Download or read book The Rinzai Zen Way written by Meido Moore and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2018-03-27 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first accessible beginner's guide to Rinzai Zen practice. The recognition of the true nature of oneself and the universe is the aim of Rinzai Zen—but that experience, known as kensho, is really just the beginning of a life of refining that discovery and putting it into practice in the world. Rinzai, with its famed discipline and its emphasis on koan practice, is one of two main forms of Zen practiced in the West, but it is less familiar than the more prominent Soto school. Meido Moore here remedies that situation by providing this compact and complete introduction to Zen philosophy and practice from the Rinzai perspective. It’s an excellent entrée to a venerable tradition that goes back through the renowned Hakuin Ekaku in eighteenth-century Japan to its origins in Tang dynasty China—and that offers a path to living with insight and compassion for people today.
Download or read book The Art of Budo written by John Stevens and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2022-12-06 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore this stunning collection of spiritual calligraphy by Japan’s greatest martial arts masters—with commentary from Zen art authority and aikido master John Stevens. Beginning with the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi, nearly all of the great martial arts masters left a legacy of calligraphy and painting. Their artwork—Zenga and Zensho (“Zen pictures” and “Zen calligraphy”)—was not only an extension of their Zen practice but also reflected their deep spiritual commitment to the budo ethos, the perfection of self through martial arts training. This book presents a concise history of this tradition, with works from such samurai as Musashi, Takuan, Yagyu, Motusgai, Rengetsu, Tesshu Deishu, Kano, Morihei, and others. Aikido master John Stevens is an expert on Zen and budo art, and he provides a fascinating introduction to the tradition and biographical details on each of the warrior artists, and brief, illuminating commentary on each piece.
Download or read book Ken Zen Sho The Zen Calligraphy and Painting of Yamaoka Tesshu written by Sarah Moate and published by . This book was released on 2014-10-27 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Yamaoka Tesshu (1836-1888) was a Japanese master of the sword, Zen and calligraphy. A full-color book on the Zen art of Tesshu features his calligraphic pieces, essays about the relationship between swordsmanship, Zen, and calligraphy. Works are translated and significance explained in detailed captions. Calligraphy by Tesshu's contemporaries Katsu Kaishu, Takahashi Deishu, and modern master Terayama Tanchu included.
Download or read book Introduction to Zen Training written by Omori Sogen and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2020-02-04 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction to Zen Training is a translation of the Sanzen Nyumon, a foundational text for beginning meditation students by Omori Sogen--one of the foremost Zen teachers of the twentieth century. This book addresses many of the questions which arise when someone first embarks on a journey of Zen meditation--ranging from how long to sit at one time to how to remain mindful when not sitting--and it concludes with commentaries on two other fundamental Zen texts, Zazen Wasen (The Song of Meditation) and the Ox-Herding Pictures. Written to provide a solid grounding in the physical nature of Zen meditation training, this text delves into topics such as: Breathing Pain Posture Physiology Drowsiness How to find the right teacher The differences between the two main Japanese schools of Zen: Soto and Rinzai Zen As a master swordsman, Omori Sogen's approach to Zen is direct, physical, and informed by the rigorous tradition of Zen and the martial arts that flourished during Japan's samurai era. For him, the real aim of Zen is nothing short of Enlightenment--and Introduction to Zen Training is a roadmap in which he deals as adeptly with hundreds of years of Zen scholarship as he does with the mundane practicalities of meditation. Sogen prescribes a level of rigor and intensity in spiritual training that goes far beyond wellness and relaxation, and that is rarely encountered. His is a kind of spiritual warriorship he felt was direly needed in the middle of the twentieth century and that is no less necessary today. With a new foreword from Daihonzan Chozen-ji, the headquarters Zen temple established by Omori Sogen in Hawaii, this book is an essential text for every student of Zen meditation.
