The Unfettered Mind
Writings From a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman
Shambhala · Print & ebook · June 12, 2012
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.
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- Who it’s for
- Compact Zen writings that reward slow reading and easy revisiting.
- Genres
- Zen, Martial Arts, Zen Buddhism
- Published
- Shambhala, June 12, 2012
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Start with this bookAbout this book
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.
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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.
Clear Mind
Compact Zen writings that reward slow reading and easy revisiting.
Come here for
- Zen instruction in a compact, concentrated form
- A clear link between practice, discipline, and outlook
Expect
- Philosophical and spiritual reflections
- Japanese historical texture
Where it sits
| Zen Buddhism | 64% |
|---|---|
| Martial Arts | 63% |
| Zen | 50% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Zen
- Zen Buddhism
- Martial Arts
- Authors
- Takuan Soho, William Scott Wilson
- Publisher
- Shambhala
- Published
- June 12, 2012
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Reading lane
- Zen