One of the youngest people ever to receive dharma transmission (the authorization to teach Zen) in the United States, Gesshin Claire Greenwood is also a skilled vegan cook, feminist, and author of the book Just Enough: Vegan Recipes and Stories from Japan’s Buddhist Temples. When Greenwood was twenty-two and fresh out of college, she found her way to a Buddhist monastery in Japan. She was drawn deeply into Zen’s all-encompassing approach to life and how to live it, the way Zen practice does not shy away from the big questions of life while still resting in the perfection of the present moment. While at the monastery, she discovered a particular affinity for working in the kitchen, especially the practice of using what was at hand to create delicious, satisfying meals. 

I first heard of Dogen when I was 19 or 20 years old. I am 53 now. So I’ve been acquainted with Dogen for most of my life. Dogen was a Japanese Buddhist monk and writer who lived around 800 years ago, from the year 1200 to 1254. He was barely older than I am now when he died. 

When I first heard of Dogen, I assumed I was a latecomer. I figured that the people of Japan had read and studied Dogen’s philosophy for the past 800 years. I assumed that Dogen’s ideas were part of Japan’s national philosophical identity.

Zen teacher Karen Maezen Miller is known for helping her readers and students understand that the contentment they think of as “out there” is actually here and now. We hope you’ll enjoy this guest post by Karen, which is based on her book Hand Wash Cold.