Kindle
$10.99
Available instantly
Paperback
$12.49
$12.49 with 27 percent savings
List Price: $17.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon.
Temporarily out of stock.
Order now and we'll deliver when available.
Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
Details
Want it faster? The Kindle eBook is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app.
$$12.49 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$12.49
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Returnable Yes
Resolutions Eligible for refund or replacement
Return Window 30 days from delivery
Refund Timelines Typically, an advance refund will be issued within 24 hours of a drop-off or pick-up. For returns that require physical verification, refund issuance may take up to 30 days after drop-off or pick up. Where an advance refund is issued, we will re-charge your payment method if we do not receive the correct item in original condition. See details here.
Late fee A late fee of 20% of the item price will apply if you complete the drop off or pick up after the ‘Return By Date’.
Restocking fee A restocking fee may apply if the item is not returned in original condition and original packaging, or is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to Amazon or seller error. See details here.
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Returnable Yes
Resolutions Eligible for refund or replacement
Return Window 30 days from delivery
Refund Timelines Typically, an advance refund will be issued within 24 hours of a drop-off or pick-up. For returns that require physical verification, refund issuance may take up to 30 days after drop-off or pick up. Where an advance refund is issued, we will re-charge your payment method if we do not receive the correct item in original condition. See details here.
Late fee A late fee of 20% of the item price will apply if you complete the drop off or pick up after the ‘Return By Date’.
Restocking fee A restocking fee may apply if the item is not returned in original condition and original packaging, or is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to Amazon or seller error. See details here.

Return instructions

Item must be in original condition and packaging along with tag, accessories, manuals, and inserts. Unlock any electronic device, delete your account and remove all personal information.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Kenkō
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Essays in Idleness and Hojoki (Penguin Classics) Paperback – July 29, 2014

by Kenko (Author), Chomei (Author), Meredith McKinney (Editor, Translator, Introduction)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 194 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$12.49","priceAmount":12.49,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"12","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"49","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"%2FBc4ewI3CyA1alLJhP9rrz5GTuMgbivd2418KOs8dqiWB4vsW1Xm5V9Bsi76osMAN5fjvujbwxn1syJBwmHvV3JVS51JS4BfyRCDqZT2oFvYKYPz0eUmKMHHmo%2FajtZhfjujCFlqmrKzYdmQsujB6A%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Two of the most important Buddhist tracts from Japan

A Penguin Classic

Both of these works on life’s fleeting pleasures are by Buddhist monks from medieval Japan, but each represents a different worldview. In Essays in Idleness, his lively and sometimes ribald collection of anecdotes, advice, and observations, Kenko displays his fascination with earthly matters. In the short memoir Hojoki, or The Ten Foot Square Hut, however, Chomei recounts his decision to withdraw from worldly affairs and live as a hermit.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Classics
  4. Publication date
    July 29, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    0.6 x 5 x 7.7 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780141192109
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0141192109
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

Essays in Idleness and Hojoki (Penguin Classics)
$12.49
Temporarily out of stock.
Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Pillow Book (Penguin Classics)
$14.42
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jul 3
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Tales of Ise
$15.00
Get it as soon as Monday, Jul 1
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Control
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

KENKO (1238-?) was born in Kyoto. He became a monk probably in his late twenties, and was also noted as a calligrapher. Today he is remembered for his wise and witty aphorisms.

CHOMEI (1155-1216) was born into a family of Shinto priests at at time when the stable world of the court was rapidly breaking up. He became an important poet of his day, and at the age of fifty withdrew from the world to become a tonsured monk.

MEREDITH McKINNEY (translator / introducer) is a translator of Japanese literature, both contemporary and classical, and has translated The Pillow Book and Kokoro for Penguin Classics. She lived in Japan for twenty years and is currently a visiting fellow at the Australian National University in Canberra.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0141192100
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics; Illustrated edition (July 29, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780141192109
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0141192109
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.6 x 5 x 7.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 194 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Kenkō

Kenkō

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
We don’t use a simple average to calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star. Our system gives more weight to certain factors—including how recent the review is and if the reviewer bought it on Amazon. Learn more
194 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

don
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2016
Verified Purchase
I haven't read all that much east Asian prose, but I'm starting to suspect that I might over-identify with the overlooked-sensitive-and-ironic-scholar who is unable to find a position in the bureaucracy or hierarchy. Chomei's 'Hojoki' is a charming little piece about living the simple life and so on, but rather undermined by the fact that, in order to live the simple life, you have to be independently wealthy. Kenko's 'Essays,' on the other hand, are an absolute delight. There's nothing I like quite so much as people who are willing to hold their own most deeply held beliefs to the standards of their beliefs--here, that leads to 'kill the buddha' kind of things. I also like people who:

