Sōtō Zen, associated with Eihei Dōgen, is a major school of Japanese Zen Buddhism that places seated meditation, or zazen, at the very heart of the Buddhist path. Its distinctive form of meditation, shikantaza—“just sitting”—is characterized by objectless, goalless awareness: one simply sits, allowing thoughts and sensations to arise and pass without grasping. Rather than being a technique aimed at producing special states, this sitting is regarded as the direct expression of Buddha-nature itself. In this sense, zazen is not a means to an end, but the very embodiment of awakening.

A central insight in this tradition is the unity of practice and enlightenment. Dōgen’s teaching holds that practice and realization are inseparable, so that wholehearted sitting is already enlightenment manifesting, not a preliminary step toward some later attainment. Enlightenment is thus understood less as a single dramatic event and more as a continuous unfolding through ongoing practice. This perspective gives Sōtō Zen a character often described as quiet and gradual, in contrast to approaches that emphasize sudden breakthroughs.

Sōtō Zen also extends this vision of practice beyond the meditation hall into the fabric of daily life. Ordinary activities—eating, working, cleaning—are treated as full opportunities for realization when carried out with complete attention. Monastic regulations, rituals, and ceremonial forms are not viewed as mere external discipline, but as concrete expressions of awakened mind and vehicles for continuous mindfulness. Proper posture, breathing, and the careful performance of forms all serve as ways in which Buddha-nature is enacted moment by moment.

Within this framework, Sōtō Zen speaks of silent, objectless awareness that naturally illuminates what is already present. All beings are understood to possess Buddha-nature, yet this inherent capacity is made manifest through sustained practice. The school places less emphasis on kōan study than some other Zen traditions, regarding zazen itself as a complete and sufficient practice, though it does not deny the reality of awakening experiences. In its mature expression, Sōtō Zen presents a path in which the simple act of sitting and the mindful conduct of everyday life are themselves the living body of the Buddha Way.