The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman

73 Pages·2012·0.47 MB·English

by  Takuan Soho

Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Contents
Dedication
Publisher’S Note
Preface
Introduction
The Mysterious Record of Immovable Wisdom
The Clear Sound of Jewels
Annals of the Sword Taia
Notes
Bibliography
E-mail Sign-Up
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Japanese have always closely associated the sword and the spirit, but it
was in the 1600s during the Tokugawa shogunate when the techniques of
swordsmanship became forever associated with the spirit of Zen. The
Unfettered Mind is a book of advice on swordsmanship and the cultivation
of right mind and intention, written by the 17th-century Zen master Takuan
Sōhō (1573-1645). Takuan was a gardener, calligrapher, poet, author,
adviser to samurai and shoguns, and a pivotal figure in Zen painting. He
was also known for his brilliance and acerbic wit. The succinct and pointed
essays in this book were written to the samurai Yagyu Munenori, who was
a great swordsman and rival to the legendary Miyamoto Musashi.
In these writings Soho is concerned primarily with understanding and
refining the mind—both generally and when faced with conflict. Soho
illuminates the difference between the right mind and the confused mind,
the nature of right-mindedness, and what makes life precious. First
published in 1988, this book is considered a true classic that influenced the
direction that the art of Japanese swordsmanship has taken since.
WILLIAM SCOTT WILSON is the foremost translator into English of
traditional Japanese texts on samurai culture. His best-selling translations
include Hagakure and The Book of Five Rings.
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“One—
After twenty years of wearing out
countless straw sandals
What can you say to have gained?
This one point!”
—Takuan Sōhō
The Unfettered Mind
Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman
Takuan Sōhō
Translated by William Scott Wilson
SHAMBHALA
Boston & London
2012
Frontispiece: “Ichi” by Takuan Sōhō.
Used by permission of Kaeru-An. Translation by John Stevens.
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Horticultural Hall
300 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
www.shambhala.com
English translation © 1986 and 2002 by William Scott Wilson Cover art from the John Stevens Collection
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Takuan Soho, 1573–1645.
[Works. Selections. English. 2012]
The unfettered mind / Takuan Soho; translated by William Scott Wilson.
pages—cm
eISBN 978-0-8348-2789-9
ISBN 978-1-59030-986-5 (pbk.) 1. Zen Buddhism—Doctrines. 2. Martial arts—Religious aspects—Zen
Buddhism. 3.Takuan Soho, 1573–1645—Correspondence. 4. Zen priests—Japan—Correspondence. I.
Wilson, William Scott, 1944– translator, writer of added commentary. II.Title.
BQ9399.T332 2012
294.3′420427—dc23
2011049235
CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
The Mysterious Record of Immovable Wisdom
The Clear Sound of Jewels
Annals of the Sword Taia
Notes
Bibliography
E-mail Sign-Up
Dedicated to
Gary Miller Haskins
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This book includes some diacritics and special characters. If you encounter
difficulty displaying these characters, please set your e-reader device to
publisher defaults (if available) or to an alternate font.