Dogen - Dogen

Japanese: 道元 - どうげん

A Soto sect monk in the Kamakura period. Also known as Dogen and Kigen. His common surname was Genji.

[Mototaka Kagamishima September 19, 2017]

Life

Son of Minister of the Interior Koga Michichika (1149-1202). According to one theory, he was the son of Michitomo (1171-1227), son of Michichika. His mother was the daughter of Fujiwara no Motofusa (presumably the third daughter, Ishi (?-1207)). Born in Kyoto in the second year of Shoji, he lost his father at the age of three and his mother at the age of eight. At the age of thirteen, he was cast into the Hannyadani Senkobo of Shuryogon-in in Yokokawa, Mount Hiei, and in 1213, he received the ordination from Zasu Koen (1168-1235) at Kaidan-in. While studying at Mount Hiei, he wondered why all the Buddhas of the three ages awakened to seek enlightenment, even though all humans are inherently endowed with Buddha nature. He asked scholars inside and outside the mountain, but was unable to find a satisfactory answer. Finally, at the age of 18, he enrolled at Kennin-ji Temple, which was founded by Eisai. There are two theories as to whether Dogen ever met Eisai, but the most prevalent is the negative one. At Kennin-ji Temple, he studied under Eisai's senior disciple Myozen (1184-1225), and later, in 1223 (Jo-o 2), at the age of 24, he traveled to Song China with Myozen. His motivation for going to Song China was to resolve the religious doubts that had arisen on Mount Hiei, but it is said that the background to his going to Song China was that the aftermath of the Jokyu War that broke out in 1221 (Jokyu 3) had stirred up his religious feelings, and it is also said that the wife and retainers of Shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo, who died violently at Hachiman Palace in Kamakura in 1219, supported Dogen's going to Song China in order to fulfill the wishes of his father. After arriving in Song China, Dogen stayed at Keitoku-ji Temple on Mt. Tendo for a time, but in 1224 set off on a journey around the various mountains, visiting Ikuo-san Kori-ji Temple, Kinzan Manju-ji Temple, and Tendai-san Mannen-ji Temple, among others. He then returned to Mt. Tendo, where he met the abbot, Tendo Nyojo, for the first time on May 1, 1225 (Karoku 1), and was immediately accepted as a disciple. Prior to this, Myozen fell ill and passed away on April 27 of the same year at the Ryonen-ryo temple on Mt. Tendo. Dogen received rigorous instruction from Nyojo for around three years, but he eventually lost consciousness in body and mind, obtained Nyojo's seal, and returned to Japan in 1227 (Ansei 1), at the age of 28, carrying the remains of Myozen, who had accompanied him on the journey.

After returning to Japan, he stayed at Kennin-ji Temple for a while, but in 1230 (Kanki 2), he moved to Anyo-in Temple in Fukakusa, Yamashiro (Kyoto Prefecture) to live in seclusion, and in 1233 (Tenpuku 1), at the request of Fujiwara Noriie (1194-1255) and Shogakuni (dates of birth and death unknown), he founded Kannon Dori-in Kosho Horin-ji Temple (Kosho-ji Temple) in Yamashiro. After living here for over 10 years, in 1243 (Kangen 1), he headed to Shibi-no-sho in Echizen (Fukui Prefecture), which was the territory of his patron Hatano Yoshishige (dates of birth and death unknown). There are various theories about why Dogen came to Hokuetsu, such as the pressure from Mount Hiei or the advance of Enni's Zen, centered around Tofukuji Temple, but the real reason is thought to be that the arrival of his teacher's "Nyojo Goroku" (The Sayings of Nyojo) reminded Dogen of Nyojo's last words, "Dwell in the deep mountains and secluded valleys to promote the true Buddhist teachings," and he accepted Yoshishige's invitation. After coming to Echigo, he lived temporarily at old temples in Yoshimine-dera and Yamashibu, and in 1244 he founded and opened Daibutsu-ji Temple, and two years later renamed Daibutsu-ji Temple Eihei-ji Temple. He lived at Eiheiji for 10 years, where he devoted himself to writing his lifetime work, Shobogenzo, and training his disciples. During that time, he went down to Kamakura in 1247 (Hōji 1) at the request of Hojo Tokiyori, but returned to Eiheiji the following year in 1248. In the summer of 1252 (Kenchō 4), he fell ill, and in July of the following year, 1253, he handed over his later affairs to his first disciple, Koun Ejō. In August, at the recommendation of Hatano Yoshishige, he went to Kyoto to recuperate, but on the 28th of the same month, he passed away at the age of 54 at the residence of his lay disciple, Kakunen, at Nishinotoin in Takatsuji. In his last verse, he wrote, "In the first year of the fifth year of the fifth century, he illuminated the heavens. With one leap, he broke a thousand pieces. With all his might, he fell alive into the underworld." In 1854 (Ansei 1), 601 years after his death, Emperor Komei bestowed upon him the posthumous title of "Busshoden Tokokushi," and in 1879 (Meiji 12), Emperor Meiji bestowed upon him the posthumous title of "Joyo Daishi."

