---
product_id: 4160433
title: "The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman"
price: "11.70 OMR"
currency: OMR
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reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.com.om/products/4160433-the-unfettered-mind-writings-from-a-zen-master-to-master
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---

# The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman

**Price:** 11.70 OMR
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## Description

desertcart.com: The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman: 9781590309865: Soho, Takuan, Wilson, William Scott: Books

Review: The Work of a Genius - Takuan is one of my sources for inspiration, and I value this work. He was born during the Warring States period in 1573 into a Samurai family of the Miura clan, and entered a Jodo-sect Buddhist monastery when he was 10. He joined the Zen Rinzai sect when he was 14, and made history by becoming the abbot of Daitokuji, one of the major temples in Kyoto, at the young age of only 30. He was a prolific writer who composed over 6 major volumes, of which this is but a small fragment. The three works contained here were all written to great sword masters including Yagyu Munenori, and last piece was possibly to the head of the Itto school of swordsmanship, Ono Tadaaki. The purpose of these works is to unify the spirit of Zen with the spirit of the sword. To transcend the physical duel and have unbroken awareness of everything in the moment. This is not a book to read quickly and hope to find entertainment or a lesson in history. This is deep martial philosophy written by an absolute genius and master of some of the highest arts in ancient Japan. The book contains a few images of his art and calligraphy, but unless you know what to look for it is hard to see just how great his work is. I bought a repo scroll of his calligraphy when last I was in Japan. There is a standout quality about his style in that his scripting appears three dimensional. In fact, it is almost impossible for at least my mind to follow some of the path. Never seen anything like it. I own an original Tesshu who was a great master, but there is something unique and special about Takuan's style that suggests he may have indeed been operating on a whole different level. "The unfettered Mind" is very advanced stuff. This is not a casual read, and it will appeal to experienced martial artists willing to work with it and apply deep meditation to the many concepts that may not be apparent at first glance. This is one of the greats.
Review: Lessons on Temperament and Ethics from a 17th Century Teacher - I had never heard of Takuan Sōhō - not even the pickled daikon radishes that bear his name - until the mid-'90s when I read the 1935 novel "Musashi" by Eigi Yoshikawa, sometimes called "the Gone With The Wind of Japan." In relating the fascinating life of the legendary sword master Miyamoto Musashi, Yoshikawa tells of a similarly-fascinating character, an itinerant Buddhist monk named Takuan who was advisor to emperor Go-Minuzō, Shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu, to a number of famed swordsmen, most notably the Yagyū family of the Nara area - and (in the novel at least,) to Musashi himself. So I suppose I really shouldn't be surprised at how fascinating and enjoyable I found "The Unfettered Mind," despite its being essentially an instruction on applied Zen Buddhism addressed to 16th-17th century martial artists, and the fact that there's much to disagree with philosophically. Certainly there is a boatload of esoteric, often inscrutable content in this book, but there is nonetheless a wealth of valuable instruction to be had here - on things like temperament, mental discipline, misguided vs. correct action, and the importance of training and self-education as a constant, lifelong thing. And of course the fact that you're reading the very words of a legendary figure from some four hundred years in the past is fascinating in itself. This is something I will likely read several more times, because there is a lot to absorb and ponder.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #48,435 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #43 in Zen Philosophy (Books) #56 in Zen Spirituality #74 in Martial Arts (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (772) |
| Dimensions  | 5.25 x 0.36 x 7.48 inches |
| Edition  | Reprint |
| ISBN-10  | 1590309863 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1590309865 |
| Item Weight  | 5 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 144 pages |
| Publication date  | June 12, 2012 |
| Publisher  | Shambhala |

## Images

![The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71kiL9Ae-iL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Work of a Genius
*by R***N on June 3, 2009*

Takuan is one of my sources for inspiration, and I value this work. He was born during the Warring States period in 1573 into a Samurai family of the Miura clan, and entered a Jodo-sect Buddhist monastery when he was 10. He joined the Zen Rinzai sect when he was 14, and made history by becoming the abbot of Daitokuji, one of the major temples in Kyoto, at the young age of only 30. He was a prolific writer who composed over 6 major volumes, of which this is but a small fragment. The three works contained here were all written to great sword masters including Yagyu Munenori, and last piece was possibly to the head of the Itto school of swordsmanship, Ono Tadaaki. The purpose of these works is to unify the spirit of Zen with the spirit of the sword. To transcend the physical duel and have unbroken awareness of everything in the moment. This is not a book to read quickly and hope to find entertainment or a lesson in history. This is deep martial philosophy written by an absolute genius and master of some of the highest arts in ancient Japan. The book contains a few images of his art and calligraphy, but unless you know what to look for it is hard to see just how great his work is. I bought a repo scroll of his calligraphy when last I was in Japan. There is a standout quality about his style in that his scripting appears three dimensional. In fact, it is almost impossible for at least my mind to follow some of the path. Never seen anything like it. I own an original Tesshu who was a great master, but there is something unique and special about Takuan's style that suggests he may have indeed been operating on a whole different level. "The unfettered Mind" is very advanced stuff. This is not a casual read, and it will appeal to experienced martial artists willing to work with it and apply deep meditation to the many concepts that may not be apparent at first glance. This is one of the greats.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lessons on Temperament and Ethics from a 17th Century Teacher
*by U***6 on November 22, 2021*

I had never heard of Takuan Sōhō - not even the pickled daikon radishes that bear his name - until the mid-'90s when I read the 1935 novel "Musashi" by Eigi Yoshikawa, sometimes called "the Gone With The Wind of Japan." In relating the fascinating life of the legendary sword master Miyamoto Musashi, Yoshikawa tells of a similarly-fascinating character, an itinerant Buddhist monk named Takuan who was advisor to emperor Go-Minuzō, Shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu, to a number of famed swordsmen, most notably the Yagyū family of the Nara area - and (in the novel at least,) to Musashi himself. So I suppose I really shouldn't be surprised at how fascinating and enjoyable I found "The Unfettered Mind," despite its being essentially an instruction on applied Zen Buddhism addressed to 16th-17th century martial artists, and the fact that there's much to disagree with philosophically. Certainly there is a boatload of esoteric, often inscrutable content in this book, but there is nonetheless a wealth of valuable instruction to be had here - on things like temperament, mental discipline, misguided vs. correct action, and the importance of training and self-education as a constant, lifelong thing. And of course the fact that you're reading the very words of a legendary figure from some four hundred years in the past is fascinating in itself. This is something I will likely read several more times, because there is a lot to absorb and ponder.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great work for life and martial arts
*by Z***L on March 24, 2015*

The Buddhist approach to life has never made more sense than it did after reading this book. I'd previously dismissed the general Buddhist worldview as too nihilistic (nothing is important or matters, etc.), but that is not at all the case. Plus it gives an amazing perspective on the idea of clearing your mind - it's not something you force, and it doesn't mean making your mind empty, but rather allowing it to flow. The letters primarily deal with martial arts (sword fighting, specifically). I've found the advice to apply very well to my own marital arts study; I practice a Chinese one rather than a Japanese art, but it still holds true. But the advice there is not limited to martial arts only, and I find its lessons coming to mind in day-to-day life as well. It's extremely practical, and doesn't ask you to be some ancient priest on a mountaintop somewhere. The translation reads well (I don't speak Japanese, so can't speak to its accuracy), and the translator helpfully includes notes explaining some of the references and metaphors that Soho used, which really fleshes out the imagery and helps make things understandable. This is one of my favorite philosophical books that I've read to date.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman
- The Life-Giving Sword: Secret Teachings from the House of the Shogun
- Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai

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*Last updated: 2026-03-18*