In this second session of the Dogen Seminar, distinguished scholar Dr. Steven Heine explores the profound role of paradox in Zen Buddhism, examining how these seemingly contradictory teachings serve as liberating devices rather than confounding puzzles. As Professor of Religious Studies and History, Heine has dedicated his career to studying Zen master Dogen and has authored nearly three dozen books on Zen Buddhist history and thought. Drawing from his extensive research into Chinese Soto Zen traditions, Heine shares how “the significance of paradox is to create a sense of freedom, freedom from delusion” by serving as rhetorical devices that dislodge us from self-deceptions. His scholarly approach describes the intricate relationship between paradox, parable, and paradigm in Dogen’s writings, demonstrating how apparent contradictions like “to study the self is to forget the self” guide practitioners toward what he calls “the vanishing point of satori” – where all polarities dissolve into boundless experience. This deeply erudite but accessible exploration of Dogen shows how paradoxical language provides practical pathways to authentic awakening and appropriate, intuitive action.
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