Dogen's disciples included Kaijo, Sen'ne (years of birth and death unknown), Sokai (years of birth and death unknown), Gikai, Gien (?-1314), Yoshitada, Jakuen (1207-1299), and Gijun (years of birth and death unknown). Of these, it is said that Kaijo was the only disciple who inherited Dogen's teachings, but it is also said that there were three, including Sen'ne and Sokai. Kaijo was the second head priest of Eiheiji, and was a hidden contributor to the great work "Shobogenzo" by helping Dogen protect the Eiheiji monastic community. Sen'ei was the founder of Eikoji Temple in Kyoto, and together with his disciple Kyogo, he wrote the Gomonsho-sho, the oldest commentary on the Shobogenzo. Sokai died young and there is no trace of his work.

[Mototaka Kagamishima September 19, 2017]

Writings and Thoughts

Dogen's writings include 95 volumes of "Shobogenzo," 10 volumes of "Eihei Koroku," 2 volumes of "Eihei Seiki," 1 volume of "Gakudo Yojinshu," 1 volume of "Fukan Zazengi," 1 volume of "Hokyoki," 1 volume of "Sansho Doei." Of these, "Eihei Seiki" consists of six chapters: "Tenza Kyokun," "Bendoho," "Fushukuhanbo," "Shuryo Shingi," "Taitaikoho," and "Chiji Seiki." Each chapter is a separate work about the rules of the monastery, and was later compiled into the "Eihei Seiki." "Shobogenzo" is well known as Dogen's representative work. Dogen's Shobogenzo is written in two versions: one written in kana and the other in classical Chinese. The classical Chinese version is closely related to the three-volume work of the same name, Shobogenzo, written by Daie Soko of the Chinese Rinzai sect. The kana version was written and edited by Dogen himself, but it was only with the dedicated cooperation of his disciple Kaijo that it became Shobogenzo, and one theory is that Kaijo edited Shobogenzo. The distinctive feature of the philosophy of Shobogenzo is that it demonstrates the philosophy of genjo koan, as the first volume of the 75-volume edition of Shobogenzo begins with the Genjo Koan volume. Genjo Koan means that "what exists in the present is the absolute truth." According to Dogen, everything actually exists and is the absolute truth, and humans, as one of everything, are sustained by the absolute truth. This is demonstrated in Shobogenzo. Dogen believes that the truth of Genjo Koan has been correctly transmitted by successive generations of Buddhist patriarchs, and that the world of Genjo Koan can be opened by shikantaza (simply sitting in zazen). Therefore, Shobogenzo is centered on the teachings of the correct tradition of Buddhism and shikantaza.

