The Unfettered Mind cover art

The Unfettered Mind

Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman

 Preview
This Season's Biggest Deal

$0.99/mo for 3 months + $20 Audible bonus voucher

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 28 December, 2026.
More purchase options

The Unfettered Mind

By: Takuan Soho, William Scott Wilson - translator
Narrated by: Roger Clark
Get this deal

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends 28 December, 2026. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $14.42

Buy Now for $14.42

This Season's Biggest Deal | $0.99/mo for 3 months + $20 Audible bonus

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo. after 3 months - terms apply.
Summary

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 Combat Sports & Self-Defense Martial Arts Philosophy Samurai Zen Buddhism
All stars
Most relevant
One of the most important yet logical and simplistic books I've listened to. Highly recommended.

A great book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Highly recommend
Covers how to approach thinking and being
Staying open and understanding and deciding

Wonderful insights

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
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

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
cross traditional and can perfectly relate to ideas from Christian hesychast ideas , indian upanisadic ideas and practical real world challenges in a methodical way. Really a pan cultural piece of art that can relate to all traditions , cultures , stages of life and struggles. I highly recommend . when taken practically wether struggling at work , with relations , training a martial art or any other battle , it can shine practical advice from its literal reading.

perfect for martial artists , lay people and monks of all traditions

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
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

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.