Three Japanese Buddhist Monks

by Saigyō, Yoshida Kenkō, Kamo no Chōmei

'I have relinquished all that ties me to the world, but the one thing that still haunts me is the beauty of the sky'

These simple, inspiring writings by three medieval Buddhist monks offer peace and wisdom amid the world's uncertainties, and are an invitation to relinquish earthly desires and instead taste life in the moment.

One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers who have helped shape our world today, from anarchists to stoics, feminists to prophets, satirists to Zen Buddhists.

Genres: Philosophy, Japan, Nonfiction, Classics, Religion, Buddhism, Spirituality

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Saigyō Houshi (西行 法師, 1119 – March 23, 1190) was a famous Japanese poet of the late Heian and early Kamakura period.

Born Satou Norikiyo (佐藤 義清) in Kyoto to a noble family, he lived during the traumatic transition of power between the old court nobles and the new samurai warriors. After the start of the Age of Mappō (1052), Buddhism was considered to be in decline and no longer as effective a means of salvation. These cultural shifts during his lifetime led to a sense of melancholy in his poetry. As a youth, he worked as a guard to retired Emperor Toba, but in 1140 at age 22, for reasons now unknown, he quit worldly life to become a monk, taking the religious name En'i (円位). He later took the pen name, "Saigyo" meaning Western Journey, a reference to Amida Buddha and the Western paradise. He lived alone for long periods in his life in Saga, Mt Koya, Mt Yoshino, Ise, and many other places, but he is more known for the many long, poetic journeys he took to Northern Honshuu that would later inspire Basho in his Narrow Road to the Interior. He was a good friend of Fujiwara no Teika. Some main collections of Saigyo's work are in the Sankashuu, Shin Kokin Wakashuu, and Shika Wakashū. He died in Hirokawa Temple in Kawachi Province (present-day Osaka Prefecture) at age 72.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

welcome to: THE PENGUIN GREAT IDEAS PROJECT!

as you all know, i'm:
a) addicted to projects (and my book club, my long classics project, and my genius project are all on pause)
b) mildly behind on my reading challenge (see: months-long reading slump and corresponding existential crisis)
c) very into short books that make me look smart (much like the penguin great ideas collection).

i have acquired a couple dozen penguin great ideas installments, and i will be attempting to read one a day until i get bored, catch up, or reach spiritual fulfillment!

find past books here:
WHAT IS EXISTENTIALISM?
REFLECTIONS ON THE GUILLOTINE

let's do this!

immediately the very first try of this took longer than a day, but i'm going to chalk it up to the remnants of my reading slump and not question whether this is an overwhelming and kind of annoying idea that will send me right back into it.

this book was way more readable than the others i've read (or started and abandoned) in the collection. a lot of the time they're so dense as to almost balance out how short they are. but this was lovely both in reading experience and in language, and i can see myself returning to it.

4 stars!

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

what we as a society have failed to grasp is that Britney Spears shaving her head was her taking the tonsure. a first step on her path to enlightenment by symbolically shedding her worldly attachments and desires in the utter abandonment of shedding her hair.

[Ailin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read. Full of reminders to live in the moment.
At times ‘How Will You Spend Your Last Day?’ was just this monk commenting on «proper» gardening or conversation skills which just gave ‘old cranky man’ vibes that I found a bit funny, but otherwise still lots of wisdom-riddled passages and lessons.

[Sam Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

imagine being into anything as much as these guys are into Buddhism. like it sounds decent and all but it's their answer for literally anything - annoying neighbours, the property market, gossip, pets

[木漏れ日 · Rating 4 out of 5]

How will you spend your last day?

[RyeCather · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Edyta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't recommend the hook to people wanting to learn more about Buddhism, as the monks' musings are somewhat random and in many cases outdated (as Buddhism evolves). Worth reading for its historical value.

[Mark Desrosiers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I particularly enjoyed the first story “The Monk Who built a hut and meditated in the depths of Mount Utsu. from Senjusho. Have read this one a few times over, very enjoyable. Wish the other writings were the same.

