| NOTA |
()(The poet Santooka (1882-1940) continued the tradition of the great Zen eccentrics into the twentieth century. He is admired in Japan for his free-style haiku and pursuit of a pure Zen life. His life parallels those of the earlier Zen poet-monks Ryookan and Ikkyuu, a life of simplicity and honesty, free from material possessions, set concepts, and social conventions.//@Although SantookaLs life was in many ways tragic --an unhappy childhood during which his mother committed suicide, a failed marriage of his own, an overindulgence in sake wine-- his haiku had a vitality and, at times, even an optimism that, juxtaposed with the sadness of his life, have made him a popular figure among postwar Japanese.//@The turning point in his life came when he was rescued from the path of an oncoming train in a suicide attempt and taken to a nearby Zen temple. Through Zen training, Santooka found new meaning in life. He was ordained a Zen priest at the late age of forty-four. From that time on, attached to no master or institution, he dedicated himself to the strict, spiritual life of a mendicant monk. Santooka led a life of extreme poverty, but by finally ridding himself of material and emotional encumbrances, he was able to set his spirit free to write haiku as he never had before.//@LMountain TastingL offers a representative collection of over 370 of SantookaLs haiku to the Western reader for the first time. SantookaLs unadorned style and profound Zen spirit shine directly through John StevensLs fresher, clear translations, accompanied by the romanized Japanese originals.//@John Stevens, born in Chicago in 1946, has been living in Japan since 1973. Ordained a Sootoo Zen priest in 1975, he is presently a member of the Buddhist Studies Department and aikido instructor at Tohoku College of Social Welfare in Sendai, where he lives with his wife and three children. Previous translations include LOne Robe, One Bowl : The Zen Poetry of Ryookan (Weatherhill)L and writings of the Zen master Doogen.) |
BASE de DATOS, Biblioteca del Centro Cultural de la Embajada de Japon
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