Download or read book Sword of Zen written by Peter Haskel and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2012-10-25 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Takuan Sōho’s (1573–1645) two works on Zen and swordsmanship are among the most straightforward and lively presentations of Zen ever written and have enjoyed great popularity in both premodern and modern Japan. Although dealing ostensibly with the art of the sword, Record of Immovable Wisdom and On the Sword Taie are basic guides to Zen—“user’s manuals” for Zen mind that show one how to manifest it not only in sword play but from moment to moment in everyday life. Along with translations of Record of Immovable Wisdom and On the Sword Taie (the former, composed in all likelihood for the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu and his fencing master, Yagyū Munenori), this book includes an introduction to Takuan’s distinctive approach to Zen, drawing on excerpts from the master’s other writings. It also offers an accessible overview of the actual role of the sword in Takuan’s day, a period that witnessed both a bloody age of civil warfare and Japan’s final unification under the Tokugawa shoguns. Takuan was arguably the most famous Zen priest of his time, and as a pivotal figure, bridging the Zen of the late medieval and early modern periods, his story (presented in the book’s biographical section) offers a rare picture of Japanese Zen in transition. For modern readers, whether practitioners of Zen or the martial arts, Takuan’s emphasis on freedom of mind as the crux of his teaching resonates as powerfully as it did with the samurai and swordsmen of Tokugawa Japan. Scholars will welcome this new, annotated translation of Takuan’s sword-related works as well as the host of detail it provides, illuminating an obscure period in Zen’s history in Japan.
Download or read book Zen and the Way of the Sword written by Winston L. King and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 1993 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How the samurai cultivated Zen, relating its teaching of a free and spontaneous mind to the experience of a warrior in individual combat, and finding philosophical strength in Zen as they prepared themselves for death.
Download or read book The Art of Zen Sword written by Chang Sik Kim and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Zen at War written by Brian Daizen Victoria and published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. This book was released on 2006-06-22 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compelling history of the contradictory, often militaristic, role of Zen Buddhism, this book meticulously documents the close and previously unknown support of a supposedly peaceful religion for Japanese militarism throughout World War II. Drawing on the writings and speeches of leading Zen masters and scholars, Brian Victoria shows that Zen served as a powerful foundation for the fanatical and suicidal spirit displayed by the imperial Japanese military. At the same time, the author recounts the dramatic and tragic stories of the handful of Buddhist organizations and individuals that dared to oppose Japan's march to war. He follows this history up through recent apologies by several Zen sects for their support of the war and the way support for militarism was transformed into 'corporate Zen' in postwar Japan. The second edition includes a substantive new chapter on the roots of Zen militarism and an epilogue that explores the potentially volatile mix of religion and war. With the increasing interest in Buddhism in the West, this book is as timely as it is certain to be controversial.
Download or read book The Unfettered Mind written by Takuan Soho and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2012-06-12 with total page 131 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The classic samurai-era text that fused Japanese swordsmanship with Zen philosophy—written by the incomparable Zen master Takuan Soho Written by the seventeenth-century Zen master Takuan Soho (1573–1645), The Unfettered Mind is a book of advice on swordsmanship and the cultivation of right mind and intention. It was written as a guide for the samurai Yagyu Munenori, who was a great swordsman and rival to the legendary Miyamoto Musashi. Takuan was a giant in the history of Zen; he was also a gardener, calligrapher, poet, author, adviser to samurai and shoguns, and a pivotal figure in Zen painting. He was known for his brilliance and acerbic wit. In these succinct and pointed essays, Takuan is concerned primarily with understanding and refining the mind—both generally and when faced with conflict. The Unfettered Mind was a major influence on the classic manifestos on swordsmanship that came after it, including Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings and Yagyu Munenori's Life-Giving Sword.
Download or read book Soul Sword The Way and Mind of a Zen Warrior written by Vernon Kitabu Turner Author and published by Duncan Baird Publishers. This book was released on 2011-10-10 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is about conquering fear. Roshi Kitabu (writing as Vernon Kitabu Turner) knows from personal experience how to overcome fear. As a child, he cowered before neighbourhood bullies until finally he was driven to find his courage because he had to defend his brother. From that point he resolved to help anyone in need, and began to study martial arts. As a result of an extraordinary act of synchronicity, he met a Japanese Zen master, and shortly afterwards experienced an epiphany (satori), by which he understood that it is the soul that controls the body: 'in a blaze of light, I immediately understood the secret of self-defense from the inside out.' With virtually no training in the martial arts, he became a master - and after a sensational 'trial by combat' he was made a 'black belt'. Roshi Kitabu shares his secret - and explains that this power exists in everyone. He shows the steps that must be taken to cultivate the Warrior Mind - involving a direct flow from the Soul (your inherent spiritual power) into action. 'Before you can begin to control a possible assailant, you must take control of your thoughts. A warrior must believe in his ability to win.' This has become a truism for all serious practitioners of martial arts - but its message applies equally to all the obstacles that one encounters in life: truly the soul houses the sword. Through diligent practice, we can sharpen ourselves to a razor's edge and learn to cut though any obstacle as it arises.
