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Zen Master Tales: Stories from the Lives of Taigu, Sengai, Hakuin, and Ryokan
A lively collection of folk tales and Buddhist teaching stories from four noted premodern Japanese Zen Taigu Sôchiku (1584–1669), Sengai Gibon (1750-1831), Hakuin Ekaku (1686-1769), and Taigu Ryôkan (1758-1831).
Zen Master Tales collects never before translated stories of four prominent Zen masters from the Edo period of Japanese history (1603-1868). Drawn from an era that saw the “democratization” of Japanese Zen, these stories paint a picture of robust, funny, and poignant engagement between Zen luminaries and the emergent chоnin or “townsperson” culture of early modern Japan. Here we find Zen monks engaging with samurai, merchants, housewives, entertainers, and farmers. These masters affirmed that the essentials of Zen practice—zazen, koan study, even enlightenment—could be conveyed to all members of Japanese society in ordinary speech, including even comic verse and work songs. Against the backdrop of this rich tableau, Zen Master Tales serves not only as a text for Zen students but also as a wide-ranging window onto the fascinating literary, material, and social history of Edo Japan.
In his introduction, translator Peter Haskel explains the history of Zen “stories” from the tradition’s Golden Age in China through the compilation of the classic koan collections and on to the era from which the stories in Zen Master Tales are drawn. What was true of the Chinese tradition, he writes—“its focus on the individual’s ordinary activity as the function, the manifestation of the absolute”—continued in the Japanese context. “Most of these Japanese stories, however unabashedly humorous and at times crude, impart something of the character of the Zen masters involved, whose attainment must be plainly manifest in even the most humble and unlikely of situations.”
Zen Master Tales collects never before translated stories of four prominent Zen masters from the Edo period of Japanese history (1603-1868). Drawn from an era that saw the “democratization” of Japanese Zen, these stories paint a picture of robust, funny, and poignant engagement between Zen luminaries and the emergent chоnin or “townsperson” culture of early modern Japan. Here we find Zen monks engaging with samurai, merchants, housewives, entertainers, and farmers. These masters affirmed that the essentials of Zen practice—zazen, koan study, even enlightenment—could be conveyed to all members of Japanese society in ordinary speech, including even comic verse and work songs. Against the backdrop of this rich tableau, Zen Master Tales serves not only as a text for Zen students but also as a wide-ranging window onto the fascinating literary, material, and social history of Edo Japan.
In his introduction, translator Peter Haskel explains the history of Zen “stories” from the tradition’s Golden Age in China through the compilation of the classic koan collections and on to the era from which the stories in Zen Master Tales are drawn. What was true of the Chinese tradition, he writes—“its focus on the individual’s ordinary activity as the function, the manifestation of the absolute”—continued in the Japanese context. “Most of these Japanese stories, however unabashedly humorous and at times crude, impart something of the character of the Zen masters involved, whose attainment must be plainly manifest in even the most humble and unlikely of situations.”
