{"product_id":"the-demons-sermon-on-the-martial-arts-the-away-of-the-warrior-series","title":"The Demon's Sermon on the Martial Arts (The AWay of the Warrior Series)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Demon said to the swordsman  \"Fundamentally  mans mind is not without good. It is simply that from the moment he has life  he is always being brought up with perversity. Thus  having no idea that he has gotten used to being soaked in it  he harms his self-nature and falls into evil. Human desire is the root of this perversity.\"  Woven deeply into the martial traditions and folklore of Japan  the fearsome Tengu dwell in the countrys mountain forest. Mythical half-man  half-bird creatures with long noses  Tengu have always inspired dread and awe  inhabiting a liminal world between the human and the demonic  and guarding the most hidden secrets of swordsmanship. In The Demons Sermon on the Martial Arts  a translation of the 18th-century samurai classic by Issai Chozanshi  an anonymous swordsman journeys to the heart of Mt. Kurama  the traditional domain of these formidable beings. There he encounters a host of demon; through a series of discussions and often playful discourse  they reveal to him the very deepest principles of the martial arts  and show how the secrets of sword fighting impart the truths of life itself.  The Demons Sermon opens with The discourses  a collection of whimsical fables concerned with the theme of transformation-for Chozanshi a core phenomenon to the martial artist. Though ostensibly light and fanciful  these stories offer the attentive reader ideas that subvert perceived notions of conflict and the individuals relationship to the outside world. In the main body of work  The Sermon  Chozanshi demonstrates how transformation is fostered and nurtured through chi - the vital and fundamental energy that flows through all things  animate and inanimate  and the very bedrock of Chozanshis themes and the martial arts themselves. This he does using the voice of the Tengu  and the reader is invited to eavesdrop with the swordsman on the demons revelations of the deepest truths concerning chi  the principles of yin and yang  and how these forces shape our existence. In The Dispatch  the themes are brought to an elegant conclusion using the parable of an old and toothless cat who  like the demon  has mastered the art of acting by relying on nothing  and in so doing can defeat even the wiliest and most vicious of rats despite his advanced years.  This is the first direct translation from the original text into English by William Scott Wilson  the renowned translator of Hagakure and The Book of Five Rings. It captures the tone and essence of this classic while still making it accessible and meaningful to todays reader. Chozanshis deep understanding of Taoism  Buddhism  Confucianism  and Shinto  as well as his insight into the central role of chi in the universe  are all given thoughtful treatment in Wilsons introduction and extensive endnotes. A provocative book for the general reader  The Demons Sermon will also prove an invaluable addition to the libraries of all those interested in the fundamental principles of the martial arts  and how those principles relate to our existence.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44946720718901,"sku":"ByrdShop_4770030185","price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9784770030184.jpg?v=1769963141","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-demons-sermon-on-the-martial-arts-the-away-of-the-warrior-series","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}