The Gentle Revolutionary: How a Zen Ancestor Shattered Barriers | Konjin Godwin

“It’s one of the challenges of our school: to be prepared, and then to drop it.” What can a 13th-century Zen master teach us about the courage needed to challenge institutional barriers? This week, we continue to share excerpts from our winter Commit to Sit , with a talk from our dear dharma friend, Konjin Godwin, the abbot of the Houston Zen Center and Director of the International Division of Soto Zen. Konjin offers an intimate and accessible exploration of one of Zen's most influential figures, Eihei Dogen; revealing him not as a remote historical figure but as a “mild and peaceful” yet boldly revolutionary teacher whose thunder still roars today. Her talk illuminates Dogen's famous awakening moment in China when he heard his teacher say “studying Zen is the dropping off of body and mind,” leading to his profound realization. Particularly compelling is Konjin's focus on Dogen's radical stance on women's spiritual equality—extraordinary for medieval Japan. Through carefully selected quotes from Dogen's writings, we see a teacher who directly challenged the male-dominated Buddhist establishment, calling those who refused to learn from accomplished female teachers “close to beasts and far from Buddhism.” Her talk also explores the tension between solitary awakening and awakening within sangha (community), emphasizing how our practice is enriched by studying and honoring our ancestral lineage, not as dusty relics but as living teachings that continue to guide and challenge us. P.S. Connect with Konjin: If you enjoy the talk, Konjin will be one of the returning guest teachers for our Summer Commit to Sit (starting June 18th).