256 pages, Paperback
Published April 26, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 16, 2025
Zen Master Tales by Peter Haskel
8 out of 10
I am more concerned with a Happening https://realini.blogspot.com/2018/02/... than the alleged subject of the note, so feel free to close this, and skip the Sagesse included hereafter
This is my Zen story, which took place a couple of days ago, when I took part in a running competition, 10k, ten kilometers, finished in a little over 56 minutes, due in large part (for the most part probably) to my Zen Master
The start was at 9.30, for the largest part, there were some people in wheel chairs, and it was 9.20 for them, and then Family Run, I don’t know when they were off, and they had some other coordinates online
We had to be there at eight, though with hindsight, I wonder what was the point, especially given some of the issues, the most pressing one for me…the toilets, they had maybe twenty, forty, still, there were eighty people in front of each
Yes, we could take advantage of the warming exercises, and they sent a team of two, from the network I use, the business that owns maybe seventy fitness spaces, and I do not want to put their name here, for free publicity
There are thousands reading these lines – yah, right – so this company will not have me pushing their wares, on the other hand, spoiler alert, it is not interesting, off subject, and by now you should have seen this
Actually, my notes are good for something, they could work as tests for attention, also spotting the things you should not touch, Schopenhauer said something to the effect that ‘the only way you can read good books is to avoid the bad ones’
Getting back to the day of the Zen Event, reaching a higher state of consciousness (I wish) it had started with some challenges, due to a rude, and possibly thieving Uber driver, who had been sent with my participation kit by the mentor, sponsor, trainer and Zen Master, The Dragon, and which was supposed to have a shirt
In fact, it was the first item on the list, and when I saw it was not there, I thought damn, it means I cannot get into the race, eventually, we saw that one could use whatever, as long as one has the number in the contest
That number is 1110 in my case – you can find the list with the participation, the timing, ranking if you are interested, I will not put the link in, for the site might crash, what with a deluge of clicks from here, hahaha…
They have inserted a chip and that gave them the location, start and finish, and maybe more, so I could participate, but the crazy fellow acted with bile, started calling and then said he is in a hurry, he has another client
Then he asked where this is, and I explained, he has to pass the gate, for this is a gated community, and then I went out, to see him in the intersection, and the white car passed in a hurry, ignoring my signs and heading away
A few moments later, he says with anger and distaste that he is not trying to find the address anymore, he will leave the package at the other gate, there are two exits, so I had to walk for quite a distance, to get my things
Only to see that, upset as he was, the thief had taken the most valuable item from the sack, there was tuna, some special bread, even calming salts, a voucher for this club I am already a member of, but then maybe I will make it a gift
However, the shirt was missing, as I said, and I was going to call the number, then realized that I will get between the Zen Master and the driver, and the Coach has given a poor rating, but then if I make a fuss, he could get into a fuss
Besides, he did not want this, gracious and munificent as he is, he would not pursue the matter, when I said to him, I wanted to call, he says he thinks it was the volunteers who make the packages, albeit I feel it was not them
They would be so kind, at the end of the race, that they would give me another shirt, to compensate for the one that was stolen, so they would be above suspicion in a detective story, which this turns out to be, on a small scale
For there are two other individuals involved, one is the driver that took the package from the stadium to the restaurant, but then he is employed by Sensei, hence, out of the loop, but we have the man at the gate
And I stopped by today, told him about the missing, precious item and his reaction was a bit baffling, in that he seemed absent, did not know, raised his shoulders as if I d o not recall, or more likely, who cares, who gives a damn…to be continued
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
8 out of 10
I am more concerned with a Happening https://realini.blogspot.com/2018/02/... than the alleged subject of the note, so feel free to close this, and skip the Sagesse included hereafter
This is my Zen story, which took place a couple of days ago, when I took part in a running competition, 10k, ten kilometers, finished in a little over 56 minutes, due in large part (for the most part probably) to my Zen Master
The start was at 9.30, for the largest part, there were some people in wheel chairs, and it was 9.20 for them, and then Family Run, I don’t know when they were off, and they had some other coordinates online
We had to be there at eight, though with hindsight, I wonder what was the point, especially given some of the issues, the most pressing one for me…the toilets, they had maybe twenty, forty, still, there were eighty people in front of each
Yes, we could take advantage of the warming exercises, and they sent a team of two, from the network I use, the business that owns maybe seventy fitness spaces, and I do not want to put their name here, for free publicity