The orthodox Buddhist law that Dogen preaches is to understand Zen not as Zen Buddhism but as the whole Buddhist law. When Dogen entered Song China, Song Dynasty Zen in China was divided into five schools: Rinzai, Soto, Hogen, Igyo, and Unmon, and Rinzai had further split into the Huanglong and Yangqi schools. These five schools and seven schools of Zen preached the teachings of Zen Buddhism (direct transmission of teachings from heart to heart) to the outside world, but boasted of the superiority of their own school according to their own style to the inside. However, Dogen believed that the true meaning of Zen was in the whole Buddhist law that existed before the division of the five schools, rejected the name of Zen, and emphasized the orthodox Buddhist law.

Shikantaza as taught by Dogen emphasizes simply doing zazen, whereas Kannazen, established in the Song Dynasty, is a form of zazen that focuses on the development of koans. Shikantaza is called "practice on the basis of realization" or "practice for the true realization." While Kannazen is a practice that moves ordinary people towards Buddhahood, Shikantaza is not a practice to become a Buddha, but is itself a form of Buddhahood. Dogen believes that the truth of genjo koan is conveyed through the orthodox Buddhist teachings and is opened up through Shikantaza, and this idea forms the basis of all of Dogen's writings.

[Mototaka Kagamishima September 19, 2017]

"Japanese Thought 2: The Dogen Collection," edited by Tamaki Koshiro (1969, Chikuma Shobo)" ▽ "A Study of the Life of Zen Master Dogen," revised and expanded edition, by Okubo Doshu (1966, Chikuma Shobo; Reproduction, 1988, Meisyo Fukyukai)" ▽ "Dogen," by Takeuchi Michio (1962; Newly revised edition, 1992, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "Lectures on Dogen," edited by Kagamishima Mototaka and Tamaki Koshiro, all 7 volumes (1979-1981, Shunjusha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

鎌倉時代、曹洞(そうとう)宗の僧。別名を道玄、希玄(きげん)とも称する。俗姓は源氏。

［鏡島元隆　2017年9月19日］

生涯

内大臣久我通親(こがみちちか)（1149―1202）の子。一説に通親の子通具(みちとも)（1171―1227）の子ともいう。母は藤原基房(ふじわらのもとふさ)の女(むすめ)（三女の伊子(いし)（？―1207）と推定される）。正治(しょうじ)2年京都に生まれ、3歳にして父を、8歳にして母を失う。13歳の年、比叡山(ひえいざん)横川(よかわ)の首楞厳院(しゅりょうごんいん)の般若谷(はんにゃだに)千光房(せんこうぼう)に投じ、1213年、戒壇院(かいだんいん)において座主(ざす)公円（1168―1235）に就いて受戒する。比叡山に修学中、人は本来仏性(ぶっしょう)を具(そな)えているのに、なにゆえに三世の諸仏は発心(ほっしん)して悟りを求めたのかという疑問をおこし、これを山内外の学匠に尋ねたが、いずれにも満足な解答を得ず、ついに18歳の年、栄西(えいさい)の開いた建仁寺に投じた。道元が栄西に相見したかどうかには賛否両説があるが、否定説が有力である。建仁寺において、栄西の高弟明全(みょうぜん)（1184―1225）に師事し、のち1223年（貞応2）24歳の年、明全とともに入宋(にっそう)した。入宋の動機は、比叡山でおこした宗教的疑問の解決にあるが、入宋を促した背景には、1221年（承久3）勃発(ぼっぱつ)した承久(じょうきゅう)の乱の事後処理が、道元の宗教心を駆り立てたことによるといわれ、また1219年鎌倉八幡(はちまん)宮で横死した将軍源実朝(みなもとのさねとも)の遺志を実現するために、その妻室や家臣が入宋を支援したことによるともいう。入宋した道元は、いったん天童山景徳(けいとく)寺に滞在したが、1224年ひとり諸山遍歴の旅にのぼり、育王山広利寺、径山(きんざん)万寿寺、天台山万年寺などを歴訪し、ふたたび天童山に帰り、1225年（嘉禄1）5月1日、初めて住持の天童如浄(てんどうにょじょう)に面謁(めんえつ)し、一見して弟子入りがかなう。これより先、明全は病を得て、同年4月27日天童山了然(りょうねん)寮で示寂している。道元は如浄のもとで厳しい教導を受けること前後3年に及んだが、身心脱落し、如浄の印証を得て、1227年（安貞1）28歳のとき、同行した明全の遺骨を抱いて帰朝した。

　帰朝後、しばらく建仁寺にとどまったが、1230年（寛喜2）山城(やましろ)（京都府）深草の安養院(あんよういん)に閑居し、1233年（天福1）藤原教家(のりいえ)（1194―1255）や正覚尼(しょうがくに)（生没年不詳）らの請(しょう)によって山城に観音(かんのん)導利院興聖(こうしょう)宝林寺（興聖寺）を開いた。ここに住すること10年余ののち、1243年（寛元1）檀越(だんおつ)波多野義重(はたのよししげ)（生没年不詳）の領地である越前(えちぜん)（福井県）志比荘(しびのしょう)に向かった。道元の北越入山の理由については、比叡山の圧迫によるとか、東福寺を中心とする円爾(えんに)の禅の進出によるなどと種々説かれるが、内面の理由は師の『如浄語録』の到来を期として、「真実の仏法を挙揚するために深山幽谷(ゆうこく)に居せよ」という如浄の遺誡(いかい)が道元の心に強くよみがえり、義重の勧誘を受け入れたものと思われる。入越後しばらく吉峰寺(よしみねでら)、禅師峰(やましぶ)の古寺に仮寓(かぐう)し、1244年大仏寺をおこして開堂し、2年後に大仏寺を永平寺と改めた。10年間を永平寺に住し、そこで畢生(ひっせい)の著述『正法眼蔵(しょうぼうげんぞう)』の撰述(せんじゅつ)と弟子の養成に全力を尽くした。その間、1247年（宝治1）北条時頼(ほうじょうときより)の請に応じて鎌倉に下向したが、翌1248年永平寺に帰る。1252年（建長4）夏病気となり、翌1253年7月には後事を第一の弟子孤雲懐奘(こうんえじょう)に譲り、8月、波多野義重の勧めにより療養のため上洛(じょうらく)したが、同月28日に高辻(たかのつじ)西洞院(にしのとういん)の俗弟子覚念の邸において54歳で示寂した。遺偈(ゆいげ)に「五四年第一天を照らす。箇の跳(ぼっちょう)を打(た)して大千を触破(しょくは)す。渾身(こんしん)覓(もと)むるなく、活(い)きながら黄泉(こうせん)に落つ」がある。滅後601年の1854年（安政1）孝明(こうめい)天皇より「仏性伝東国師」の諡号(しごう)を賜り、また1879年（明治12）明治天皇より「承陽(じょうよう)大師」の諡号を加賜された。

　道元の門弟には、懐奘、詮慧(せんね)（生没年不詳）、僧海(そうかい)（生没年不詳）、義介(ぎかい)、義演(ぎえん)（？―1314）、義尹(ぎいん)、寂円(じゃくえん)（1207―1299）、義準(ぎじゅん)（生没年不詳）らがある。このうち、道元の法を嗣(つ)いだ弟子は懐奘ひとりとも、また詮慧、僧海を含む3人ともいう。懐奘は永平寺第2代であり、道元を助けて永平寺僧団を守り、『正法眼蔵』の大著を完成させた陰の功労者である。詮慧は京都永興寺(ようこうじ)の開山であり、その弟子経豪(きょうごう)とともに『正法眼蔵』の最古の注釈である『御聞書抄』を著した。僧海は早逝してその伝をとどめない。

