The Japanese cult of tranquillity / Karlfried Graf von Dürckheim ; translated from the German by Eda O'Shiel.

Translation of: Japan und die Kultur der Stille.

Bibliographical references included in "Notes" (pages 101-102). Includes index.

1. Tranquility in the East and the West--2. The nature of Japanese exercise--3. The basic exercises in tranquility--4. How tranquility stands the test of life--5. Objective tranquility--6. Tranquility in absorption--7. The ultimate test of tranquility--8. Conclusion--Addenda: Three Japanese texts--I The right to fight--II The identity of Ken-Zen--III The Tao of technique.

We who are accustomed to the Western way of life usually regard what we do as being more important than what we are. We lack the detachment or stillness of mind which is necessary for a full maturity of the spirit. In the East, there is a cult of tranquility, developed through the teaching of Ch'an and Zen Buddhism. Thus spiritual significance can be found in any ordinary act of living, simple and capable of repetition, such as breathing, washing, or drinking a cup of tea. The object is to calm the body, subdue the ego, and thus achieve a true identity with the universal nature of all things.