Sunday, February 24, 2013

ZEN: The Swordsman and The Cat (audio)

D.T. Suzuki ("Zen and the Samurai"), Christopher Reed (voice); Wisdom Quarterly

(Clothcompany/flickr.com)
"Zen and the Samurai" is part of Suzuki's book, Zen and Japanese Culture, which explores Zen Buddhism as it applies to the life of the warrior -- sustaining warriors both morally and philosophically.

It is the work of a great Zen master to be familiar with both the sword of life and the sword of death so as to know when, whether, and how to wield them.

In simple, at times poetic, language, which he enhances with anecdotes and poetry, these are studies of the lives of some of Japan's greatest swordsmen. 
 
Suzuki explores the military mind and ultimately brings us to a new understanding of the meaning and symbolism of the "sword" and the code of bushido -- "the way of the warrior."

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