Kamo no Chomei

Essays in Idleness by Kamo no Chomei and Yoshida Kenko offers timeless reflections on Buddhism, nature, and the value of leisure. These two classical Japanese texts, penned by Buddhist monks from medieval Japan, provide a profound glimpse into two contrasting yet deeply philosophical views of life. In the short memoir Hōjōki, Chomei eloquently describes his retreat from the chaos of...

I have relinquished all that ties me to the world, but the one thing that still haunts me is the beauty of the sky. These simple, inspiring writings by three medieval Buddhist monks offer peace and wisdom amid the world's uncertainties, and are an invitation to relinquish earthly desires and instead taste life in the moment. GREAT IDEAS. Throughout history,...

Discover the tranquil wisdom of Chomei's 13th-century masterpiece, Hojoki, as it unveils the beauty of imperfection and the serenity of a simple life amidst the chaos of existence. Hojoki is an introspective poem written in the 13th century by the enigmatic Japanese hermit Kamo no Chomei, who as a young man served in the capital as an official court poet...

Written by a recluse Buddhist priest, Kamo-no-Chomei, in the early 13th century, Hojoki is a social chronicle prompted by a series of calamities, personally observed by the author, that overtook the old capital of Kyoto. By secluding himself in the forested mountains to the east, Chomei sought escape. By eliminating desire, he believed he would be spared the suffering and...