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The Unfettered Mind

Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman

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The Unfettered Mind

By: Takuan Soho, William Scott Wilson - translator
Narrated by: Roger Clark
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About this listen

This classic samurai-era text fused Japanese swordsmanship with Zen and influenced the direction that the art has taken ever since. Written by the 17th-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.

©1986, 2002 William Scott Wilson (P)2014 Audible Inc. Buddhism Philosophy Samurai Zen Buddhism
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A very well produced audio book. The content is useful and profound, however this should not be confused with a self help book. It is not a series of step by step instructions, but rather a set of thoughts and reflections about life. If you are at all interested in the practice of Zen, then you would be hard pressed to find a better starting point.

Well narrated and useful material

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Master Takuan might have a point about not letting the mind fixate. Maybe he taught about how to do that somewhere, but he doesn’t do so here. Voice over sounds like Chris Hemsworth.

Well presented but not useful

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