Part 4/11:
While Bodhidharma laid the groundwork for Zen in China, a pivotal figure in its Japanese incarnation was Dogen Zenji. Born in Japan in 1200 to an aristocratic family, Dogen's early exposure to the pain of loss led him to reflect deeply on life's impermanence. At 13, he entered monastic life but soon sought answers beyond Japan, leading him to China.
In China, Dogen encountered Master Rujing of the Chan tradition, who profoundly transformed Dogen's understanding of practice and enlightenment. Realizing that practice and awakening are inseparable, Dogen returned to Japan, where he founded the Eihei-ji monastery, a key center of Zen Buddhism.