[Chris Bowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three Japanese Buddhist Monks is not exactly what one might expect. It’s a short, no nonsense book containing translations of the works of three Buddhist monks between 1118 and 1352; there’s no introduction, footnotes or translator notes. The works are also highly varied in length and style: Saigyo’s The Monk Who Built a Hut and Meditated in the Depths of Mount Usu, comes in at just 3 pages in length, a short story of the meeting between a young man and a Buddhist living a life of seclusion in the mountains; Kamo no Chomei’s The Ten-Foot-Square Hut comes in at 19 pages, a first person account of a person who has left traditional society to live a solitary life, focused on a small self-built hut; Yoshida Kenko’s How Will You Spend Your Last Day comes in at over 70 pages and contains a collection of aphorisms, short stories and observations of society and human behavior of the time. The overall book contains beautiful descriptions of nature, simple yet meaningful human interactions, powerful imagery typically on impermanence and an attractive lifestyle free from the constraints of materialism and desire.

Individual scores:
The Monk Who Built a Hut and Meditated in the Depths of Mount Usu ★★★★✩: Simple yet beautifully written; an excellent summary of an extraordinary Buddhist life.

The Ten-Foot-Square Hut ★★★★★: Reflections on the absurdities of traditional life leads to a powerful yet unforced argument for an alternative, spiritual yet solitary life in nature. Perhaps most poignant is the honest struggle that the author faces when death approaches, the struggle to fully disassociate himself from the material, in this case his meagre hut.

How Will You Spend Your Last Day ★★★✩✩: Contains much wisdom though made difficult to read in a traditional sense by having so many only loosely linked elements in a short time, as with something like Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations. Some ideas won’t be understood by a reader who lacks knowledge of Japanese society of the time – imagine reading an ancient Greek play without footnotes to explain specific references. Contains quite a bit of unexpectedly negativity; doesn’t just focus on what one should do but rather looks at the errors of human behavior in Japanese society of the time, often in derogatory/abusive way as a guide on how not to life. Contains some highly abnormal yet interesting ideas on key Buddhist concepts such as alcohol being forbidden. Some thought provoking passages.

[Felix Da Costa Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short book that acts as a set of guidelines for what a Buddhist should aspire to do. Being a non-religious person with a religious background, I found the teachings within the short book to be thought provoking and compelling. In the beginning, Buddhism was described to be a belief based on detaching the individual from absolutely everything and as I continued to read, I learned that there’s a difference between detachment and nihilism. Buddhists practice detachment in the name of eternal peace, and it doesn’t mean that they’re actively neglecting others, only that their spirit remains unbothered by earthly matters. This book provides valuable lessons on how to be a good friend, ancestor, lover, and neighbour, and Buddhism is something I will continue to consider and read about with an open mind.

“If you wish to follow the Buddhist Way, you should simply retire and make time in your life, and not let your mind dwell on worldly matters. This is the most important thing.
I have forgotten the others” (60).

[Charlotte Millington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is essentially a series of fables from 12th and 13th century Japan. Easy to dip in and out of, each tale confers a lesson from Buddhist philosophy on the reader. The scholars craft some gorgeous images of pastoral Japan. Perhaps the highlight of this book was the ease with I was able to insert myself into and engage with the events depicted, despite the vast cultural and temporal distance between the authors and I.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It is a most wonderful comfort to sit alone beneath a lamp, book spread before you, and commune with someone from the past whom you have never met."

[Elliot Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkably modern in some ideas, yet naturally archaic in others. Good to reflect on your own life by comparison with ancient monks.

[Kyené Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The combination of yapping and delivering wisdom is heavy on this one. However, I regard myself as an optimist, not necessarily intelligent though. Maybe I was just having a very hard time enjoying the flow that was really absurdly linear. At the moment he talked about this and suddenly that, perhaps, the closeness to retrieval on how one should live their life had made him to be whatever it is. That’s just one point of view. There's no mistake in performing a teaching, right?

