Eihei Dōgen stands in Buddhist history as the formative figure of the Sōtō Zen tradition in Japan, transmitting the Caodong/Chan lineage he received in China and shaping it into a distinct Japanese school. By founding Eiheiji monastery and establishing Sōtō Zen as one of the principal Zen traditions in Japan, he provided an institutional and communal framework that endures as a major force in Japanese Buddhist life. This institutional legacy is not merely organizational; it embodies a vision of disciplined monastic practice, ritual, and ethical conduct that has deeply influenced Japanese Buddhist culture. Through this, Dōgen became a bridge between Chinese Chan and Japanese religious sensibilities, allowing a particular style of Zen to take root and flourish.

At the heart of Dōgen’s significance lies his radical emphasis on zazen, especially the practice known as shikantaza, or “just sitting.” For Dōgen, seated meditation is not a technique aimed at a future awakening but the very manifestation of enlightenment itself. This understanding is bound up with his teaching on the unity of practice and enlightenment, often expressed as the insight that practice is enlightenment rather than a mere path leading toward it. Such a view affirms the presence of Buddha-nature in all beings and underscores the immediacy of awakening in the midst of ordinary activities, when they are undertaken with full attentiveness and sincerity.

Dōgen’s written legacy, particularly the Shōbōgenzō, further secures his place in the history of Buddhism. This collection of essays and discourses articulates a subtle and often paradoxical vision of reality, exploring themes such as being-time and the inseparability of realization and daily conduct. The work is regarded as one of the most important philosophical texts in Japanese Buddhism, shaping not only Sōtō Zen doctrine and training but also broader reflections on language, time, and existence within the Mahāyāna tradition. Through this combination of institutional founding, meditative emphasis, and profound literary expression, Dōgen emerges as a pivotal figure whose influence continues to inform how Zen understands practice, enlightenment, and the fabric of everyday life.