Zen and the Way of the Sword - Arming the Samurai Psyche

Zusatztext King includes a fascinating discussion of Zen in relation to Buddhist ethics and the life-and-death combat language of the writings on Zen swordmanship ... I would recommend this book for the clarity and detail of the material in the first two sections. Informationen zum Autor Winston L. King is Professor Emeritus of Vanderbilt University. He has had extended firsthand contact with Buddhism in Burma and Japan and is the author of a number of books on religion as a cultural phenomenon and Buddhism in particular. Klappentext Zen--serene, contemplative, a discipline of meditation associated with painting, rock gardens, and flower arranging--seems an odd ingredient in the martial psyche of the Japanese samurai. But the author reveals the role of Zen in the thought, culture, and the martial arts of Japan's soldier elite. King shows how the samurai cultivated Zen and found strength in it as they prepared themselves for combat and possible death. 16 line drawings. Zusammenfassung This book examines the heart of the samurai ethos known as the `cult of the sword' and its relationship to Zen Buddhism. Surveying the origins of the warrior class, the ancient traditions of swords and swordmaking, Zen meditation techniques, and aspects of the Japanese martial arts, King reveals how this surprising alliance came about, and its implications for Japanese society.

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Winston L King, Winston L. King, Winston L. (Professor Emeritus King, King Winston L.
• Editore: Oxford University Press
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Copertina rigida
• Pubblicazione: 01.03.1993
• EAN: 9780195068108
• ISBN: 978-0-19-506810-8
• Pagine: 276
• Categorie: Saggistica > Filosofia, religione > Altre religioni mondiali; Scienze sociali, diritto, economia > Scienze sociali, tematiche generali; Japan, Cultural Studies, RELIGION / Buddhism / Zen, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social, Zen Buddhism, Social classes, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Social Classes & Economic Disparity