Zen and the Ways

by Trevor Leggett

1978

Description

Discusses the relationship between Zen, the arts, and daily life. Includes translations of rare Zen texts.

Library's review

from cover

'Trevor Leggett's latest book is an important addition to the literature of Zen in english. In presenting ro the first time an account of the 'warrior Zen' as taught during the thirteenth century in Kamakura, he has given us entirely new material of exceptional rarity and interest. Of
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'warrior Zen' virtually nothing has been known in the West, and very little in Japan since the sixteenth century...Mr. Leggett ws fortunent enough to discover what appears to be the last copy of a small printed edition of... the Shonankattoroku, published in 1926, from some damp and worm-eaten woodblocks found in the Kenchoji temple. He was also percipient enough to see the importance of his discovery, and set to work at once to translate the extremely difficult Japanese in which the text was written...'-Asian Affairs

Trevor Legett is the 1987 winner of the Bukkyo Dendokai Cultural award. In presenting the award, the Buddhist Promoting Foundation of Japan cited Mr. Leggetts's superb achievement in pdroducing illuninating works such as A First Zen Reader (Tuttle, 1960) and Zen and the Ways (Tuttle re-issue, 1987). Both these books are the result of many years' work and study in Japan. The first foreigner to obtain the sixth dan (senior teacher's degree) in judo from the kodokan in Tokyo, Mr. Leggett also holds the eighth dan in Britain, the highest grade in that country. during his years in Japan he learned the Japanese language and trained in Zen Buddhism at Daitokuji temple in Kyoto. Besides the two publications mentioned on judo and several other titles relating to Zen. Now retired, Mr. Leggett was from 1946 to 1970 head of the BBC Japanese Service, for which he still broadcasts regularly.

Contents

Preface; Acknowledgments
Part One: Zen
Introduction; Koan Zen; Mushin; The wave; Dragon-head snake-tail
Part Two: Kamakura Zen
Introduction; Political background; Daikaku; On meditation ('Zazenron'); Sayings of Daikaku; bukko; Outline of Bukko's teachings
Part Three: Kamakura Koans
Introduction; The Heart Sutra; Shonankattoroku koans; No. 4 Daikaku's sutra of one word; No. 5 Bukko's sutra of no word; No. 6 Daikaku's one-robe Zen Bukko's loiin-cloth Zen; No. 7 The bucket without a bottom; No. 9 Jizo comingout of the hall; No. 15 The dragon crest Tokimune; No. 18 Tokimune's thing below the navel; No. 19 The gate to the world of all Buddhas; No. 20 Tokeiji mirror Zen; No. 25 The Nembutsu Robe; No. 31 Thke very first Jizo; No. 41 The flower hall on Bkuddha's birthday; No. 42 Sermon; No. 44 Wielding the spear with hands empty; No. 52 The night interview of the Nun Myotei; No., 64 The picture of beauty; No. 68 The paper sword; No. 70 Heaven and earth broken up; No. 74 Painting the nature; No. 80 The copy; No. 87 The sermon of Nun Shido; No. 88 The knight patriarch coming from the west; No. 92 Meditation of the energy-sea; No. 100 Freeing the ghost
Part Four: The Wakys
Introduction; Zen and the Ways; Ri and ji; Shin and ki; Isshin andzanshin; Not setting the mind; Thrust without thrusting; Falling; Faith; Dragon masks
Part five: Texts of the Ways
Introduction; Heihokadensho (about AD 1630); Songs of the Way of the Spear; Itto School (late sixteenth century); Shin-no-Shin-To-Ryu (Jujutsu school, late eighteenth century); Tengugeijutsuron
Part Six: Stories of the Ways
Reading a Zen story; Tesshu; Disadvantages; Endurance; Inner archery; Teaching methods; Janken; The rat; Music; The bell; The fortune-teller; The pencil stub
Historical Appendices
1 Imai Fukuzan's introduction to Shonankattoroku
2 Imai Fukuzan's introduction to warrior Zen
3 Index of names and technical terms
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ISBN

804815240

Publication

Charles E. Tuttle Company
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