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Hissho
28th June 2005, 17:35
Wrote some books on Zen, etc.

What is his story? I know that Herrigel has pretty much been discredited (or at least discounted) but what of this man and his writings?

Patrick McCarthy
28th June 2005, 19:30
I wasn't aware that Herrigel had been discredited. May I ask you to cite the source so that I might also confirm it?

Hissho
28th June 2005, 20:24
Search his name on this site for some past threads - "Herrigel" will get you to the appropriate links.

You can download a PDF here as well:

www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/ publications/jjrs/pdf/586.pdf

Patrick McCarthy
28th June 2005, 20:35
Thank you...much appreciated.

Joseph Svinth
29th June 2005, 13:08
I haven't read Durckheim, and probably won't, because the reviews suggest that Durckheim is more Jungian/New Age than Zen, and given to writing pseudo-mystical pontifications such as "Myth is a metaphor that is transparent to transcendence." He's linked intellectually to Gurdjieff.

As for Durckheim's depth of understanding of the martial arts, how about this fatuous martial quote attributed to him? (http://malayanganyo.tripod.com/id1.html)

"Archery, fencing, spear fighting, all the martial arts, tea ceremony, flower arranging in all these, correct breathing, correct balance, and correct stillness help to remake the individual. The basic aim is always the same: by tirelessly practicing a given skill, the student finally sheds the ego with its fears, worldly ambitions, and reliance on objective scrutiny- sheds it so completely that he becomes the instrument of a greater power, from which mastery falls instinctively, without further effort on his part, like a ripe fruit."

Walker
30th June 2005, 08:13
"Archery, fencing, spear fighting, all the martial arts, tea ceremony, flower arranging in all these, correct breathing, correct balance, and correct stillness help to remake the individual. The basic aim is always the same: by tirelessly practicing a given skill, the student finally sheds the ego with its fears, worldly ambitions, and reliance on objective scrutiny- sheds it so completely that he becomes the instrument of a greater power, from which mastery falls instinctively, without further effort on his part, like a ripe fruit."
Sounds like some talking head in a budo documentary. ;)

Hope life is treating you well.