Eihei Dōgen’s Zen stands out above all for its radical understanding of practice itself. Rather than treating meditation as a technique aimed at a future awakening, Dōgen taught *shikantaza*—“just sitting”—as the direct and complete expression of enlightenment. In this vision, there is no gap between delusion now and enlightenment later; the very act of wholehearted sitting is already the functioning of Buddha-nature. This is often expressed as the unity of practice and realization, where practice is not a means to an end but the manifestation of an already-present truth.

This understanding is closely tied to Dōgen’s strong affirmation of universal Buddha-nature. All beings, in his view, inherently possess Buddha-nature, and practice serves to actualize and express what is already true at the deepest level. Rather than striving to acquire something lacking, the practitioner allows what is innate to shine forth. This emphasis also appears in his reflections on the oneness of body and mind, where physical posture, breath, and mental attitude are not separate layers but a single, integrated field of realization.

Dōgen’s approach to other characteristic Zen methods further marks his distinctiveness. While kōans were central in many other Zen lineages, especially Rinzai, he did not treat them as a graded curriculum of riddles to be solved. Instead, his focus remained on direct sitting, and he warned against practices that might encourage a subtle seeking for special experiences or dramatic breakthroughs. The simplicity of “just sitting” thus becomes, in his teaching, more profound than any search for extraordinary states.

Another striking feature of Dōgen’s legacy is the character of his writings. Texts such as the *Shōbōgenzō* display intricate, often subtle language and philosophical rigor, in contrast to the more laconic or purely anecdotal style associated with some other Zen masters. He integrated doctrinal study and meditative practice, treating scriptural engagement not as an obstacle to awakening but as another avenue through which the Dharma reveals itself. In this way, disciplined sitting, careful attention to form, and deep textual reflection all converge as different facets of a single, seamless realization.