Extraordinary Zen Masters: A Maverick, a Master of Masters, and a Wandering Poet

Extraordinary Zen Masters: A Maverick, a Master of Masters, and a Wandering Poet

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<p><i>Extraordinary Zen Masters: A Maverick, a Master of Masters, and a Wandering Poet</i> tells the life stories of Ikkyu (1394-1481), Hakuin (1686-1768), and Ryokan (1758-1831). Each was an outstanding figure who manifested Zen in his own way. Ikkyu was unconventional and uncompromising, a relentless enemy of the sham and hypocrisy that pervaded the religious circles of his day. Hakuin under­went a lengthy and strenuous apprenticeship to become a Master Teacher of Zen, training hundreds of disciples and insisting that they endure the same trials and surmount the same massive barri­ers that he had. Ryokan, in contrast, was a gentle, self-effacing recluse who never became an abbot but lived in quiet hermitages, savor­ing nature and writing poetry. All three were artists of the highest order, employing brush, ink, and paper as a means of transmitting Zen teachings and creating unique works of art.</p> <p>These are three of the greatest Zen mas­ters in history-each unique, each an outstanding artist, and each a teacher of future generations. The biographies of these three men, in one volume, constitute an enlivening reading experience, full of insight on leading a meaningful life.</p> <p>John Stevens lived in Japan for thirty-five years, where he was a professor of Buddhist studies at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai. Stevens is a widely respected translator, an ordained Buddhist priest, a curator of several major exhibitions of Zen art, and an aikido instructor. He has authored more than thirty books and is one of the foremost Western experts on aikido, holding a ranking of 7th dan Aikikai. Stevens has also studied calligraphy for decades, authoring the classic <i>Sacred Calligraphy of the East</i>. Other John Stevens titles that are likely to be of interest include <i>The Philosophy of Aikido,</i> and <i>The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei.</i></P>