found this helpful
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- Paula Shields
- 08-01-18
Great book.
I really enjoyed the book. Will be listening to it often. Love Dogen. He is my favorite Zen hero.
1 person found this helpful