Anyone read it? It's written by D.T. Suzuki. Another really good piece by DTS is Zen and the Samurai. If you liked The Book of Five Rings and The Art of War, you'll love these.
D.T.Suzuki wrote one of the first books attempting to introduce the nonAsian world to the tenets of Zen Buddhism in 1938. All three pieces I've listed come from that origional work. The current edition, which he completed in 1958, is available, in paperback, as Zen and Japanese Culture .
Some quotes:
"Let the enemy touch your skin and you cut into his flesh; let him cut into your flesh and you pierce into his bones; let him pierce into your bones and you take his life!"
"You simply perceive the opponent's move, you do not allow your mind to "stop" with it, you move on just as you are toward the opponent and make use of his attack by turning it on to himself. Then his sword meant to kill you will become your own and the weapon will fall on the opponent himself."
"As soon as the mind "stops" with an object of whatever nature- be it the opponent's sword or your own, the man himself bent on striking or the sword in his hands, the mode or the measure of the move- you cease to be master of yourself and are sure to fall a victim to the enemy's sword."
D.T.Suzuki wrote one of the first books attempting to introduce the nonAsian world to the tenets of Zen Buddhism in 1938. All three pieces I've listed come from that origional work. The current edition, which he completed in 1958, is available, in paperback, as Zen and Japanese Culture .
Some quotes:
"Let the enemy touch your skin and you cut into his flesh; let him cut into your flesh and you pierce into his bones; let him pierce into your bones and you take his life!"
"You simply perceive the opponent's move, you do not allow your mind to "stop" with it, you move on just as you are toward the opponent and make use of his attack by turning it on to himself. Then his sword meant to kill you will become your own and the weapon will fall on the opponent himself."
"As soon as the mind "stops" with an object of whatever nature- be it the opponent's sword or your own, the man himself bent on striking or the sword in his hands, the mode or the measure of the move- you cease to be master of yourself and are sure to fall a victim to the enemy's sword."