Yet, there were so many moments and sayings in these books that I found interesting. (Not to mention, I hate to remember the furious talking about death whatsoever; he explained it like I wouldn’t get it.)

Like an Indonesian proverb once uttered, “Berguru kepalang ajar, bagai bunga kembang tak jadi.” If I closed my head and sought the type of teaching only from I wanted, I wouldn’t know how big the world is and how wide our panorama. As a student of life, I had no prestige to choose; every knowledge could be useful, and sometimes it’s necessary and needed.

[Honeypie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good. A lot of learnings, realisations and reminders.
Most of the time, I felt like I was reading the book of Proverbs.

But to be honest, I wasn't a big fan of Proverbs. Haha!
Yes, there are life lessons.
But the brat in me doesn't really like being told what to do, often. 😄

I found this in the Philosophy section of the bookstore though.
But I think it's more Spiritual, because of the foundation of Buddhism in most parts.

-----

If you really do hold this world to be a brief and fleeting place, and dedicate yourself to transcending its suffering, what pleasure could you find in serving your master day in day out, or busying yourself with the concerns of your family?


And how is this day we are now living different from that final day?

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a buddhist and I do not mean to pretend to understand things I've only read about, but I will say this about this little gem of wisdom: these meditations upon impermanence, warnings against procrastinating spiritual development, and observations (sometimes, perhaps, satirical) on the follies of societal norm, are worth your time and attention.

[Anastas Kuyumdzhiev · Rating 2 out of 5]

От всички книги с мисли на разни будисти.
Това е една от тях.

2.5 bang average

[Peula Poku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absoluutselt lemmik, lemmik, lemmik raamat. Lugesin vahepeal lehekülgi mitu korda järjest, vajusin iga lause sisse. Imeline!

[Karltheplaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4,2/5)

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦.

A really lovely small collection. The first story is almost unnecessary considering how short it is, the second is almost like the first except for longer and better written. The third is a collection of aphorisms which all vary in quality, some are thoughtful and beautiful, some a bit contradictory. The writing in general is surprisingly nuanced considering the age (Kamakura/medieval).

𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥.

[Farnz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Japanese Buddhist Monks: 3⭐️

I love penguin classics & the cover was so gorgeous I couldn’t resist. The blue bits are slightly raised. This collection includes: 1. The Monk Who Built a Hut & Medidtaed in the Depths of Mount Utsu by Saigyō, 2. The 10-Foot Sqaure Hut by kamo no chōmei, & 3. How Will You Spend you Last Days by yoshida kenkō. They are translated by Meredith McKinney. 1st story is 3 pages long, 2nd is 19 pages, & last one is 74 pages long. The 1st story was too short for me to have any real opinion on it. I enjoy the 2nd. I liked the quotations, but I think he was too hard on himself. He enjoyed a simple life & was attached to it & thus questioned whether he was following Buddha’s path for rebirth. I think life is difficult enough, do what brings you peace & joy, but then again I’m not very religious/spiritual. The last story thinks people should die after 40 cause you’re too ugly & old to be in company which is insane. Very judgemental for a monk. I usually disagreed with him, not everyone is suited to a monk lifestyle. He just states what others have said & says ah yes remarkable. He gives a condescending vibe & keeps contradicting himself. For example? He thinks you’re lowly if you like rare flowers. It’s just weird. It’s a diary of someone who says we shouldn’t gossip but is telling us other’s gossip & judging people for enjoying the simplest things. Overall, pretty interesting but nothing special

Now for some of my fave quotations:
- “The world is a hard place to live, & both we & our dwellings are fragile & impermanent“(13)
- “Wealth brings great anxiety, while with poverty comes fierce resentments”(14)
- “Without a peaceful mind, elephants, horses, & the 7 treasures are worthless things, palaces & fine towers mean nothing”(21)
- “Someone who has desires but does not fulfil it, who has money but does not use it, is essentially no different from a poor man”(93)
- Page 39 on foolishness of seeking fame & riches. “Great wealth will drive you to neglect your own well-being in pursuit of it. It is asking for harm & tempting trouble”

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book collects three essays composed between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. They are in chronological order, but also in order of increasing length, i.e. Saigyō’s piece is a short excerpt, while Kenkō’s essay makes up the bulk of the book.


