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

Takuan is one of my sources for inspiration, and I value this work. He was born during the Warring States period in 1573 into a Samurai family of the Miura clan, and entered a Jodo-sect Buddhist monastery when he was 10. He joined the Zen Rinzai sect when he was 14, and made history by becoming the abbot of Daitokuji, one of the major temples in Kyoto, at the young age of only 30. He was a prolific writer who composed over 6 major volumes, of which this is but a small fragment. The three works contained here were all written to great sword masters including Yagyu Munenori, and last piece was possibly to the head of the Itto school of swordsmanship, Ono Tadaaki. The purpose of these works is to unify the spirit of Zen with the spirit of the sword. To transcend the physical duel and have unbroken awareness of everything in the moment. This is not a book to read quickly and hope to find entertainment or a lesson in history. This is deep martial philosophy written by an absolute genius and master of some of the highest arts in ancient Japan. The book contains a few images of his art and calligraphy, but unless you know what to look for it is hard to see just how great his work is. I bought a repo scroll of his calligraphy when last I was in Japan. There is a standout quality about his style in that his scripting appears three dimensional. In fact, it is almost impossible for at least my mind to follow some of the path. Never seen anything like it. I own an original Tesshu who was a great master, but there is something unique and special about Takuan's style that suggests he may have indeed been operating on a whole different level. "The unfettered Mind" is very advanced stuff. This is not a casual read, and it will appeal to experienced martial artists willing to work with it and apply deep meditation to the many concepts that may not be apparent at first glance. This is one of the greats.

I had never heard of Takuan Sōhō - not even the pickled daikon radishes that bear his name - until the mid-'90s when I read the 1935 novel "Musashi" by Eigi Yoshikawa, sometimes called "the Gone With The Wind of Japan." In relating the fascinating life of the legendary sword master Miyamoto Musashi, Yoshikawa tells of a similarly-fascinating character, an itinerant Buddhist monk named Takuan who was advisor to emperor Go-Minuzō, Shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu, to a number of famed swordsmen, most notably the Yagyū family of the Nara area - and (in the novel at least,) to Musashi himself. So I suppose I really shouldn't be surprised at how fascinating and enjoyable I found "The Unfettered Mind," despite its being essentially an instruction on applied Zen Buddhism addressed to 16th-17th century martial artists, and the fact that there's much to disagree with philosophically. Certainly there is a boatload of esoteric, often inscrutable content in this book, but there is nonetheless a wealth of valuable instruction to be had here - on things like temperament, mental discipline, misguided vs. correct action, and the importance of training and self-education as a constant, lifelong thing. And of course the fact that you're reading the very words of a legendary figure from some four hundred years in the past is fascinating in itself. This is something I will likely read several more times, because there is a lot to absorb and ponder.

The Buddhist approach to life has never made more sense than it did after reading this book. I'd previously dismissed the general Buddhist worldview as too nihilistic (nothing is important or matters, etc.), but that is not at all the case. Plus it gives an amazing perspective on the idea of clearing your mind - it's not something you force, and it doesn't mean making your mind empty, but rather allowing it to flow. The letters primarily deal with martial arts (sword fighting, specifically). I've found the advice to apply very well to my own marital arts study; I practice a Chinese one rather than a Japanese art, but it still holds true. But the advice there is not limited to martial arts only, and I find its lessons coming to mind in day-to-day life as well. It's extremely practical, and doesn't ask you to be some ancient priest on a mountaintop somewhere. The translation reads well (I don't speak Japanese, so can't speak to its accuracy), and the translator helpfully includes notes explaining some of the references and metaphors that Soho used, which really fleshes out the imagery and helps make things understandable. This is one of my favorite philosophical books that I've read to date.

I like this book but not enough to give it 5.

Great

My review of 'The Book of Five Rings' apply to this book as well. It is among the 4 classics on strategy that I carry with me at all times. I prefer the print version because I tend to annotate the text with my observations over time. Required reading for the most refined study of strategy (business, marketing, martial art, war, politics, or anything else that can be interpreted as conflict), along with Sun Tzu's Art of War, Musashi's Book of Five Rings, and Lao Tzu's Tao-Te-Ching.

I really enjoyed this book!!! 📖 I find my ability to vitiate mental attachment to a topic without my full consent strengthened. I don’t know that I had any awareness of how much time, energy, effort, and potential was being wasted or siphoned in this one Way. I genuinely hope to keep strengthening this conscious choice of what I apply my mind towards in the future: it really is a powerful tool underpinning any conscious success.

Excellent reading, especially if you have an interest in both swordsmanship and philosophy.

This book contains *utterly profound* wisdom, that goes as deep as you can dive. If you're considering buying it, just go for it. Even if you're deep into philosophy, spirituality, martial arts, even psychology- you should find something to contemplate in this short book. If you buy it and find no use of it, you can potentially change someone's life by giving it to them. This is the real deal, no nonsense.