Download or read book Zen Flesh Zen Bones written by Paul Reps and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 1998-09-15 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "It has stayed with me for the last 30 years, a classic portraying Zen mind to our linear thinking." --Phil Jackson, Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls and author of Sacred Hoops Zen Flesh, Zen Bones offers a collection of accessible, primary Zen sources so that readers can contemplate the meaning of Zen for themselves. Within the pages, readers will find: 101 Zen Stories, a collection of tales that recount actual experiences of Chinese and Japanese Zen teachers over a period of more than five centuries The Gateless Gate, the famous thirteenth-century collection of Zen koans Ten Bulls, a twelfth century commentary on the stages of awareness leading to enlightenment Centering, a 4,000 year-old teaching from India that some consider to be the roots of Zen. When Zen Flesh, Zen Bones was published in 1957, it became an instant sensation with an entire generation of readers who were just beginning to experiment with Zen. Over the years it has inspired leading American Zen teachers, students, and practitioners. Its popularity is as high today as ever.
Download or read book The Truth of the Ancient Ways written by Anatoliy Anshin and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book by Anatoliy Anshin documents the life of famous Japanese swordsman Yamaoka Tesshu and his historical role in the end of the Tokugawa era. Written for martial arts practitioners and those interested in Japanese culture and history, Anshin draws from his doctorate dissertation to create the first critical biography on Tesshu, over 120 years after his death in 1888. Among practitioners of Japanese martial arts both in Japan and overseas there is hardly a person not knowing the name of Tesshu, who is also famous for his calligraphy and pursuits of enlightenment in Zen Buddhism. Despite this, for over a century Tesshu’s figure, buried under numerous anecdotes and mythical stories, has presented a contrasting combination of broad popularity with the absence of critical biographies and the lack of verified data. Based on scrupulous investigation of primary and secondary sources, Anshin’s book shows that Tesshu’s whole life was an uncompromising quest for the authentic Japanese swordsmanship, which had been practically lost by his time. Anshin further analyzes how this quest eventually led Tesshu to play the central role in the bloodless surrender of Edo Castle - one of the most important events in the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Looking at everything, from the beginning and development of Tesshu’s thoughts and belief systems to establishing his own swordsmanship school called Itto Shoden Muto-ryu, Anshin chronologically highlights Tesshu’s dramatic life path. This path reflects like a mirror centuries-old cultural history of Japanese warrior class, the samurai, and its martial arts.
Download or read book Zen Tradition and Transition written by Kenneth Kraft and published by Grove/Atlantic. This book was released on 1988 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zen Buddhism has flourished for over a thousand years as a rich and complex spiritual tradition. While its origins lie somewhere in the remote mountains of China, today Zen Buddhism has a large number of followers in the West, and its teachings have been transmitted to a variety of cultural settings. "Zen: Tradition and Transition" is a unique anthology which encompasses both the history of Zen and its current practice all over the world. It offers for the first time an overview of Zen Buddhism which brings together contemporary Zen masters and scholars who are among the most distinguished figures in the field. Accessible to beginners as well as challenging to advanced students, "Zen: Tradition and Transition" provides an authoritative and comprehensive perspective on one of the most important spiritual and philosophical movements of our time. -- From publisher's description.
Download or read book The Zen Sheep Your Inner Zen Master written by G. Guruprasad and published by Notion Press. This book was released on 2019-03-05 with total page 82 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Zen Buddhism, a 'koan' is a short anecdote or riddle that is designed by itself to create an experience of enlightenment. It's common for zen masters to provoke through paradoxes, irrational thinking, and misdirection. These are done intentionally to help students break through their desire for logic and reason and thus become more open to enlightenment. And now cartoonist Guruprasad through his lively and entertaining illustrations injects much wit and humour into this modern interpretation of the age-old Zen Koans. He has spiced up each episode with his unique style- to these thought provoking and fascinating Zen koans - to be enjoyed by the young and old alike. The Zen Sheep - your inner Zen Master will give readers not only an insight into one of the greatest collection of Zen Koans, but have them rock-rolling in comic relief.
Download or read book Omori Sogen written by Dogen and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-10-28 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First Published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Download or read book Ken Matsubara Utsusemi written by and published by Mw Editions. This book was released on 2022-06-28 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This monograph on the work of Japanese multimedia artist Ken Matsubara contains his most significant works of the past 10 years. Essay by curator Bettina Pelz.
Download or read book Zen and the Ways written by Trevor Leggett and published by . This book was released on 2019-04-09 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Japanese Zen, all activities offer opportunities for meditation and inspiration. Trevor Leggett here explores a range of such practices.
