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Letting Go: The Story of Zen Master Tosui
Of the many eccentric figures in Japanese Zen, the Soto Zen master Tosui Unkei is surely among the most colourful and extreme. Variously compared to Ryokan and Francis of Assisi, Tosui has been called the original hippie. After many grueling years of Zen study and the sanction of a distinguished teacher, Tosui abandoned the religious establishment and became a drifter.
184 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 29, 2023
This is a translated biography of the Zen monk, Tōsui. Tōsui was considered a colorful character in his day (17th century Japan.) He lived as vagabond and beggar, and was famously anti-sectarian.
This translation takes the scholarly approach. As such, it has the advantages of being well-cited, well-annotated, and it has appendices with other writings about Tōsui, but it doesn't necessarily capture the zany and the quirky personality attributed to the monk. It's a bit of a dry read if you're expecting an entertaining tale of a "crazy sage." This probably has to do with the source material, which was also written in the seventeenth century, and which probably reflects different interests than a present-day reader would have.
If you're interested in Tōsui, this may be the only English language book on his life. He isn't as extensively written about as some others. That said, this book didn't grab me, though it did present some interesting information.
This translation takes the scholarly approach. As such, it has the advantages of being well-cited, well-annotated, and it has appendices with other writings about Tōsui, but it doesn't necessarily capture the zany and the quirky personality attributed to the monk. It's a bit of a dry read if you're expecting an entertaining tale of a "crazy sage." This probably has to do with the source material, which was also written in the seventeenth century, and which probably reflects different interests than a present-day reader would have.
If you're interested in Tōsui, this may be the only English language book on his life. He isn't as extensively written about as some others. That said, this book didn't grab me, though it did present some interesting information.
January 18, 2023
Another bio of a little known Japanese Zen master. Tosui really lived his Zen. He constantly shunned attention, even when his students tried to lavish it on him, or tried to pull him back into teaching. In a world where ego is rampant, these Zen biographies are a good antidote.
February 27, 2024
Very nice biographic story n translation very inspiring for those on the Way
May 15, 2013
Let your wisdom and meditation be clearly illuminating
And then and there you’ll let things go.
Let go! Let go even of letting go,
Then what will be left to let go of?
Drink your tea, eat your rice,
Don’t go looking anywhere else.
Let your wisdom and meditation be clearly illuminating
And the ten thousand things will all come to rest!
*
A truly inspiring account of Great Master Tosui's life.
And then and there you’ll let things go.
Let go! Let go even of letting go,
Then what will be left to let go of?
Drink your tea, eat your rice,
Don’t go looking anywhere else.
Let your wisdom and meditation be clearly illuminating
And the ten thousand things will all come to rest!
*
A truly inspiring account of Great Master Tosui's life.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews