Zach's Reviews > The Unfettered Mind: Writings of the Zen Master to the Sword Master

The Unfettered Mind is a fascinating text filled with lightning. I was initially drawn to this book because of Takuan's role in Musashi's life - at least in Yoshikawa's wonderful novel. I am thankful I followed my curiosity.

Takuan can certainly point one to the way of the unfettered mind, but I love how he regularly reminds the reader (letters to a friend, historically), that one most do the hard work oneself for it to mean anything - a reminder Musashi also regularly does in his Book of Five Rings. Takuan offers many gems worth contemplating and transforming with.

On a side note: -
I am filled with an awe of thankfulness for being able to read 600 year old texts translated from another language. It's easy to take for granted, but also easy to blow one's mind.

Some favorite gems:

It must be said that the enlightening of one's mind depends on the depths of one's efforts.

We should be like the lotus which is unstained by the mud from which it rises. Even though the mud exists, we are not to be distressed by this. One makes his mind like the well-polished crystal that remains unstained even if put in the mud.

The effect of tightening up on the mind is to make it unfree. Bringing the mind under control is a thing done only in the beginning. if one remains this way all the way through life, in the end one will never reach the highest level. In fact, he will not rise above the lowest.

If we observe phenomena closely, it cannot be thought that anything between heaven and earth is really different. If we see differences, it is due to the narrowness of our vision.
This is like Mount Fuji being concealed by a tree thick with branches and leaves, and my not being able not being able to see it. But how can Mount Fuji be concealed by a single tree? It is simply because of the narrowness of my vision and because the tree stands in the way of my vision that Mount Fuji cannot be seen.