An excerpt from Saigyō’s Senjūshō tells the story of the monk’s meeting with a wise reclusive meditator on Mt. Utsu. Saigyō tries to talk his way into living / meditating with the hermit, but the sage convinces him that that wouldn’t be good for either of them. The monk goes away, planning on visiting the hermit on his return, but he wistfully tells us that he took another route.


“The Ten-Foot Hut” is about the benefits of a simple, minimalist existence. It discusses Impermanence, and takes the view that having more just means one has more to lose. A quote that offers insight into the monk’s thoughts is, “If you live in a cramped city area, you cannot escape disaster when a fire springs up nearby. If you live in some remote place, commuting to and fro is filled with problems, and you are in constant danger from thieves.” The author’s solution? Build a tiny cabin in the woods and – in the unlikely event it burns or gets robbed while one is away – what has one really lost?


The Kenkō essay makes up about eighty percent of the book. Its rambling discussion of life’s impermanence delves into morality, aesthetics, and Buddhist psychology. There are many profound bits of wisdom in this piece. Though it’s also a bit of a mixed bag in that some of the advice feels relevant and insightful, while some of it hasn’t aged / traveled well.


I enjoyed this book and found it thought-provoking. Some may be disappointed by finding how little of Saigyō’s writing is included (he being the author of greatest renown,) but I found each author had something valuable to offer.

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice little book. Not quite as easy and enjoyable to read as the beautiful Tao texts I’ve encountered, but still a nice meditation on a simple and minimalist life. Like most Buddhist texts, they are a little too dogmatic about having to certain things rather than just following what you personally find peaceful and calming. Nonetheless, there is definitely wisdom in this text and the book has many calming, insightful and poetic passages. I love simplicity and a life lived at peace rather than in constant pursuit of external goals, although external goals in some moments are certainly important if they are of worth and meaning to you

Nice text, not my favourite book of East Asian philosophy but definitely still had its moments of peace and beauty.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some takeaways, and some interesting parallels to modern world issues (the circular nature of history repeating itself). But you can not ostensibly suggest on one hand not to be obsessed or consumed by something (wealth, beer, vanity, knowledge, etc) and on the other suggest a complete and utter devotion to Buddhism is the only true path. I appreciate the way of living is different to chasing wealth for example, but it suggests the same all-encompasing approach which it earlier suggests is unhealthy... As I say though, some interesting personal takeaways from various passages that maybe aren't so preachy.

[Duncan Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started strong- Saigyo’s piece was amazing. Chomei left me feeling lackluster, and Kenko was straight up annoying (though he mellowed out a bit at the end and had some nice bits). He needs to chill out a bit and wish freedom for all beings or smth.

[José Dias · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth a read for historical values

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

“You can find solace for all things by looking at the moon.”

[Connor Owen]

“Stories that get passed around are for the most part lies, no doubt because the truth is so boring.”

“There is nothing firm or stable in a life spent between larking about together and quarrelling, exuberant one moment, aggrieved and resentful the next. You are forever pondering pros and cons, endlessly absorbed in questions of gain and loss. And on top of delusion comes drunkenness, and in that drunkenness you dream.”

“People do not simply take it into their heads to walk into some house if the owner is present. But if a house is empty, passers-by will casually come in, the lack of human presence will encourage foxes and owls to make themselves at home there, and tree spirits and suchlike bizarre creatures will even appear. Likewise, since a mirror has no inherent shape or colour, everything can appear reflected in it. If it had its own colour and shape, it wouldn't reflect other things.
The emptiness of space allows it to contain things.
The fact that thoughts can come crowding into our mind at will must mean that 'mind' is actually an empty space too. If someone were really in residence there, it would surely not be invaded by all these thoughts.”

