Wild Ways: Zen Poems of Ikkyu

by Ikkyu, John Stevens (Editor), Otagaki Rengetsu (Editor)

Ikkyu, who lived from 1394–1481, was known as one of Japan’s most irreverent and iconoclastic Zen masters. He spent much of his life as a vagrant monk, wandering here and there, and mingling with people both high- and low-born. On occasion, Ikkyu played Robin Hood, taking money given by the rich and spending it on the homeless. Interspersing his travels with retreats deep in the mountains, he eventually became head abbot at the most important Zen temple in Japan. Much of his verse rants against the pervasive hypocrisy of the Buddhist establishment and the corruption of the imperial court, but his writing is at its finest when centering around what he loved most: the unfettered Zen life and the joys of sexual intimacy.

Genres: Poetry, Zen, Buddhism, Japanese Literature, Japan, Philosophy

152 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 1995

About the author

Ikkyū (1394-1481) was an eccentric, iconoclastic Japanese Zen Buddhist priest and poet. He had a great impact on the infusion of Japanese art and literature with Zen attitudes and ideals.

Reviews

[Ian Laird · Rating 3 out of 5]

My real dwelling
Has no pillars
And no roof either
So rain cannot soak it
And wind cannot blow it down (p28)

A collection of remarkable poetry by an itinerant Japanese monk written so long ago (fifteenth century) yet surprisingly relevant to a contemporary audience.

Ikkyu rails against wealth, possessions, even shelter, witness the Zen poem above. His poetry is refreshingly picturesque, delighting in sensuality, about which he is frank with no apology. His long life culminated in an enduring love for the Lady Mori, who awakens, or reawakens, his body and his spirit. It’s a good example of learning about a country and its people from sources scattered through time, like we learn about Japanese court life from the much earlier The Tale of Genji.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful stuff, both transcendent and earthy.

“Since the parents are without beginning, they too flicker out; all things emerge from emptiness—the source of every form. Free yourself from forms and return to the original ground of being. From this ground, life issues forth, but let go of this too.”

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the John Stevens selection and translation of poetry from Ikkyū's Crazy Cloud Anthology. Ikkyū was what might be called a mad sage of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. He once showed up at a temple in his vagabond rags and was turned away, when he came back the next day in the ceremonial robes that revealed him as a preeminent monk and was subsequently treated like royalty, he took the robes off and told the abbot that it was apparently the robes that were honored and deserving of a meal. Ikkyū was known not only for his rejection of dogmatic and highfalutin approaches to Buddhism, but also for his love of sex, brothels, meat eating, and poetry. Much of the poetry touches on those two subjects (disdain for dogma and pretension and love of pleasure,) though there are also poems that explore nature and the kind of imagery one might be more likely to expect in Japanese poetry.

Ikkyū mostly wrote in quatrains, using a Chinese style of verse. Though Ikkyū was no more dogmatic about following poetic protocols than he was following monastic precepts, and often went with the flow.

I read the Stephen Berg translation, Crow with No Mouth several years ago. I would put this one on par with that one. There are actually several translated selections from the Crazy Cloud Anthology poems that are available. If you are interested in Ikkyū's poetry, this is as good a place to start as any. It should be noted that while some of the poetry is around sexuality, it's not particularly graphic but more suggestive.

[Bekah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kind of amusing but mostly just bad.

[Mark Robison · Rating 1 out of 5]

I almost gave up on this book because the translation is unpoetic and unsophisticated. Then I was going to quit because this Zen monk from the 1400s is a jerk. He's one of those curmudgeons who thinks everyone except him is stupid.

But then about 40% in, I came to really dislike him and so the book became more interesting as I tried to figure out why people like him and his bad poetry.

The dislike started with two poems. In one, he's eating meat and thinks it tastes wonderful so he declares that, eh, the Buddha's precept about not harming others is one he's going to skip.

Then he's bragging about banging some young prostituted woman with his old man body, and he decides that precept can be skipped, too. And yet his whole schtick is how other monks are losers for not actually following the precepts!

He describes women as "lovely flowers that bloom and quickly fade." F*?! him.

Finally, I get to his big epic poem called "Skeletons" near the book's end — and I realize there are a few lines on it that are literally painted on the wall beside my head, only from a different translation. The poem on the wall by my bed says, Many paths lead up the mountain. But at the top, we all look at the same bright moon.

I don't remember where that translation came from, but it's much better than the one in this book.

So ... this book is a weak translation from an old poet who's a hypocritical jerk.

Here's a "poem" from this book. The translator does not explain what a fundoshi is. It's basically a Japanese jock strap.

Eight inches strong, it is my favorite thing;
If I'm alone at night, I embrace it fully —
A beautiful woman hasn't touched it in ages.
Within my fundoshi there is an entire universe!

