REL 686                                              Zen Master Dogen                                                  Fall 2006

Dr. Richard Pilgrim                                                                                            Tuesdays, 9:30-12:15

E-mail:  rbpilgri@syr.edu                                                                                 504 Hall of Languages

 

 

 

Course Description:  While this course will, indeed, focus on the great 13th century Japanese Zen master Dogen Zenji, it also seeks to provide some background and context for understanding his work out of the Indian (and especially Mahayana) Buddhist foundations and the Chinese (and especially Ch’an) traditions that Dogen is in conversation with.  The course is finally a close look at Buddhist thought in the Zen style, and both “Zen experience” and Zen practice are closely related thereto.

 

Required Readings:

 

•  Cook, F.D., How to Raise an Ox (Wisdom, 2002)

•  Heine, S., Dogen and the Koan Tradition (SUNY, 1994)

•  Kasulis, T.P., Zen Action, Zen Person (Hawaii, 1981)

•  Price, A.F. & Wong, M., The Diamond Sutra and the Sutra of Hui Neng (Shambhala, 1990)

•  Waddell, N. & Abe, M., The Heart of Dogen’s Shobogenzo (SUNY, 2002)

 

Course Requirements

 

•  readings and seminar participation

•  periodic reading-response reports (in class, oral)

•  mid-semester paper (4-5 pages) based on in-class readings and discussion due October 10

•  semester research paper (15-25 pages) based on related topic of your interest due December 15

•  oral reports of latter work in class on November 28 and/or December 5

 

Meeting/Topic/Reading Schedule

 

•  August 29:  Orientation and Buddhist Basics

            Readings:  no assigned readings

•  September 5:  Mahayana “Foundation”

            Readings:  Diamond Sutra, plus Kasulis Ch.2

•  September 12:  Reading Dogen I

            Readings:  See Appendix, plus Kasulis pp.70-77

•  September 18:  Ch’an/Zen Introductions

            Readings:  Sutra of Hui Neng, plus Kasulis Ch.4

•  September 26:  Reading Dogen II

            Readings:  See Appendix, plus Kasulis Ch. 5 and pp.77-103

•  Ocrtober 3:  Reading Dogen III

            Readings:  See Appendix, plus Kasulis Ch.9

•  October 10:  The Koanic Dogen I

            Readings:  Heine Part I

•  October 17:  The Koanic Dogen II

            Readings:  See Appendix

 

OCTOBER 24:  No Class; Eid Ul-Fitr

 

•  November 7:  The Koanic Dogen III

            Readings:  Heine Part II

•  November 14:  Catch up as need be

 

NOVEMBER 21:  No Class; AAR Meetings

 

•  November 28 and December 5:  Student Presentations of research work on Dogen as need be.

 

 

Appendix:  Dogen Readings

 

I.                    For Reading Dogen I

      •  from Waddell/Abe (in no necessary order)

                  ŕ  Fukanzazengi (Ch.1; cf Cook 65-68)

                  ŕ  Sammai-Ō-Zammai (Ch.7)

                  ŕ  Shōji (Ch.8)

                  ŕ  Zazengi (Ch.9)

      •  from Cook (in no necessary order)

                  ŕ  Shukke (91-91)

                  ŕ  Raihai Tokuzui (97-110)

                  ŕ  Hotsu Mujo Shin (81-89)

 

II.    For Reading Dogen II (no necessary order)

      •  Nyorai Zenshin (Cook, 125-128)

      •  Bussho (Waddell/Abe Ch.16)

      •  Keisei Sanshoku (Cook 69-80)

 

III.  For Reading Dogen III (same)

      •  Bendowa (Waddell/Abe Ch.2)

      •  Genjokoan (Waddell/Abe Ch.4)

      •  Uji (Waddell/Abe Ch.5)

 

IV.  For Koanic Dogen II (no necessary order)

      •  Shunju (Cook 111-116)

      •  Shinjin Inga (Cook 117-124)

      •  Ikka Myoju (Waddell/Abe Ch.3)

      •  Kajo (Cook 153-157)