Sky Above, Great Wind
The Life and Poetry of Zen Master Ryokan
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Sky Above, Great Wind
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Narrated by:
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Brian Nishii
About this listen
Ryokan (1758-1831) is, along with Dogen and Hakuin, one of the three giants of Zen in Japan. But unlike his two renowned colleagues, Ryokan was a societal dropout, living mostly as a hermit and a beggar. He was never head of a monastery or temple. He liked playing with children. He had no dharma heir. Even so, people recognized the depth of his realization, and he was sought out by people of all walks of life for the teaching to be experienced in just being around him. His poetry and art were wildly popular even in his lifetime. He is now regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Edo Period, along with Basho, Buson, and Issa. He was also a master artist-calligrapher with a very distinctive style, due mostly to his unique and irrepressible spirit, but also because he was so poor he didn't usually have materials: His distinctive thin line was due to the fact that he often used twigs rather than the brushes he couldn't afford. He was said to practice his brushwork with his fingers in the air when he didn't have any paper. There are hilarious stories about how people tried to trick him into doing art for them, and about how he frustrated their attempts. As an old man, he fell in love with a young Zen nun who also became his student. His affection for her colors the mature poems of his late period. This collection contains more than 140 of Ryokan's poems, with selections of his art, and of the very funny anecdotes about him.
©2012 Kazuaki Tanahashi (P)2014 Audible Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Sky Above, Great Wind
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Angie Thomson
- 12-10-21
spirotual
very well performed.Gteat spiritual storiesqkes you feel very calm wnile listening to this audiobook
Fascinating.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Martin D.
- 17-03-22
Pretty good
OK I'm a fan of Brian Nishii as a reader so I tried this book.
I know a little of Zen and learnt some more listening to this book. A few bits made me smile, the humour of one monk was similar to mine.
And some stuff I didn't know about the lifestyle and history of the monks.
I've listened to it once, will happily listen to it again sometime. Interesting and informative.
Plus Brian Nishii does present material well.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- LC
- 09-10-21
Refreshing and interesting
I enjoyed this book. It’s something different than most other books I have been reading and I found it quite refreshing for that reason, and also very interesting to learn about this person’s life and hear his poetry.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- tamara
- 25-08-21
Eccentric humility
A portal into the often absurd and curious behaviors of a Zen expressionist through his poetry and anecdotes.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Davie
- 19-07-23
Nice listen
I really enjoyed this - very relaxed tales and poems of a zen master, lovely little book in the plus catalogue.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- MR P ENTWISTLE
- 15-10-16
Autumn
After 2 hrs and 19 mins I am amazed at how many leaves remain on the autumn trees.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Adrian Chan-Wyles Ph.D
- 29-07-21
A Bright Moon Rising,...
The timeless humility of monasticism, discipline, insight and boundless compassion. A profound life of pursuing the Dao and rejecting the selfish and greedy habits of the everyday world. This book is a masterpiece of simplicity that demonstrates that right before (and behind) our senses, another world is possible - and yet it is exactly the 'same' material world interpreted differently. Although everything is in flux it is awareness that brings the stability of insight into the realms of immediate perception, behaviour and interaction.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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- Murielle Solheim
- 06-08-21
Would be better on paper
I loved the narrator but this book would be better read than listened to. Especially the chapter on calligraphy.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- D.Fish
- 04-01-19
Insightful and Concise Listen
When I seen this on sale for £1.50 I was unsure what to expect but now completing the listen, I'm happy with the insight I've received and the production quality.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Catherine
- 22-03-21
Beautiful
a beautiful book
well attirent
interesting helpful observations
the work and life of a great Zen master
is inspirational
the narrator is truly excellent
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