Discover the tranquil wisdom of Chomei's 13th-century masterpiece, Hojoki, as it unveils the beauty of imperfection and the serenity of a simple life amidst the chaos of existence. Hojoki is an introspective poem written in the 13th century by the enigmatic Japanese hermit Kamo no Chomei, who as a young man served in the capital as official court poet but later in life withdrew from society. Composed in a time of devastating fires, floods, earthquakes, droughts and famines, Chomei's masterpiece reflects on the impermanence of things, expressing life's mysterious beauty and the profound wisdom to be found in nature. Chomei paints a vivid picture of the chaos and suffering of the human condition. Amidst this turmoil, he discovers an oasis of calm in a simple mountain hut, where he contemplates the virtues of nature and the wabi sabi beauty of imperfection in all things. In their friends, People like to find affluence and a ready smile. Compassion and honesty, Not so much. So why not make friends with music and nature instead: The moon; the flowers? ******** I know my needs, And I know the world. I want for nothing, And do not labor to acquire things. Quietude is all I desire: To be free from worry is happiness enough. This new translation by Matthew Stavros, presented alongside the original Classical Japanese, perfectly captures the profound serenity of Chomei's writings. His poignant verses serve as timely reminders that amidst the uncertainty of this world, true contentment can often be found in the simple life, in embracing fleeting moments, and in seeking solace in nature's beauty.

A fresh translation of the classical Buddhist poetry of Saigyō, whose aesthetics of nature, love, and sorrow came to epitomize the Japanese poetic tradition. Saigyō, the Buddhist name of Fujiwara no Norikiyo (1118–1190), is one of Japan’s most famous and beloved poets. He was a recluse monk who spent much of his life wandering and seeking after the Buddhist way. Combining his love of poetry with his spiritual evolution, he produced beautiful, lyrical lines infused with a Buddhist perception of the world. Gazing at the Moon presents over one hundred of Saigyō’s tanka—traditional 31-syllable poems—newly rendered into English by renowned translator Meredith McKinney. This selection of poems conveys Saigyō’s story of Buddhist awakening, reclusion, seeking, enlightenment, and death, embodying the Japanese aesthetic ideal of mono no aware—to be moved by sorrow in witnessing the ephemeral world.

"Elegant and formally ingenious."--Geoff Wisner, Wall Street JournalIn a time of social distancing and isolation, a meditation on the beauty of solitude from renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor When world renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor turned sixty, he took a sabbatical from his teaching and turned his attention to solitude, a practice integral to the meditative traditions he has long studied and taught. He aimed to venture more deeply into solitude, discovering its full extent and depth. This beautiful literary collage documents his multifaceted explorations. Spending time in remote places, appreciating and making art, practicing meditation and participating in retreats, drinking peyote and ayahuasca, and training himself to keep an open, questioning mind have all contributed to Batchelor's ability to be simultaneously alone and at ease. Mixed in with his personal narrative are inspiring stories from solitude's devoted practitioners, from the Buddha to Montaigne, from Vermeer to Agnes Martin. In a hyperconnected world that is at the same time plagued by social isolation, this book shows how to enjoy the inescapable solitude that is at the heart of human life.

Awaken your heart and engage your mind with Buddhist Wisdom: Daily Reflections, a simple but powerful collection of Buddhist sayings and extracts that offer an easy way to incorporate the Buddha's greatest teachings into your everyday life. Use it daily or at random to find help facing a particular issue, problem or simple uncertainty. Illustrated with photographs of traditional Buddhist people, sacred places and monuments, the book provokes contemplation and deeper understanding for all individuals, regardless of religious persuasion. Buddhist Wisdom also offers a brief overview of the life of the Buddha, Buddhist teachings and the spread of Buddhism around the world; includes a Buddhist calendar of celebration days and festivals.

These two works on life's fleeting pleasures are by Buddhist monks from medieval Japan, but each shows a different world-view. In the short memoir Hôjôki, Chômei recounts his decision to withdraw from worldly affairs and live as a hermit in a tiny hut in the mountains, contemplating the impermanence of human existence. Kenko, however, displays a fascination with more earthy matters in his collection of anecdotes, advice and observations. From ribald stories of drunken monks to aching nostalgia for the fading traditions of the Japanese court, Essays in Idleness is a constantly surprising work that ranges across the spectrum of human experience. Meredith McKinney's excellent new translation also includes notes and an introduction exploring the spiritual and historical background of the works. Chômei was born into a family of Shinto priests in around 1155, at at time when the stable world of the court was rapidly breaking up. He became an important though minor poet of his day, and at the age of fifty, withdrew from the world to become a tonsured monk. He died in around 1216. Kenkô was born around 1283 in Kyoto. He probably became a monk in his late twenties, and was also noted as a calligrapher. Today he is remembered for his wise and witty aphorisms, 'Essays in Idleness'. Meredith McKinney, who has also translated Sei Shonagon's The Pillow Book for Penguin Classics, is a translator of both contemporary and classical Japanese literature. She lived in Japan for twenty years and is currently a visitng fellow at the Australian National University in Canberra. '[Essays in Idleness is] a most delightful book, and one that has served as a model of Japanese style and taste since the 17th century. These cameo-like vignettes reflect the importance of the little, fleeting futile things, and each essay is Kenko himself' Asian Student

This approachable and compelling exploration considers aloneness through literature, Buddhism, psychology and personal experience.

How will three months living in a small wooden hut in the forests of a Buddhist Monastery in the South of France affect him? How about seeing his brother for the first time in two years, the brother who now happens to be a Monk? See how one email from his brother led Sutter, a lost young man and vagabond, to fly across the world, and how that one email will change the direction of his life forever. It will be opposite to the days and nights he spent in bars drinking alcohol, taking drugs and chasing women. There will be no mobile phone, no laptop computer, no social media and no daily newspaper. How will an arrogant young Australian carnivore handle a vegetarian diet for three months? Three months without sex, alcohol or drugs? Three months without friends? Three months without any distractions? A raw exploration into Sutter's time in Plum Village, see as he explores his new surroundings, shares a tiny hut with his Monk brother, meets new people from around the world and struggles with his own personal demons. A new found appreciation of the present moment, finding enjoyment in doing nothing and an ability to forge a greater connection with his inner self lead Sutter to examine a whole range of relevant and contentious topics that every man and woman can relate to.