| The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 17 reviews)
Sales Rank: 18895
Category: Book
Author: Takuan Soho
Publisher: Kodansha International
Studio: Kodansha International
Manufacturer: Kodansha International
Label: Kodansha International
Format: Special Edition
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Edition: Gift edition
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 142
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.6
ISBN: 4770029470
Dewey Decimal Number: 181
EAN: 9784770029478
ASIN: 4770029470
Publication Date: January 17, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In a life-and-death situation of being sword-tip to sword-tip with the enemy, where should the swordsman put his mind?
This is the first question posed in the first of three essays written by a Zen master for the guidance of samurai swordsmen. Among the other questions that arise are the difference between the right mind and the confused mind, what makes life precious, the nature of right-mindedness, the Buddhist paradigm of form and consciousness, and what distinguishes the True Mind. So succinct are the author's insights that these writings have outlasted the dissolution of the samurai class to come down to the present as sources of guidance and inspiration for captains of business and industry, as well as those devoted to the practice of the martial arts in their modern forms.
The history of the sword in Japan goes back to antiquity. Zen and its meditative practices also have a long history, but it was not until the rule of the Tokugawa shoguns, beginning in the early 1600s, that the techniques of swordsmanship fused with the spirit of Zen. And if one man can be said to have been the prime mover in this phenomenon, it was none other than Takuan Soho, confidant and religious instructor to an emperor, to a great sword master, and to the heads of the most important sword schools of the time.
Takuan's meditations on the sword in the essays presented here are classics of Zen thinking.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
 Takuan, more than just a tasty pickle! November 14, 2008
This text, which includes the elusive "Taia-ki" or Sword of Taia is not for the casual reader. It requires study and serious thought to approach it's lessons. My suggestion is to read it, study it, and then forget it and go about your business. Zen is found in our daily activities, so keep it simple. Eat when hungry, go to the toilet when you need to eliminate, and sleep when tired. Once internalized, let it go, focus on the here and now, and get out of the trap of over-intellectualizing everything. These are some of the fundamental lessons of the priest Takuan Soho. He was a confidante to the powerful, and a master of many arts. His advice to the Yagyu sword experts is as valid today as it was 400 years ago. Whether the reader has an interest in zen and martial arts or not, this philosophical work is worthy of the reader's attention.
 Complicated October 10, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I enjoyed reading this book although I can't really say what I got out of it. The philosophies were difficult for me to grasp and I really did not come away understanding more about Eastern Philosophy.
I am going to try a few others.
unfettered mind----zen answers August 30, 2008
This is it; skip all the rest; "the unfettered mind" tells the master
swordsman, right off the bat, how to stay cool enough to survive. Do I have to say more?
 Mind over matter? March 25, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
You might be someone who's down to earth, just like, figuring out how in someone's name some Japanese sword fighter is going to help you out in your daily life. Well, he isn't going to.
What this book does teaches you is to seek within yourself and return to your own core. As I'm not someone who meditates or does much spiritual enlightment, this book still taught me a lot. As for the time of reading it, it takes you back into time and makes you think of certain things you might not have thought about all your life. So, if that's enlightment, count me in.
With only 92 real pages to read, this book still gives much value for its price. Most sentences are compressed with knowledge and sometimes make you read them twice. Hey, that's 184 pages already then!
Are you interested in gaining some spiritual thoughts and maybe some habits as well? Then read this book.
Takuan Soho's Legacy October 19, 2007
This is a legacy of Takuan Soho, a Zen monk from medieval Japan who live in the same period with Minamoto Mushasi, author of The Book of Five Rings. In this book Takuan Soho was trying to explain the concept of Zen to other sword master, Yagyu Munemori, and of course from the perspective of Buddhism. "A" gook book actualy but it takes a great amount of time to read and understand it.
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