The Religion of the Samurai

About This Book

Published in 1913, The Religion of the Samurai is a study of Zen philosophy and monastic discipline by the Japanese scholar Kaiten Nukariya (1867-1934). The work traces Zen Buddhism from its introduction into China through its adoption by the Japanese warrior class, arguing that Zen's emphasis on direct experience and mental discipline made it uniquely suited to the samurai ethos. Among the earliest English-language treatments of Zen by a Japanese scholar, predating D.T. Suzuki's more widely known writings by several years. Its clarity and systematic approach make it accessible to newcomers while providing enough doctrinal detail for serious students of Buddhist thought.

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