Download or read book Immovable Wisdom written by Nobuko Hirose and published by Element Books, Limited. This book was released on 1992 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Zen Master Takuan Sono (1573-1645) was a master of calligraphy, painting, gardening, martial arts, and the teacher of the Shogun Iemitsu, Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami (founder of Japan's greatest swordsmanship school) and Miyamoto Musashi (author of The Book of Five Rings).
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 The Way of the Living Sword written by Yagyu Munenori and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2003-08 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Way of the Living Sword is the final installment in D.E. Tarver's popular Warrior Series. It stands beside The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi as one of the greatest writings of the warrior mind. In The Way of the Living Sword, Munenori gives an in-depth explanation of the connection between physical martial arts and the mental process of Zen. While Munenori and Musashi were both avid students of Zen, Munenori was more fascinated by the academic aspects of the philosophy. Munenori stretches the consciousness of even the most enlightened martial artist. Martial arts devotees will experience many flashes of revelation as Tarver explores the various aspects of Munenori's approach. Read and grow!
Download or read book written by 柳生宗矩 and published by Kodansha International. This book was released on 2003 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a translation of an important classic on Zen swordfighting. Yagyu's Buddhist spirituality is reflected in his central idea of the life-giving sword' - the notion of controlling an opponent by the spiritual readiness to fight, rather than during the fight. This is a translation of an important classic on Zen swordfighting. Yagyu Munenori was so widely renowned that he was appointed official sword instructor to two Tokugawa shoguns. (The position was always coveted by Miyamoto Musashi, but he never succeeded in gaining the post). Yagyu's'
Download or read book Samurai and Ninja written by Antony Cummins and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2016-08-09 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The myths of the noble Samurai and the sinister Ninja are filled with romantic fantasy and fallacy. Samurai and Ninja expert Antony Cummins shatters the myths and exposes the true nature of these very real--and very lethal--medieval Japanese warriors. The Samurai and Ninja were, in fact, brutal killing machines trained in torture and soaked in machismo. Many were skilled horsemen and sword-fighting specialists, while others were masters of deception and sabotage. Some fought for loyalty, others for personal gain. What these warriors all shared in common was their unflinching personal bravery, skill and brutality. In Samurai and Ninja, Cummins separates myth from reality and shows why the Japanese were the greatest warriors of all time: He describes the Samurai and the Ninja as they really were in earlier times when battles raged across Japan--not in later times when war became obsolete and Japanese warriors became philosophers, scholars and courtiers. He describes the social context of the day and the feudal world into which the warriors were trained to fight and die for their lords. He exposes the essentially brutal nature of warfare in medieval Japan. This book is illuminated by many rare Japanese manuscripts and texts which are translated into English for the very first time.
Download or read book Mipham s Sword of Wisdom written by Khenchen Palden Sherab and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-06-26 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents the Nyingma-lineage understanding of valid cognition in Buddhism. Its core subject is the Buddhist view of the two truths—the relative truth of conventional appearances and the absolute truth of emptiness and buddha nature—and how the two truths are inseparable. The main questions posed are: How can we know the two truths and how can we be certain that our knowledge is accurate? “The great scholar and advanced spiritual master Jamgon Mipham’s Sword of Wisdom is a classic work that explicates valid cognition. I am happy to see it now available in English with commentary and scholarly appendices that will be very helpful for serious students in understanding this profound and important text.”—His Holiness the Sakya Trichen Mipham’s Sword of Wisdom explores the Nyingma-lineage understanding of valid cognition in Vajrayana Buddhism. This translation, a clear and concise primer on higher realization through valid cognition in Buddhist philosophy, presents these ideas in English for the very first time and includes the sutra presentation of the two truths and the tantra teachings of the two truths as the purity and equality of all phenomena. When you’ve finished Mipham’s Sword of Wisdom, you’ll have rich insights into Nyingma teachings on valid cognition, a profound new understanding of the two truths and their inseparability, a solid foundation in valid cognition through direct perception and reasoning according to the traditional Indian treatises of Dharmakirti and Dignaga, and much more.