［鏡島元隆　2017年9月19日］

著述・思想

道元の著述には、『正法眼蔵』95巻、『永平広録』10巻、『永平清規(しんぎ)』2巻、『学道用心集』1巻、『普勧坐禅儀(ふかんざぜんぎ)』1巻、『宝慶記(ほうきょうき)』1巻、『傘松道詠(さんしょうどうえい)』1巻などがある。このうち、『永平清規』は、「典座(てんざ)教訓」「弁道法(べんどうほう)」「赴粥飯法(ふしゅくはんぼう)」「衆寮箴規(しゅりょうしんぎ)」「対大己法(たいたいこほう)」「知事(ちじ)清規」の6編からなる。各編はそれぞれ単独に著された叢林(そうりん)の規矩(きく)に関する著述であって、のちに『永平清規』としてまとめられたのである。『正法眼蔵』は、道元の代表的著述として著名である。道元の『正法眼蔵』には仮名の『正法眼蔵』と漢文の『正法眼蔵』があって、漢文の『正法眼蔵』は、中国臨済宗の大慧宗杲(だいえそうこう)の同名の著述『正法眼蔵』3巻と深いかかわりがある。仮名『正法眼蔵』は道元自らの手により執筆され編集されたものであるが、これが『正法眼蔵』として成立したのは、弟子懐奘の献身的協力によるものであり、一説には『正法眼蔵』の編集は懐奘の手に成るともいわれる。『正法眼蔵』の思想の特質は、75巻本『正法眼蔵』の第一が「現成公案(げんじょうこうあん)」巻から始まるように、現成公案の思想を示すことにある。現成公案とは「現に成立しているものは絶対の真理である」ということである。道元によれば、あらゆるものは現に成立しているものであり、絶対の真理であって、人間もあらゆるものの一つとして絶対の真理に生かされているのである。これを示すものが『正法眼蔵』である。道元はこの現成公案の真理は、代々の仏祖によって正しく伝えられ、この現成公案の世界は只管打坐(しかんたざ)（ただひたすら坐禅すること）によって開かれるとする。したがって、『正法眼蔵』は正伝(しょうでん)の仏法と只管打坐を中心として説かれる。

　道元の説く正伝の仏法とは、禅を禅宗としてとらえないで全仏法としてとらえることである。道元が入宋した当時の中国の宋朝禅は、臨済宗、曹洞宗、法眼(ほうげん)宗、潙仰(いぎょう)宗、雲門(うんもん)宗の五家(ごけ)に分かれ、さらに臨済宗は黄竜(おうりゅう)派と楊岐(ようぎ)派に分派していた。これら五家七宗(ごけしちしゅう)の禅は、外に対しては禅宗として教外別伝(きょうげべつでん)（教義を心から心へ直接伝えること）を唱え、内に対してはそれぞれの家風にたって自派の優勢を誇ったのであるが、道元は、禅の本旨は五家分派以前の全仏法にあるとし、禅宗の宗名を排し、正伝の仏法を強調したのである。

　道元の示す只管打坐は、宋朝に成立した看話禅(かんなぜん)が公案の工夫を中心とする坐禅であるのに対し、ただ坐禅することを強調するものである。只管打坐は「証上の修」または「本証妙修」といわれる。それは看話禅が凡夫(ぼんぷ)より仏に向かう修行であるのに対し、仏になるための修行でなく、それ自体が仏行であるとする。道元はこのように現成公案の真理は、正伝の仏法によって伝えられ、只管打坐によって開かれるとするもので、この思想は道元の全著作の基調となっている。

［鏡島元隆　2017年9月19日］

『玉城康四郎編『日本の思想　2　道元集』（1969・筑摩書房）』▽『大久保道舟著『道元禅師伝の研究』修訂増補版（1966・筑摩書房／複製・1988・名著普及会）』▽『竹内道雄著『道元』（1962／新稿新装版・1992・吉川弘文館）』▽『鏡島元隆・玉城康四郎編『講座　道元』全7巻（1979～1981・春秋社）』