“We then noticed a priest who had climbed a chinaberry tree across the way to sit in its fork and watch from there. He was so sleepy as he clung there that he kept nodding off, and only just managed to start awake in time to save himself from falling each time. Those who saw him couldn't believe their eyes. 'What an extraordinary fool!' they all sneered. 'How can a man who's perched up there so precariously among the branches relax so much that he falls asleep?'
A thought suddenly occurred to me. 'Any of us may die from one instant to the next, I said, 'and in fact we are far more foolish than this priest - here we are, contentedly watching the world go by, oblivious to death?
"That's so true, said those in front of me. 'It's really very stupid, isn't it, and they turned around and invited me in and made room for me.
Anyone can have this sort of insight, but at that particular moment it came as a shock, which is no doubt why people were so struck by it. Humans are not mere insensate beings like trees or rocks, after all, and on occasion things can really strike home.”

[Jacob D. Salzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional book that features meditations on ethics, nature, mortality, impermanence, Buddhism, and civilization by three Japanese Buddhist monks: Saigyo (1118-1190), Kamo no Chomei (c. 1115-1216) and Yoshida Kenko (c. 1283-c. 1352). It is astounding how profound their writings are and how relevant they are today, despite how long ago they lived and wrote in physical form. As a few examples, Chomei in his piece "The Ten-Foot-Square Hut" writes: "Death in the morning, at evening another birth - this is the way of things, no different from the bubbles on the stream. Where do they come from, these newborn? Where do the dead go? I do not know. Nor do I know why our hearts should fret over these brief dwellings, or our eyes find such delight in them. An owner and his home vie in their impermanence, as the vanishing dew upon the morning glory." Kenko, in his piece "How Will You Spend Your Last Day" writes: "If our life did not fade and vanish like the dews of Adashino's grave or the drifting smoke from Toribe's burning grounds, but lingered on for ever, how little the world would move us. It is the ephemeral nature of things that makes them wonderful." The first short piece, "The Monk Who Built a Hut and Meditated in the Depths of Mount Utsu" from Senjusho (traditionally attributed to Saigyo), ends with: "To still the mind deeply and perform zazen is the practice of Mind, one of the three Buddhist practices, and is a greater thing than to build a million pagodas to the Buddha. Remember, all that is good must come only from the heart." I highly recommend this book. This book provides wonderful, insightful stories and meditations on how to life a meaningful life. I will be re-reading it again and again.

- Reviewed by Jacob D. Salzer, author of Sea Wind: Haiku (Lulu, 2025), A Lost Prophet: Haiku & Tanka (Brooks Books, 2024), and Unplugged: Haiku & Tanka (Lulu, 2022).

[Translator Monkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book for reading and pondering, but not what you'll want to pick up if you want to learn about basic Buddhist fundamentals. The writings by the three monks - Saigyō, Chōmei and Kenkō - were (for me) more a glimpse into Japan's past (12th century) and a look at their reflections of Buddhism at the time. Very interesting reading.

Many others who have read the book before me point to how readable and relatable these musings were, some 800-900 years after the ink dried. I think in this regard, much must be said of Meredith McKinney's outstanding research and translation to bring us this slim but important artefact.

I would happily recommend this book to anyone with a background in Buddhism and an interest in contemplative writing.

Four out of five stars.

Sincerest thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. This in no way impacted my review or rating.

[Black K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A carefully worded and meaningful look into life, love, loss and death and looking at them in their bare elements. Monk Saigyō, Kamo no Chōmei and Kenkō describe the beauty of humanity by intricately examining life, love, loss and death in which we are the ones who gave them meaning. That appreciation, indifference and indulgence are further workings of the meaning we beseeched onto those four topics. This book guides on how one might hold dear what is truly important, love what truly matters and learn to let go of all that does not.

I think anyone will be able to pull useful insight from at least one of these passages and so I recommend it. It’s even more remarkable when you think about how all this insight was made during c. 1100 ~ 1300.