Download or read book Samurai Zen written by Scott Shaw and published by Weiser Books. This book was released on 1999-04-01 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, Shaw draws upon his knowledge of Asian culture and years of study in the martial arts to show us how we, too, can achieve higher understanding through the tenets of Zen Buddhism. Iado - the meditative way of the sword becomes a path to enlightenment. The first step is to learn to control the physical body; once physical senses are honed, the thinking mind can be silenced and can join with the body to become a unified force.
Download or read book The Spirit of the Sword written by Nakamura Taisaburo and published by North Atlantic Books. This book was released on 2013-03-05 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nakamura Taisaburo's landmark book on the art of the sword includes technical information, thoughtful analysis, and fascinating recollections of his own training and teaching. One of the most famous Japanese swordsmen of the twentieth century, Nakamura sensei is widely acknowledged as the preeminent reinvigorator of the practice of tameshigiri (test cutting) as a test of technical and spiritual mastery. The Spirit of the Sword--first published in Japanese in 1980, now translated into English for the first time--is regarded by many as the most complete of Nakamura's writings on Japanese swordsmanship. Here Nakamura instructs the reader on the integration of iaido, kendo, and tameshigiri; the correct mental approach to sword practice; training methods; numerous kata or forms; a guide to sword maintenance; and historical notes on the use of the sword as a weapon. Illustrated with over 800 original photographs, this book is a must-have for any student of the Japanese sword and an excellent resource for sword enthusiasts in general.
Download or read book The Book of Five Rings written by Miyamoto Musashi and published by . This book was released on 2010-09 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Miyamoto Musashi's Go Rin no Sho or the book of five rings, is considered a classic treatise on military strategy, much like Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Chanakya's Arthashastra. The five "books" refer to the idea that there are different elements of battle, just as there are different physical elements in life, as described by Buddhism, Shinto, and other Eastern religions. Through the book Musashi defends his thesis: a man who conquers himself is ready to take it on on the world, should need arise.
Download or read book Battle of Britain The Movie written by Dilip Sarkar and published by Air World. This book was released on 2023-06-30 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Released in 1969, the film Battle of Britain went on to become one of the most iconic war movies ever produced. The film drew many respected British actors to accept roles as key figures of the battle, including Sir Laurence Olivier as Hugh Dowding and Trevor Howard as Keith Park. It also starred Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer and Robert Shaw as squadron leaders. As well as its large all-star international cast, the film was notable for its spectacular flying sequences which were on a far grander scale than anything that had been seen on film before. At the time of its release, Battle of Britain was singled out for its efforts to portray the events of the summer of 1940 in great accuracy. To achieve this, Battle of Britain veterans such as Group Captain Tom Gleave, Wing Commander Robert Stanford Tuck, Wing Commander Douglas Bader, Squadron Leader BolesÅaw DrobiÅski and Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland were all involved as consultants. This detailed description of the making of the film is supported by a mouth-watering selection of pictures that were taken during the production stages. The images cover not only the many vintage aircraft used in the film, but also the airfields, the actors, and even the merchandise which accompanied the filmâs release in 1969 â plus a whole lot more. There are numerous air-to-air shots of the Spitfires, Messerschmitts, Hurricanes and Heinkels that were brought together for the film. There are also images that capture the moment that Battle of Britain veterans, some of whom were acting as consultants, visited the sets. Interviews with people who worked on the film, such as Hamish Mahaddie, John Blake and Ron Goodwin, among others, bring the story to life.
Download or read book Samadhi written by Mike Sayama and published by SUNY Press. This book was released on 1985-10-01 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The key to self-development, says Mike Sayama, is the experience of Samadhi, a state of relaxed concentration in which the individual neither freezes out of fear nor clings due to desire. Simply stated, samadhi is the free flow of vital energy within the body and between the body and the universe. Moving effortlessly across traditions and techniques, Sayama discovers that sages throughout history—Greek philosophers, German mystics, Indian seers, and our own Albert Einstein among others—have taught that this experience of transcendental oneness lies at the heart of full self-realization. The first part of the book studies self-realization in Zen Buddhism. The author pinpoints its essence in Buddha’s enlightenment. The development of Zen is then traced, continuing down to living masters who in very recent times have transplanted their lineages from Japan to the United States. Sayama notes that we must choose as masters those to whom the authentic teaching has been transmitted through generations, and he examines in loving detail the sometimes strange and astonishing behaviors of those whose very presence communicates the state of samadhi. The second part of the book presents Zen therapy, a way of self-development emphasizing the cultivation of samadhi through psychophysical training. Sayama compares the effects of Rolfing, Feldenkrais, and Zen therapy on the human body and mind. He includes easy-to-follow directions for creating the inner state he describes. He tells vivid stories of extraordinary cases treated from the point of view that the best therapy is nothing less than the removal of all dualism. Four main practices are presented: zazen (meditation), hara development, circulation of the vital energy, and communication.
