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The Unfettered Mind  By  cover art

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 reading, Excellent Listening

My night at work went from chaos to peace fast, i was able to slow down and focus

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6 people found this helpful

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Excellent

Beautiful book! I think this is a book everyone should listen to and recommend. I know I will again and again.

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Excellent

Brief, simple, and concise in its composition, The Unfettered Mind is performed admirably by Roger Clark. It’s a great companion piece to the Book of Five Rings as well.

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lots of good advice

It has a lot of good advice on how to have a healthier mindset, and for those of us who don't practice Buddhism it provides a good insight into the practice of Buddhism.

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  • Si
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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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1 person found this helpful

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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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