In The Roots of Goodness, the late Japanese Zen teacher Kōshō Uchiyama Röshi bridges the gap between the eras of ancient masters and today, delivering commentary that brings the eight qualities of a great person into focus and directly applies them to the complexities of modern life. Translator Daitsū Tom Wright, a longtime student of Uchiyama, provides a full translation of Dōgen's original work as well as a faithful translation of Uchiyama's commentary, supplemented with a historical background of Dōgen, an exploration of how the teaching of the eight qualities impacted Uchiyama's life and work, and a personal introduction that grounds the importance of this teaching in modernity.