Warrior of Zen: The Diamond-Hard Wisdom Mind of Suzuki Shosan

by Arthur Braverman

KEY TEACHINGS OF ZEN'S FOREMOST SAMURAI MONK

Suzuki Shosan is among the most dramatic personalities on the history of Zen. A samurai who served under the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in the seventeenth century, he became a Zen monk at age 41 and evolved a highly original teaching style imbued with the warrior spirit. The warrior's life, Shosan
believed, was particularly suited to Zen study because it demand vitality, courage, and "death energy," the readiness to confront death at any moment. Emphasizing dynamic activity over quiet contemplation, Shosan urged students to realize enlightenment in the midst of their daily tasks, whether
tilling fields, selling wares, or confronting an enemy in the hear of battle. Long popular in Japan but little know to the West, Shosan is presented here to Western readers in a sparkling translation and with a comprehensive introduction that brings alive his unique and colorful teaching.

Genres: Zen, War, Philosophy

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 1994

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

My interest in Suzuki Shosan began with his passage in "Japanese Death Poems." Unlike other Zen monks, his passage didn't contain a poem but instead offered a brief biography of Shosan and an explanation for why he didn't write a death poem.

In "Japanese Death Poems," Shosan's perspective is summarized well: "As befitting a man of samurai status, Shosan emphasized that the most important thing is to 'look straight at death. To know death—that is the entire doctrine.'" This striking statement stayed with me because it reveals Shosan's profound insight into death. He faced his impending death with a remarkable sense of knowing. When he fell seriously ill in the spring of 1655, he dismissed it as inconsequential, having already metaphorically died when he became a monk. His final moments, as described in the book, emphasized the futility of asking for last words or poems. Shosan's belief in directly confronting death resonated deeply with me.

This profound connection led me to explore Suzuki Shosan's teachings and biography further, and "Warrior of Zen: The Diamond-Hard Wisdom Mind of Suzuki Shosan" served as a perfect collection of his life events and teaching excerpts. The book is well-translated and presents Shosan's 17th-century teachings in an accessible manner.

Through this book, I gained a more profound understanding of Shosan and the historical context that shaped his mindset. While some of his teachings were tailored to the political climate of his time, his repeated emphasis on maintaining a "diamond hard mind" and facing death directly remains profoundly relevant today. He viewed this practice as a source of "vital energy" and underscored the importance of preserving this energy.

In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, it's easy to distract ourselves from the concept of death and the essence of life. Shosan's philosophy of using the fear of death as a source of vital energy resonates with me. It's an antidote to the distractions and disconnections that can plague our modern lives. This principle suggests that one of the greatest regrets we may face as death approaches is not having lived in the moment with vital energy.

Though the book is concise, the image of a stoic samurai turned monk, fearlessly and resolutely confronting death while remaining firmly rooted in the present, will linger with me for a long time.

[John Fredrickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a perplexing read.

It is neither a biography nor a text on Zen itself, but contains instead a lot of purported sayings of Shosan. Many of the Shosan's wisdom sayings seem to concern themselves with the idea that one should obsess with the ever-presence of potential death, and that that obsession alone should enable one to live in the present moment most fully. At least this is what I took out of the sayings. This feels very uni-dimensional to me, and therefore repetitive and, pun-intended, non-enlightening.

The book contains a lot of student-teacher engagements with the student framing a question, and the teacher correcting something about the question itself, or the frame of mind that generated it. The 'answers' for the most part eluded my understanding (perhaps I should not admit this).

There is a section on the Ox-Herding pictures that I did enjoy. Shosan's elucidations on the pictures themselves and what the pictures point to were helpful indeed.

[James Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting journey into the mind of a man who went from being a warrior to a zen monk, and the unique perspective that he brought to zen buddhism as a result of his background. My personal take-away was the importance he placed on moving buddhism from the temple out into the world. He admonishes us that while it is well and good to develop our spirituality in a safe and calm environment, unless we are able to use it to help others make their way in the outside world, it amounts to little more than self-indulgence.

[Steve Goble · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, as I had not read anything much about Suzuki Shosan. I like his perspective, particularly when it comes to carrying zen into everyday tasks.

Most of the book consists of very brief sayings or teachings. Most are to the point, as Shosan tends to cut through the BS. At times, you'll wonder what the heck he's talking about, but that makes him like every other zen master. What makes him different is his disdain for merely sitting around on your can with other monks. Although he thinks meditation is a good thing, Shosan also strongly believes in taking zen out into the world and serving others, and emphasizes that more than personal meditation sessions.

There is much to think about here.