Ryōkan Zen Monk-Poet of Japan |
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Author:
| Ryōkan, |
Translator:
| Watson, Burton |
Series title: | Translations from Asian Classics Ser. |
ISBN: | 978-0-231-04415-8 |
Publication Date: | May 1992 |
Publisher: | Columbia University Press
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Book Format: | Paperback |
List Price: | AUD $47.95 |
Book Description:
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Ryokan (1758-1831), a Buddhist monk in the Zen sect, was a major figure in Tokugawa poetry. Although a Zen master, he never headed a temple but chose to live alone in simple huts and to support himself by begging. His poems are mainly a record of his daily activities - of chores and outings to gather firewood and edible plants, lonely snow-bound winters, begging expeditions to town, meetings with friends, romps with the village children. At the same time they show us how contented,...
More DescriptionRyokan (1758-1831), a Buddhist monk in the Zen sect, was a major figure in Tokugawa poetry. Although a Zen master, he never headed a temple but chose to live alone in simple huts and to support himself by begging. His poems are mainly a record of his daily activities - of chores and outings to gather firewood and edible plants, lonely snow-bound winters, begging expeditions to town, meetings with friends, romps with the village children. At the same time they show us how contented, even joyous, a man could be with a minimum of material possessions, and how rich a spiritual and intellectual life he could enjoy in the midst of poverty.