Training the Samurai Mind: A Bushido Sourcebook (Hardcover)

by Thomas Cleary (Author)
Key Phrases: imperturbable mind, hidden courage, outward courage, Sun Bin, Sun Tzu, Nakae Toju (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Through the ages, the samurai have been associated with honor, fearlessness, calm, decisive action, strategic thinking, and martial prowess. Their ethos is known as bushido, the Way of the Warrior-Knight.

Here, premier translator Thomas Cleary presents a rich collection of writings on bushido by warriors, scholars, political advisors, and educators from the fifteenth century through the nineteenth century that provide a comprehensive, historically rich view of samurai life and philosophy. Training the Samurai Mind gives an insider's view of the samurai world: the moral and psychological development of the warrior, the ethical standards they were meant to uphold, their training in both martial arts and strategy, and the enormous role that the traditions of Shintoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism had in influencing samurai ideals.

The writings deal with a broad range of subjects—from military strategy and political science, to personal discipline and character development. Cleary introduces each piece, putting it into historical context, and presents biographical information about the authors. This is an essential read for anyone interested in military history and samurai history, and for martial artists who want to understand strategy.  

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590305728
• ISBN-13: 978-1590305720
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,010 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I think this Western mind missed quite a few of the nuances..., August 30, 2008

By	Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I saw Training the Samurai Mind: A Bushido Sourcebook by Thomas Cleary at the library awhile back, and picked it up. Japanese bushido thinking is something I normally find interesting, and I've gravitated to books like The Art of War and The Book of Five Rings in the past. In this case, I had a far more difficult time staying engaged with the material. Perhaps it was the "anthology" nature of the material, meaning that there wasn't necessarily a lot of continuity from chapter to chapter. Given the writings span over 500 years, I can somewhat understand that...

There are 22 chapters, each consisting of a writing by some Japanese individual who was well-known as a bushido teacher in that particular time period. Cleary gives a short intro of the person's biography and cultural setting, as well as their philosophical bent. The rest of the chapter is then a translated writing of theirs that covers some element of bushido, be it warfare, personal responsibility, or training. Cleary has done a nice job in translating the material in a way that makes it understandable to the Western reader. Given that each chapter stands completely alone, you can digest the book in small chunks without having to keep track of an overall plot or theme.

I think I struggled in that the writers each had their own slants and takes on Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shinto in terms of how they affected the life of a samurai. Not having a strong background in the differences and nuances of each, I think some of the material was lost on me. Also, I missed the continuity that comes from a single writer exploring a subject in some detail. I'm sure I'd feel different if the subjects were more a part of my normal culture. But as such, they came across as somewhat random and eclectic.

I think Cleary did a fine job in translation of the material. I just think that you'd have to be pretty well grounded in bushido thought to get the most out of this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wisdom for the Warrior Lifestyle, October 17, 2008

By	Bohdi Sanders, Ph.D. "author, martial artist,... (Loveland, CO) - See all my reviews

Training the Samurai Mind is a collection of teachings from samurai, Confucian teachers, and Taoist teachers from 1349-1865. I found the teachings in this book to be full of useful wisdom for those who are seeking to live the warrior lifestyle. Of course some of the teachings are more useful than others, but overall I really enjoyed this book. Thomas Cleary seems to have a knack for finding interesting writings and translating them so those of us in the West can benefit from the wisdom that we would otherwise not be privy to.

The subtitle on this book is "A Bushido Source Book" and could just as easily be called The Bushido Chronicles as it chronicles writing pertaining to the warrior lifestyle over 500 years. This book combined with the writings of Sun Tzu, Lao Ztu, and Cleary's translation of the Code of the Samurai, will give the warrior a clear picture of what the Asian warrior was all about, as well as give the warrior a guide to how to live a life of character, honor and integrity.

I highly recommend this book to every martial artist, every military man, and everyone who may be interested in the ways of Asian wisdom. I honestly don't see how you could read this and not get some benefit from the wisdom that it contains. Highly recommended!

Bohdi Sanders, author of Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In Training, June 2, 2008

By	B. J. Devitt "Chiburi" (PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Training the Samurai Mind: A Bushido Sourcebook is a great book. the book is easy to read with short chapters and informative passages written by masters and translated by Thomas Cleary. This book gives a great insight on the history, mindset, and growth of the Samurai culture. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the philosophy and history of the Samurai.