One Robe, One Bowl: The Zen Poetry
of Ryokan by Ryokan
Wonderful Poetry
The hermit-monk Ryokan, long beloved in Japan both for his poetry and for
his character, belongs in the tradition of the great Zen eccentrics of China
and Japan. His reclusive life and celebration of nature and the natural life
also bring to mind his younger American contemporary, Thoreau. Ryokans
poetry is that of the mature Zen master, its deceptive simplicity revealing
an art that surpasses artifice. Although Ryokan was born in eighteenth-
century Japan, his extraordinary poems, capturing in a few luminous
phrases both the beauty and the pathos of human life, reach far beyond
time and place to touch the springs of humanity.
Personal Review: One Robe, One Bowl: The Zen Poetry of
Ryokan by Ryokan
Zen Master Ryokan!
Like a fool, like a dunce

Body and mind completely dropped off!
This is another great translation of Ryokan by John Stevens. So many in
their reviews have shown their respect and love for Ryokan who "is replete
with MUSHIN, the mind without calculation or pretense, and MUJO, the
sense of impermanence of all things".
Ryokan (1758? -1831) was a Japanese poet, Zen buddhist and one of
the greatest calligraphers of all time in East Asia. In his early twenties he
became the disciple of top Soto Zen Roshi Kokusen and trained diligently
as a Zen monk. When Kokusen died in 1791, Ryokan left on a long
pilgrimage, wandering all over Japan. In his early 40s he drifted back to his
native place and spent the rest of his life in mountain hermitages. Near the
end of his life he fell in love with a beautiful young nun Teishin who was by
his side when he died at age 73. His hermitage Gogo-an on Mount Kigami
still stands.
One Robe, One Bowl contains translation of his 100 chinese and 103
Japanese poems(101 Waka and 2 Haiku). Many of his poems are without
titles and doesn't give us a reference to the time and place they were
written. Ryokan frequently broke the rules of poetry composition. His
poems are simple, direct and very poignant. His poetry is about love of
nature, local children, rice wine and living a simple life. His beloved Teishin
compiled the first edition of Ryokan's poems, titled Hachisu no Tsuyu
("Dew drops on a Lotus Leaf") four years after his death, which has also
been brilliantly translated by John Stevens.
Both these books are a must read. Ryokan's poems refresh you, make you
look around and under your feet. You notice everything from sun to
clouds, birds and insects, trees, wind and rain, and his great love - Moon. I
highly recommend reading them in a natural spot, where there are trees,
flowers, flowing water and birds. You will find yourself drifting in and out of
his poems and nature and back. Almost surreal.
Once you have read them again and again, add to your collection
Ryokan's favorite poet, the Chinese sage Han Shan (Cold Mountain), also
available on Amazon.
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