Zen and the Way of the Sword: Arming the Samurai Psyche
In this engaging examination of the development of the Samurai and their relationship to Zen, King (Divinity Sch., Vanderbilt Univ.) covers a lot of ground. He discusses the martial arts, Zen history, Japanese cultural history, the art of sword making, and kamikaze pilots, among other topics, in terms of the thread of Japanese spirituality that runs through them all. He examines the influence of Zen on the warrior ethic and handles deftly the difficult issue regarding the alignment of nonviolent Buddhist philosophy with the training of warriors. In addition, King carries the discussion up to the present, drawing illustrations from World War II and current Japanese business practices to strengthen his contention that the way of the Samurai and Zen are inextricably woven into the fabric of Japanese behavior. Included is an excellent bibliography. Recommended for academic collections and those with a more than basic interest in Asian studies.- Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., N.Y.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.