Few writers have been so prolific and so eloquent in their love of their country’s traditions as world-class author Yukio Mishima. In Part I of her Commentary on the Hagakure, Ming Zhen Shakya discusses Mishima’s obsession with the Samurai ethic. An expert swordsman, he planned meticulously for his death by hara kiri, but nothing about his final day went as planned; and his death became a travesty of a Samurai’s heroic demise.
The Blumenthals reach the limit of desperation as they seek to stop Harold’s conversion and get his wedding to Rebecca annulled. Stella is held captive. Harold’s new friendship with Rabbi Cohen quickly bears fruit. Harold, wondering what he will do with his life, sees the possibilities of converting his ranch to a “Mystic’s Motel and teaching center.” Rabbi Cohen has inspired him to extend spiritual guidance and refuge to others as he, Harold, has found it himself.
The Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun is proud to reprint Ming Zhen Shakya’s series on the Hagakure, an account of Samurai life in seventeenth century Japan. In this introduction to the ten part series, Shi Ming Zhen tells us how “Hidden by the Leaves” i.e., The Hagakure, came into being and compares Samurai and Zen’s Spiritual disciplines.
