When Buddhists Attack: the Curious Relationship Between Zen and the Martial Arts

Description

Film, television and popular fiction have long exploited the image of the serene Buddhist monk who is master of the deadly craft of hand-to-hand combat. While the media overly romanticizes the relationship between a philosophy of non-violence and the art of fighting, When Buddhists Attack shows this link to be nevertheless real, even natural. Exploring the origins of Buddhism and the ethos of the Japanese samurai, university professor and martial arts practitioner Jeffrey Mann traces the close connection between the Buddhist way of compassion and the way of the warrior. This book serves as a ba.;The life and teachings of the Buddha -- Zen in Buddhist context -- The warrior's Zen, part one: Initial attraction -- The warrior's Zen, part two: An established relationship -- Meditation -- Mushin and mindfulness -- Zen, budō and ethics -- The contemporary world of budō -- Is it really Zen?