Download or read book Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhism written by Jørn Borup and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2008-02-28 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zen Buddhist ideas and practices in many ways are unique within the study of religion, and artists, poets and Buddhists practitioners worldwide have found inspiration from this tradition. Until recent years, representations of Zen Buddhism have focussed almost entirely on philosophical, historical or “spiritual” aspects. This book investigates the contemporary living reality of the largest Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhist group, Myōshinji. Drawing on textual studies and ethnographic fieldwork, Jørn Borup analyses how its practitioners use and understand their religion, how they practice their religiosity and how different kinds of Zen Buddhists (monks, nuns, priest, lay people) interact and define themselves within the religious organization. Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhism portrays a living Zen Buddhism being both uniquely interesting and interestingly typical for common Buddhist and Japanese religiosity.
Download or read book Zen and the Art of Calligraphy written by and published by Routledge. This book was released on 1983-01-01 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Swordsman s Handbook written by William Scott Wilson and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2014-04-29 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of historical writings by martial arts masters—from Miyamoto Musashi to Takuan Soho—is an essential primer on the history, philosophy, and practice of samurai swordsmanship There is perhaps no more potent symbol of the samurai era than the sword. By the seventeenth century in Japan, the art of swordsmanship had begun to take on an almost cult-like popularity. Swordsmanship was more than a mastery of technique; it was a path toward self-mastery. The Swordsman’s Handbook is the definitive collection of writings by men who saw the study of swordsmanship not only as essential to life and death, but as something that transcended life and death as well. Their teaching—that dealing with conflict is an art that requires grace and courage—speaks to us today with surprising immediacy and relevance. Included in this collection are writings by Kotada Yahei Toshitada, Takuan Soho, Yagyu Munenori, Miyamoto Musashi, Matsura Seizan, Issai Chozanshi, and Yamaoka Tesshu.
Download or read book Zen and Japanese Culture written by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki and published by . This book was released on 1970 with total page 596 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of this century's leading works on Zen, this book is a valuable source for those wishing to understand its concepts in the context of Japanese life and art. In simple, often poetic, language, Daisetz Suzuki describes what Zen is, how it evolved, and how its emphasis on primitive simplicity and self-effacement have helped to shape an aesthetics found throughout Japanese culture. He explores the surprising role of Zen in the philosophy of the samurai, and subtly portrays the relationship between Zen and swordsmanship, haiku, tea ceremonies, and the Japanese love of nature. Suzuki's contemplative discussion is enhanced by anecdotes, poetry, and illustrations showing silk screens, calligraphy, and examples of architecture.
Download or read book The Sword of No Sword written by John Stevens and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2001-08-28 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The insightful martial arts biography of Yamoaka Tesshu, the larger-than-life samurai who founded his own school of swordsmanship and helped restore practical imperial rule to Japan Master swordsman, calligrapher, and Zen practitioner, Yamoaka Tesshu is a seminal figure in martial arts history. John Stevens’s biography is a fascinating, detailed account of Tesshu’s remarkable life. From Tesshu’s superhuman feats of endurance and keen perception in life-threatening situations, to his skillful handling of military affairs during the politically volatile era of early nineteenth-century Japan, Stevens recounts the stories that have made Tesshu a legend. This is the book all martial artists must own.
Download or read book Shots in the Dark written by Shoji Yamada and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2020-06-24 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the years after World War II, Westerners and Japanese alike elevated Zen to the quintessence of spirituality in Japan. Pursuing the sources of Zen as a Japanese ideal, Shoji Yamada uncovers the surprising role of two cultural touchstones: Eugen Herrigel’s Zen in the Art of Archery and the Ryoanji dry-landscape rock garden. Yamada shows how both became facile conduits for exporting and importing Japanese culture. First published in German in 1948 and translated into Japanese in 1956, Herrigel’s book popularized ideas of Zen both in the West and in Japan. Yamada traces the prewar history of Japanese archery, reveals how Herrigel mistakenly came to understand it as a traditional practice, and explains why the Japanese themselves embraced his interpretation as spiritual discipline. Turning to Ryoanji, Yamada argues that this epitome of Zen in fact bears little relation to Buddhism and is best understood in relation to Chinese myth. For much of its modern history, Ryoanji was a weedy, neglected plot; only after its allegorical role in a 1949 Ozu film was it popularly linked to Zen. Westerners have had a part in redefining Ryoanji, but as in the case of archery, Yamada’s interest is primarily in how the Japanese themselves have invested this cultural site with new value through a spurious association with Zen.