Wait, wait, here's another doozy of a passage that gives a feel for the poet and the translator:

The perfume from her narcissus causes my
bud to sprout, sealing our love pact.

How such shite can be beloved for centuries is beyond me.

[Rosamund Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for Ikkyu, slightly less for the translation. I love Ikkyu's perspective: it's really interesting to see Zen treated this way, with disrespect and irreverence. Ikkyu thinks he knows better than everyone about the teachings of Zen, and yet at the same time he's very humble in the face of the mysteries of the universe, and very self-deprecating. I find a lot of solace in the way he approaches Zen philosophy, though of course my understanding of the ancient teaching is limited, because he faces problems with so much pragmatism. I also really like the earthiness of these poems: how Ikkyu talks about the lusts and hungers of the body, and how nothing is separate in the pursuit of the Way. There is no separation between life and death, between the body and the void, between self and nothingness. Ikkyu helps the reader grapple with this.

Sometimes I'm a bit uncertain about the translation: John Stevens uses references to Western culture as a short hand, like describing love as "eros" and that seems incongruous to me. Also the poems can feel overly simplified, or stripped of their Japanese references. Mostly, though, the translations are very clear and don't draw too much attention to themselves. I tried to read another Ikkyu collection, "Crow With No Mouth", and gave up because the translations were so loose they felt more like interpretations. I'd recommend this book as a starting point, and I want to seek out more Ikkyu.

One of my favourite pieces was the long prose-poem, Skeletons. From this, I quote one small section:

A single moon
Bright and clear
In an unclouded sky:
Yet still we stumble
In the world's darkness.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what to think. Ikkyu was not in favor of chastity, and most of the spiritual greats will tell you that was an essential step on the path. If you want Crazy Cloud wisdom, like Chogyam Trungpa, with his disciple spreading AIDS under the guise of spirituality, and the current scandals in Shambhala. American Buddhism has had too many #metoo moments, and I think we need to move towards chastity to correct the balance. I do take the point that blocked energy can be bad, and that chastity needs to be developed organically, not forced. I'm not banging on the drum and it's perhaps one of the hardest topics to find writing about in Buddhism. People go silent when they get pretty serious so as not to scare too many away with intensity.

John Stevens has an sexual history of Buddhism and some Buddhist erotica. I guess we know what side he falls on. Japanese Buddhism rejected chastity. It's an interesting thing. They also rejected peace, and found ways to add violence into the Buddhism mix.

I found these poems interesting, the little book fun to carry around and read in the odd moments, and I looked at all the pictures with my daughter (3.75) when she was curious. The pictures are normal, and don't need to be shielded from children, though skeletons might upset some children. Not my daughter somehow.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in love with a Zen monk who resisted Zen grandeur, and lived 600 years ago. Crazy Cloud, I'm so glad I found you and read your profound words, so full of humanity. Yes, I read this through (though over a few sittings), and I know I'll re-read it for another chance to be with you. Skeletons: we all need this reminder. Live!!

[Zach Burba · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Monks these days study hard in order to turn
a fine phrase and win fame as talented poets.
At Crazy Cloud's hut there is no such talent,
but he serves up the taste of truth
As he boils rice in a wobbly old cauldron."

I laugh to myself imagining Ikkyu's poems as ancient, wise rap-rock

[Alex Fyffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ikkyu also wrote the "Skeleton" poems which are often illustrated with the author's own skeleton drawings which oddly predate the Grateful Dead skeleton art which became popular centuries later.

The author though a revered buddhist who rose to a high position in ancient Japan reaffirms his roots with the common people of his era in Japan and also sings the songs of the Body in a Walt Whitmanesque way. The haiku format is not ideal for great swings of emotion and imagery, but I really have to say that on the theme of the physicality of the body and the physical aspects of sexual joy Ikkyu is up there with Whitman in translating the finer notions into good poetry.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of haikus from the most deviant of Zen monks, poets and other thinkers of his time. Ikkyu was the head of the Daitoku-ji Zen Temple in Kyoto, Japan in the 15th century, one of the foundations of Zen Buddhism, and he blazed a path in Zen thinking that will never be replaced. Highly recommended to all who enjoy Buddhism and great laughs...

[Bette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Name-Dropping our local nugget, jewel of an author and poet, and all around deep (and light) guy, ergo balanced, Corey Mesler, who did a turn-on for me in his review.
Exquisite word-making-sounds from a mountain wandering 15th century rebel monk. For the generations behind me-cool, uber, awesome,wow, rad and dog.
Dig It.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

For those of you who like Catullus... Ikkyu is the leading Zen-master sex-fiend poet of the early 15th century.

[Robert Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the best straight translations of Ikkyu

[woodshadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

short n sweet, best zen poetry out there

[Jampa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A review?

Writing something
To leave behind
Is yet another kind of dream
When I awake I know that
There will be no one to read it

- Ikkyu