* like autumn rather than spring.
* pay attention to language.
* say things like "the testament to our birth in the human realm should be a strong urge to escape from this world. Surely there can be nothing to distinguish us from the beasts if we simply devote ourselves to greed."
* or "things that are not unpleasant in large amounts are books on a book cart, and rubbish on a rubbish heap."
* or "the best things are those that have a somewhat antique air, are unpretentious and are inexpensive but well made."
* or "if you run about the streets pretending to be a madman, then a madman is what you are."
* or "it is cruel to make people suffer and drive them to break the law, then treat the poor creatures as criminals."
* or "Phenomena and their essence are intrinsically one."
* list all the terrible consequences of drinking for a few pages... then say there's nothing quite so pleasant as drinking with a friend.
* being very intelligent, are aware of their own limitations, but do not therefore consider themselves to be as bad as everyone else.

If the world were rather more full of Kenkos, I'd be much happier in it.
36 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
J. Gonnella
5.0 out of 5 stars drunk monks, cherry blossoms and a restless seeking of simplicity...
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2018
Verified Purchase
A must read for anyone interested in Buddhism or the history of it. Specifically Kenko's essays illuminate medieval Japan in the throws of constant change along wirh its court customs, drunk monks, cherry blossoms and a restless seeking of simplicity. The picture that Kenko paints beautifully in his short essays reveals an embedded philosophy within his writing that is entirely his own.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Don Quixote
4.0 out of 5 stars Meditations on the Transience of Things
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
I have been studying Eastern philosophy for almost twenty years, so I was naturally drawn to this volume, which brings together two related though differing texts written by Buddhist monks. _Essays in Idleness_ and _Hojoki_ will delight enthusiasts of classical Japanese literature and/or of Buddhism. The fact that these texts are more or less neglected (when compared to, say, _The Pillow Book_, _Tales of Ise_, or _The Tale of Genji_) makes for an even more pleasant surprise.

The book opens with _Hojoki_, a 14-page memoir/meditation written by Kamo no Chomei in 1212. The author chooses the image of a flowing river as a starting point. Our lives are like this river, impermanent, and like the bubbles formed by the stream, fragile, transient. Chomei describes the devastation brought about by fires, floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. We may accumulate wealth and build luxurious houses; it is all the same, as human life is a bubble, a mirage. The spirit of the text is the same as that of the book of Ecclesiastes: all is vanity and chasing the wind. I was also reminded of Anne Bradstreet’s famous poem about the burning of her house, and in the second half of the text, of Thoreau, praising the contemplative, quiet life of the lonely hut-dweller. Readers familiar with Buddhist texts will recognize Chomei's imagery. “See this body, as fragile and transient as foam” (4.3), we read in the _Dhammapada_, which offers the Buddhist worldview in a nutshell; “the royal chariots surely come to decay / Just as the body, too, comes to decay” (11.6); there is “no galloping river like craving” (18.17); “death carries the unaware man away, / […] Much as a rampaging flood engulfs a sleeping village” (20.15). “This world,” says Chomei, “is a hard place to live, and both we and our dwellings are fragile and impermanent. […] Follow the social rules and they hem you in; fail to do, so and you are thought as good as crazy. Where can one be, what can one do, to find a little safe shelter in this world, and a little peace of mind?” (12). His answer was to retire to a 10x10 ft. hut he built himself, in which he wrote his observations on the precariousness of the human condition. The last paragraph provides an interesting twist as Chomei evaluates and interprets his own assessment of his present situation. Though dark and world-weary, _Hojoki_ is an inspiring paean to the simple life. It will speak to many readers in an age when the media creates more and more “needs” for us, even as more than half the world struggles to procure its basic human needs.

Yoshida Kenko is a more complex, ambiguous author. Dating from the 1330s, _Essays in Idleness_ conveys the Buddhadharma, but it also offers sensory descriptions and/or comments that undermine traditional Buddhist mores. This 120-page collection of impressions, opinions, and anecdotes is in dialogue with Sei Shonagon’s _The Pillow Book_ (see my review of the Penguin edition, also translated by Meredith McKinney). Kenko, in fact, makes reference to this book, and to _The Tale of Genji_ and _Tales of Ise_ (see my review), the major works of Heian literature. Like Sei, Kenko claims his work is not meant to be read: “I let my brush run on like this for my own foolish solace; these pages deserve to be torn up and discarded, after all, and are not something others will ever see” (30). The mood, like that of _Hojoki_, is mono no aware. "At times of quiet contemplation," Kenko writes, "my one irresistible emotion is an aching nostalgia for all things past” (35). The human heart is as delicate as a flower, “a fluttering blossom gone before the breeze’s touch" (34). The best way to spend one’s life, according to Kenko, is to retire from worldly affairs and to live the present moment to its fullest. The present moment may appear to have little value, like a single coin, but by accumulating present moments lived in awareness, one becomes rich (74).

