Wisdom of the Masters Ryokan ~ This Floating World ~ Zen Buddhism
Apr 8, 2026
Gentle meditative readings paint the hermit life of a Sōtō Zen monk and his simple, solitary days. Poems explore longing for the world even after withdrawal. Images of compassionate shelter, a quiet valley stream, and leaning against a pine evoke nature as practice. Breath counting and the hidden moon offer moments of fleetingness and luminous surprise.
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Solitude With Compassion
- Living quietly can coexist with deep compassion for others.
- Samaneri Jayasara reads Ryōkan describing solitude under a mountain while still thinking constantly of the people of the floating world.
Purity Through Quiet Example
- True purity is shown gently rather than shouted.
- The valley stream 'never shouts' but 'purify yourself' by simply being, as Ryōkan's verse suggests through imagery of water and a solitary pine.
Use Breath To See Continuity
- Attend to breath to reveal the fleeting yet continuous nature of life.
- Repeated lines 'The breath going out. The breath coming in.' point to using breath awareness as proof that the world never ends.