There are thousands reading these lines – yah, right – so this company will not have me pushing their wares, on the other hand, spoiler alert, it is not interesting, off subject, and by now you should have seen this
Actually, my notes are good for something, they could work as tests for attention, also spotting the things you should not touch, Schopenhauer said something to the effect that ‘the only way you can read good books is to avoid the bad ones’
Getting back to the day of the Zen Event, reaching a higher state of consciousness (I wish) it had started with some challenges, due to a rude, and possibly thieving Uber driver, who had been sent with my participation kit by the mentor, sponsor, trainer and Zen Master, The Dragon, and which was supposed to have a shirt
In fact, it was the first item on the list, and when I saw it was not there, I thought damn, it means I cannot get into the race, eventually, we saw that one could use whatever, as long as one has the number in the contest
That number is 1110 in my case – you can find the list with the participation, the timing, ranking if you are interested, I will not put the link in, for the site might crash, what with a deluge of clicks from here, hahaha…
They have inserted a chip and that gave them the location, start and finish, and maybe more, so I could participate, but the crazy fellow acted with bile, started calling and then said he is in a hurry, he has another client
Then he asked where this is, and I explained, he has to pass the gate, for this is a gated community, and then I went out, to see him in the intersection, and the white car passed in a hurry, ignoring my signs and heading away
A few moments later, he says with anger and distaste that he is not trying to find the address anymore, he will leave the package at the other gate, there are two exits, so I had to walk for quite a distance, to get my things
Only to see that, upset as he was, the thief had taken the most valuable item from the sack, there was tuna, some special bread, even calming salts, a voucher for this club I am already a member of, but then maybe I will make it a gift
However, the shirt was missing, as I said, and I was going to call the number, then realized that I will get between the Zen Master and the driver, and the Coach has given a poor rating, but then if I make a fuss, he could get into a fuss
Besides, he did not want this, gracious and munificent as he is, he would not pursue the matter, when I said to him, I wanted to call, he says he thinks it was the volunteers who make the packages, albeit I feel it was not them
They would be so kind, at the end of the race, that they would give me another shirt, to compensate for the one that was stolen, so they would be above suspicion in a detective story, which this turns out to be, on a small scale
For there are two other individuals involved, one is the driver that took the package from the stadium to the restaurant, but then he is employed by Sensei, hence, out of the loop, but we have the man at the gate
And I stopped by today, told him about the missing, precious item and his reaction was a bit baffling, in that he seemed absent, did not know, raised his shoulders as if I d o not recall, or more likely, who cares, who gives a damn…to be continued
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
August 22, 2023
A lot more academic than I thought it would be, good description of the zen masters as people not just thinkers
June 1, 2023
Great collection of stories that say perhaps less about Zen Buddhism and more about the people who practiced it, their personalities, idiosyncrasies, and also the type of world they lived in. Helps to cut through religious ethos surrounding Buddhism and some of the great masters.
Sengai’s section is particularly vivid and illuminating on the type of individual he was and how is life as a monk and his skillset informed the relationships with those around him— particularly his humor and artistic skills.
That being said, there are profound zen parables that can be found in the stories.
Sengai’s section is particularly vivid and illuminating on the type of individual he was and how is life as a monk and his skillset informed the relationships with those around him— particularly his humor and artistic skills.
That being said, there are profound zen parables that can be found in the stories.
January 20, 2024
A collection of Zen masters' tales from the Edo period of Japan (1600-1868). Academic writing in the sense of structure and the sheer number of references and end notes. Plethora of information. The introduction is enlightening, in order to understand a bit about Zen and what tales one is reading in this book. Not a self-help book and not quite amusing (but that is not its purpose). Definitely a painstakingly long project and a book of importance in its field.
3.5 ⭐ but up to 4 ⭐ because of the amount of work the author put in
3.5 ⭐ but up to 4 ⭐ because of the amount of work the author put in
November 28, 2022
I've read books about Hakuin and Ryokan, but this book had more to offer on those Zen masters. Taigu and Sengai were new to me. The stories are fascinating, and added to my appreciation of these great exemplars of Zen practice.
January 19, 2026
Delightful tales. I was familiar with several of the Ryokan and Hakuin stories, but enjoyed them still. Sengui especially was a joy to encounter. Good amount of footnotes. Maybe two or three more masters would have been nice!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews