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The Unfettered Mind

By: Takuan Soho, William Scott Wilson - translator
Narrated by: Roger Clark
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Publisher's summary

This classic samurai-era text fused Japanese swordsmanship with Zen and influenced the direction that the art has taken ever since. Written by the 17th-century Zen master Takuan Soho (1573-1645), The Unfettered Mind is a book of advice on swordsmanship and the cultivation of right mind and intention. It was written as a guide for the samurai Yagyu Munenori, who was a great swordsman and rival to the legendary Miyamoto Musashi. Takuan was a giant in the history of Zen; he was also a gardener, calligrapher, poet, author, adviser to samurai and shoguns, and a pivotal figure in Zen painting. He was known for his brilliance and acerbic wit. In these succinct and pointed essays, Takuan is concerned primarily with understanding and refining the mind - both generally and when faced with conflict. The Unfettered Mind was a major influence on the classic manifestos on swordsmanship that came after it, including Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings and Yagyu Munenori's Life-Giving Sword.

©1986, 2002 William Scott Wilson (P)2014 Audible Inc.
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What listeners say about The Unfettered Mind

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great teaching

Read many great books about Zen. This is one of the best. I highly recommend it.

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Wisdom for all forms of struggle.

May I explore emptiness till the shape of this vessel is clear.
Thank you Master.

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Some good content

I have Mixed feelings about this book. Some content was good, some boring, and some irrelevant.

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Excellent book

Excellent content, extremely sharp yet blunt at the same time. This a great insight into the way of zen

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Worth a Listen...Not Remarkable for Me

I really did not get a ton of enlightenment out of this work, but I may need to listen again.. It's a relatively cryptic read.

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Wisdom From A Master

Ideas of duty, honor, the afterlife, and the ethical responsibility of being an adult in a capricious world are transmitted from a Buddhist Master to a marshal artist.
Although there are stories that illustrate his points, this is more of a philosophical discourse than an entertainment. It’s read with appropriate seriousness and should be listened to with thoughtful consideration.
The master takes pains to make his subject matter relatable to a person who serves a “boss” including how to think about that boss, and relate to him. He discusses how to relate to someone who is a boss as opposed to a peer and how to deal with insult, competition and loss.
As a practicing yogi, I found this material not only very useful for thinking about abstract concepts but also how to apply the teachings to daily life.
I’m actually excited to listen again.

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A Must Read

The text may seem to be too heavy if you are only looking for a self-help book, but it is a five star read if you are interested in Buddhist philosophy.

Narrators performance is also great.

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A classic by a true Master

A fine delivery of the material. brings the right mood to the words. Well done.

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You can learn a lot

What did you love best about The Unfettered Mind?

It is that you can use what they talk about here to improve your every day life.

If you’ve listened to books by Takuan Soho and William Scott Wilson (translator) before, how does this one compare?

I don't know but even so this is a old book so I believe translation was very difficult and in the book he says that he had help with it and I think that it sounds fine.

What three words best describe Roger Clark’s voice?

I don't have three words to describe him.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No

Any additional comments?

This book can help people to focus, but I do not think that many will understand the language used in the book.

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Worthwhile

Excellent and much needed info on Zen, martial arts., as well as insight into ultimate reality.

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