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Motorcycle Book Store > Motorcycle books beginning with M
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Moon in a Dewdrop: Writings of Zen Master Dogen |
Author: Eihei Dogen
Published: 1995-10-31 |
List price: $16.00
Our price: $10.88
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As of: December 03rd, 2008 03:33:12 PM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 Wisdom, Poetry and Cold Chills
Dôgen-Zenji was the greatest figure in Japanese Zen; if literary output were the criterion he would be the greatest of all Zen Masters. He was one of those rare beings who combine the contemplative's insight into reality with the poet's gift of words.
His immense masterwork, the "True Dharma-Eye Treasury," covers all aspects of Buddhist practice from rarefied metaphysics to behaviour at mealtimes: all dualities are comprehended in Enlightenment, leaving no distinction between the mundane and the sublime.
I have four books of excerpts, but this is my favourite: the poetic and metaphysical chapters predominate over practical and instructional ones. Literary Japanese, supple, intricate and elliptical, was wildly different from modern English, but the translators have done wonders in achieving clear and (fairly) natural versions, though word-choices sometimes puzzle. A good balance has also been struck between a surfeit of footnotes and too many baffling allusions.
This is a book to read, re-read and grow into, depth after depth. It expresses as much of the beauty, mystery and profundity of Zen (and existence itself,) as can be expressed in words... and then a little more. Even when I'm reading a passage I can't make head or tail of, I feel my body go cold, as when reading great poetry. This is a book that haunts, astonishes and humbles, a book to trudge through the snow for, to swim icy rivers for... and you can buy it so easily.
No review
To review this book at length would ignore its lessons. My only advice is to read it and discover the Dogen for yourself. You might come away thinking he's an idiot. He'd say he'd succeeded mightily in your education.
A sure pleasure
Great book which contains a big collection of Dogen's wisdom. In order to understand it without much difficulties, I would suggest that the reader will start by learning about Mahayana Buddhism in general, and then start to investigate Dogen texts. Because the wisdom of Zen Buddhism is often written in Chinese or Japanese, this book is very handy for the westerner user,especially because the translation is brilliant.
As a student of Japanese language for the last 6 years, I know how hard it is to translate the 12-13th century Japanese into nowadays English, so it has really impressed me. A sure pleasure.
Five Star all the Way
"moon in a dewdrop" is a collection of writings by Eihei Dogen, the founder of Soto Zen. The text is divided into four sections, which are clear and easy to understand. There are notes and a glossary so that the meaning of the text can be clearly grasped. The book is a five star raft.
Now to the writing, Dogen speaks from experience, insight gained through deep meditation, lived every day. The text is not meant to be intellectually grasped as a doctrine. This can be understood by the presentation of the first section being "Practical Instructions" and the first writing being "Zazen-Gi" or Rules for Zazen. Sitting with "moon in a dewdrop" is like sitting with Dogen himself, at every turn Dogen is pointing to reality and inviting us to fully enter it and taste it for ourselves. The text is a practical manual to be used in conjunction with Zazen, Dogen wrote for all those, who truly wish to taste the essence of Buddhism and reality.
The writing is five star.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any one who is interested in Zen and a greater depth of reality.
The Best Single Volume of Dogen's Writings
Eihei Dogen is without a doubt the greatest writer in Zen history. His masterwork, the Shobogenzo, represents one of the most comprehensive, fascinating, and valuable works of Buddhist literature. In Moon in a Dewdrop, Kazuaki Tanahashi has compiled the best single volume Dogen in the English language. This contains the best translations I have ever read of several of Dogen's seminal works - Genjo Koan, Uji, Yuibutsu Yobutsu, Sansuikyo, Zenki, and the Tenzo Kyokun.
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