Sky Above, Great Wind: The Life and Poetry of Zen Master Ryokan

by Kazuaki Tanahashi The delightful and often funny poetry and art of Zen's quintessential free spirit--in a fresh translation by a beloved American Zen figure. Ryokan Taigu (1758-1831) was a monk in the Soto lineage of Japanese Zen who spent a good part of his life as a hermit, writing poetry, playing with children, and creating simple and exquisitely beautiful calligraphies--sometimes using twigs as his instrument when he couldn't afford a brush. This loving tribute to the great legendary nonconformist includes more than 140 of his poems, 13 examples of his art, and a selection of laugh-out-loud funny anecdotes about his highly idiosyncratic teaching behavior.