Kenko, however, often surprises the reader with ideas or advice that are contrary to Buddhist teaching. This is where he differs from the more traditional, conservative Chomei. For instance, immediately after denouncing alcohol like a true Buddhist, Kenko writes: “Yet, loathsome though one finds it, there are situations when a cup of sake is hard to resist. […] All things considered, a drunkard is so entertaining he can be forgiven his sins” (107-108). Even more surprising are his views on relationships between men and women. A man should not marry, Kenko says; people inevitably grow bored of their partners, but “it keeps the relationship fresh to just drop in from time to time on impulse and spend the night” (115). One has to wonder about Kenko’s motives from withdrawing from society. Was he seeking enlightenment, or was he merely cynical? But while cynicism, and even misanthropy and misogyny, rear their ugly heads occasionally, _Essays in Idleness_ contains much wisdom. In one of my favorite passages, Kenko recommends choosing the most important thing and dedicating oneself to it. One must be like the go player, who sacrifices the small in favor of the large. “The urge to cling to one thing while grasping for another will cause the loss of both” (113).

Personally, I feel closer in spirit to Chomei than to Kenko, but I found many memorable observations in _Essays in Idleness_. At the same time, I could not help comparing the latter with _The Pillow Book_, which I feel is a superior work. I could not connect with Kenko the way I do with Sei, who is such a fascinating personality. This is the main reason why I am giving this volume four stars instead of five.

I praised Meredith McKinney’s work as translator and editor in my review of _The Pillow Book_. Her edition of Kenko and Chomei is equally admirable. Endnotes abound (468 of them, for 140 pages of primary text) but they are brief and to the point; those that clarify references to other literary works are particularly useful, as are those that discuss wordplay. In her brilliant introduction, McKinney considers the authors’ biographies and historical circumstances, the complexities of the concept of aware, and the similarities and differences between Kenko and Chomei. Also included are a drawing of Chomei’s hut, a map, and a timeline of Japanese emperors mentioned in the text, with details about their reigns.

_Essays in Idleness_ and _Hojoki_ are jewels of classical Japanese literature. They may not reach the heights of _The Pillow Book_ or the _Tales of Ise_, but they are characterized by the same attention to detail, and they constitute inspiring meditations on the impermanence of the material world. The texts are so rich that virtually all readers will find in them something worth keeping.

Next on my list of Asian literature, _Six Records of a Floating Life_, by Shen Fu.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the book!
37 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kuba
5.0 out of 5 stars Must have
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2017
Verified Purchase
Must have for anyone interested in Japanese culture
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
dianersj
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
This book was a wonderful read.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Pierre L.
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing masterpiece
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2016
Verified Purchase
to better understand the Japanese soul...this masterpiece is a must.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars this is a really good book. i can understand the need for all ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2017
Verified Purchase
this is a really good book. i can understand the need for all of the notes but it can be interrupting to the general flow of a book. i read the notes up to past the beginning of the kenko section. i was much happier and enjoyed the book much more when i gave up the notes. im not concerned with all those details of the notes at the moment, i just wanted some fresh eastern style wisdom. it delivers heartily on both! to me, the kenko section is much more appealing than the chomei section. chomei almost comes off as bitter and cornered by life at times. he offers bits of wisdom but its mixed with lots of grumpy old man talkings, in my opinion. kenko has a few old man moments, but its mostly thorough wisdom. he creates beautiful scenes in your mind at times about his memories. he really makes you feel like a friend at times. i would like to have a copy of essays on its own, to keep on the shelf and read once a year. it is worth it
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Pacific9
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2014
It is rare for me to reread a book, and almost unheard of immediately after finishing it, but I cound not help myself with this work. The translation is highly readable, and Kenko's short essays are interesting, funny, but most of all highly moving and inspirational
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Fademi Sanmi
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
Brilliant
Report
Felipe
3.0 out of 5 stars Mais ou menos
Reviewed in Brazil on February 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
Livro meio enrolado. Comprei por se tratar de 2 budistas. Porém um dos textos, principalmente, é muito disperso, trata de vários assuntos desconexos. Leitura meio chata. Acredito que interesse mais para curiosos sobre a sociedade dessa época.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Rohit. Navale
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good.
Reviewed in India on August 23, 2017
Verified Purchase
Good book, but some familiarity with eastern way of thinking is necessary to appreciate the work.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Paul Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars good read becomes good enjoyment
Reviewed in Australia on May 27, 2015
Verified Purchase
Confuscious say, good read becomes good enjoyment.
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in India on July 3, 2018
Verified Purchase
Really good
Report