At the age of seven, in 1207, Dogen lost his mother, who at her death earnestly asked him to become a monastic to seek the truth of Buddhism. We are told that in the midst of profound grief, Dogen experienced the impermanence of all things as he watched the incense smoke ascending at his mother's funeral service. This left an indelible impression upon the young Dogen; later, he would emphasize time and again the intimate relationship between the desire for enlightenment and the awareness of impermanence. His way of life would not be a sentimental flight from, but a compassionate understanding of, the intolerable reality of existence.

At age 13, Dogen received ordination at Mt. Hiei. And yet, a question arose: "As I study both the exoteric and the esoteric schools of Buddhism, they maintain that human beings are endowed with Dharma-nature by birth. If this is the case, why did the buddhas of all ages—undoubtedly in possession of enlightenment—find it necessary to seek enlightenment and engage in spiritual practice?" When it became clear that no one on Mt. Hiei could give a satisfactory answer to this spiritual problem, he sought elsewhere, eventually making the treacherous journey to China. This was the true beginning of a life of relentless questioning, practice, and teaching—an immensely inspiring contribution to the Buddhadharma.

As you might imagine, a book as ambitious as Eihei Dogen: Mystical Realist has to be both academically rigorous and eminently readable to succeed. Professor Hee-Jim Kim's work is both indeed, as his contemporaries attest.

Praise & Reviews "This book is an excellent comprehensive introduction to Dogen's massive corpus of intricate writings as well as to his elegantly simple yet profound practice. It stands as the best overall general introduction to Dogen's teaching."—from the new foreword by Taigen Dan Leighton, editor and co-translator of Dogen's Extensive Record: A Translation of the Eihei Koroku "This book's re-issue represents an important moment in the history of Dogen studies. While there have been many developments in the historical and philosophical understanding of Dogen's contribution to Zen Buddhism, Kim's work still stands out for the depth and clarity of its elucidation of Dogen as a religious thinker and practitioner."— Mark Unno, Editorial Board, Journal of Religious Ethics, and author of Shingon Refractions "Down through the years and through its earlier editions, it was always to Dr. Kim's book that I turned first in any matter relating to Dogen. Now from his retirement from a fine academic career, we have the fruit of his lifetime of research and meditation. I am very grateful."—Robert Aitken, author of Taking the Path of Zen and The Morning Star: New and Selected Zen Writings "Dogen is no easy read— fortunately Kim's book, itself a polished gem, expertly guides a reader into what is simultaneously rich and playful in Dogen's Buddhist vision."—William R. LaFleur, author of Awesome Nightfall: The Life, Times, and Poetry of Saigyo "A essential volume in any Dogen library."—Zoketsu Norman Fischer, former abbot, San Francisco Zen Center, and author of Taking Our Places: The Buddhist Path to Truly Growing Up "Kim's work remains a beacon of scholarship into the mind of one of the most remarkable spiritual giants in the history of Zen."—John Daido Loori, abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery "Even beyond the realm of Dogen studies, Eihei Dogen: Mystical Realist remains a valuable contribution to all of modern Zen commentary, with Kim's accessible presentation of thorough scholarship that does not reduce itself to dry intellectual analysis of doctrines or historical argumentation. Kim provides a subtle and clear discussion of Dogen's work as a practical religious thinker and guide. Kim zeroes in on key principles in Dogen's teaching. [ . . . ] The organization of this book is extraordinarily astute. After first providing background on Dogen's biography and historical context, Kim discusses with subtlety Dogen's zazen (seated meditation) as a mode of activity and expression. Kim then focuses on the centrality of the teaching of Buddha-nature to Dogen's teaching and practice. Finally, Kim elaborates the importance of monastic life to Dogen's teaching and training of his disciples. [ . . . ] Kim's work provides us with the background to enjoy and play along with Dogen's teachings for ourselves, in the light of the universal liberation of Buddha-nature. [. . . ] Hee-Jin Kim's landmark book (for-merly titled Dogen Kigen: Mystical Realist) is a valuable, highly insightful commentary on [Dogen's] work. This third edition has undergone a considerable amount of minor changes and corrections, largely in the translations of Dogen 's works. The volume stands as the best overall general introduction to Dogen's teaching. Kim clarifies that Dogen's philosophy was at the service of his spiritual guidance of his students, and reveals the way Dogen incorporated study and philosophy into his religious practice. Kim has given us not only an excellent and reliable reference for Dogen's writings, but also an entry into how to play with Dogen in going beyond Buddha. Students of Dogen's teaching and thought must now be grateful to have this fine guidebook to Dogen's world again available in print."—SirReadALot.org

Hee-Jin Kim, Author Hee-Jin Kim is Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington. Taigen Dan Leighton, Foreword Taigen Dan Leighton is a SotoZen priest and Dharma successor in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and the San Francisco Zen Center. Leighton began formal Soto practice in 1975 at the New York Zen Center with Kando Nakajima Roshi and graduated in East Asian Studies from Columbia College. He is author of Faces of Compassion and Visions of Awakening Space and Time: Dogen and the Lotus Sutra and is co-translator and editor of several Zen texts, including Cultivating the Empty Field, as well as The Wholehearted Way and Dogen's Pure Standards for the Zen Community, both translated together with Shohaku Okumura. He currently teaches at the Institute of Buddhist Studies of the Berkeley Graduate Theological Union and leads the Ancient Dragon Zen Gate meditation group in Chicago.