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dragonlilly's review
5.0
A story of impermanence, seeking to live a peaceful life, and the slight conflict between both.
Quotes that impacted me:
"On flows the river ceaselessly, nor does its water ever stay the same. The bubbles that float upon its pools now disappear, now form anew, but never endure long. And so it is with people in this world, and with their dwellings."
"And I saw other pitiful things besides. Where a man could not bear to part from his wife, or a woman loved her husband dearly, it was always the one whose love was the deeper who died first - in their sympathy for the other they would put themselves second, and give their partner any rare morsel that came their way. So also, if parent and child lived together the parent was always the first to die; a baby would still lie suckling, unaware that its mother was dead."
"In winter, the snow fills me with pathos. The sight of it piling high only to melt and vanish is like the mounting sins that block our path to redemption, which penitence will erase."
"My skill [in the biwa] is poor, but then I do not aim to please the ears of others. I play alone, I sing alone, simply for my own fulfilment."
"The hermit crab prefers a little shell for his home. He knows what the world holds. The osprey chooses the wild shoreline, and this is because he fears mankind. And I too am the same. Knowing what the world holds and its ways, I desire nothing from it, nor chase after its prizes. My one craving is to be at peace, my one pleasure to live free of troubles."
Quotes that impacted me:
"On flows the river ceaselessly, nor does its water ever stay the same. The bubbles that float upon its pools now disappear, now form anew, but never endure long. And so it is with people in this world, and with their dwellings."
"And I saw other pitiful things besides. Where a man could not bear to part from his wife, or a woman loved her husband dearly, it was always the one whose love was the deeper who died first - in their sympathy for the other they would put themselves second, and give their partner any rare morsel that came their way. So also, if parent and child lived together the parent was always the first to die; a baby would still lie suckling, unaware that its mother was dead."
"In winter, the snow fills me with pathos. The sight of it piling high only to melt and vanish is like the mounting sins that block our path to redemption, which penitence will erase."
"My skill [in the biwa] is poor, but then I do not aim to please the ears of others. I play alone, I sing alone, simply for my own fulfilment."
"The hermit crab prefers a little shell for his home. He knows what the world holds. The osprey chooses the wild shoreline, and this is because he fears mankind. And I too am the same. Knowing what the world holds and its ways, I desire nothing from it, nor chase after its prizes. My one craving is to be at peace, my one pleasure to live free of troubles."
dilara86's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
pjv1013's review against another edition
3.0
Entre o diário e o poético. Entre as pequenas histórias e as desgraças maiores. Entre o retrato e a reflexão.
Este é um texto estranho, um livro inusitado. Sinceramente foi uma leitura em que não consegui fruir e me envolver.
Mas tem pedaços belos como este:
“Em tais ocasiões é bastante comum que as pessoas se convençam da impermanência das coisas terrenas, aconselhem o desapego a essas coisas e a libertarmo-nos das impurezas dos nossos corações. Mas com o passar dos meses e dos anos deixamos de os ouvir formular tais reflexões. Parece-me, pois, que todas as dificuldades da vida surgem dessa natureza evanescente e efémera do homem e da sua morada”.
Este é um texto estranho, um livro inusitado. Sinceramente foi uma leitura em que não consegui fruir e me envolver.
Mas tem pedaços belos como este:
“Em tais ocasiões é bastante comum que as pessoas se convençam da impermanência das coisas terrenas, aconselhem o desapego a essas coisas e a libertarmo-nos das impurezas dos nossos corações. Mas com o passar dos meses e dos anos deixamos de os ouvir formular tais reflexões. Parece-me, pois, que todas as dificuldades da vida surgem dessa natureza evanescente e efémera do homem e da sua morada”.
lidia7's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
i'm glad to have read this
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
bookwaffle's review
4.0
"To understand
the world of today,
hold it up
to the world
of long ago."
Chomei went full out on tragedies happening in Japan. This book wasn't easy for me to understand, but it was short and simple enough to comprehend after a while. Chomei isolated himself, by living in a cave, after the chaos erupting in Japan - from earthquakes to fires - and it seems that he begins to question the integrity and the reasoning behind people`s motives. This is tied to a religious-like standpoint, but it still holds. He talks about people, their motives, and how we want others to do something for us rather than ourselves. Near the end, we also see him having self-doubt over his decision and whether it was right or not. I would tie most of this book to understanding human behaviour, greed, the border on caring for others - which is important not to cross - and how crucial peace should be in our hearts and how to acquire it.
For a book that was released, more or less, 800 years ago, it is astonishing how little the world has changed concerning the things I wrote about in the last paragraph. This circles back to the quote I used, which makes me think about whether or not humans have changed, over the last 800 years, and it seems to me that it hasn't. Chomei underlines the importance of being around people, as well as tying to a moment of peace where his actions, and words, won't be judged by his fellows. This peace he talks about, makes me think of our perception of ourselves, and the people around us. And as he neatly wrote:
"Reality depends
upon your mind alone."
In short: Chomei expresses his concern over human capabilities on being a part of society and distancing ourselves from it, as he urges most of us to not follow blindly, nor distance ourselves from the ones around us.
"If you entrust yourself
to the care of others
you will be owned by them.
If you care for others
you will be enslaved
by your own solicitude.
If you conform to the world
it will bind your hand and foot.
If you do not, then
it will think you are mad."
the world of today,
hold it up
to the world
of long ago."
Chomei went full out on tragedies happening in Japan. This book wasn't easy for me to understand, but it was short and simple enough to comprehend after a while. Chomei isolated himself, by living in a cave, after the chaos erupting in Japan - from earthquakes to fires - and it seems that he begins to question the integrity and the reasoning behind people`s motives. This is tied to a religious-like standpoint, but it still holds. He talks about people, their motives, and how we want others to do something for us rather than ourselves. Near the end, we also see him having self-doubt over his decision and whether it was right or not. I would tie most of this book to understanding human behaviour, greed, the border on caring for others - which is important not to cross - and how crucial peace should be in our hearts and how to acquire it.
For a book that was released, more or less, 800 years ago, it is astonishing how little the world has changed concerning the things I wrote about in the last paragraph. This circles back to the quote I used, which makes me think about whether or not humans have changed, over the last 800 years, and it seems to me that it hasn't. Chomei underlines the importance of being around people, as well as tying to a moment of peace where his actions, and words, won't be judged by his fellows. This peace he talks about, makes me think of our perception of ourselves, and the people around us. And as he neatly wrote:
"Reality depends
upon your mind alone."
In short: Chomei expresses his concern over human capabilities on being a part of society and distancing ourselves from it, as he urges most of us to not follow blindly, nor distance ourselves from the ones around us.
"If you entrust yourself
to the care of others
you will be owned by them.
If you care for others
you will be enslaved
by your own solicitude.
If you conform to the world
it will bind your hand and foot.
If you do not, then
it will think you are mad."
mariarunkelcardoso's review against another edition
3.5
Completamente aleatório, mas o meu pai tinha comprado o livro porque gostou muito do primeiro excerto. E de facto essa primeira páginas é linda!
Basicamente é um livro escrito entre 1170 e 1212 no Japão, um homem que vive na cidade e que depois se muda para uma cabana e dedica-se ao budismo. Este livro são os seus diários quase, relata pensamento sobre a vida, sobre as inúmeras catástrofes que viveu - terramotos, tsunamis, fomes, pestes e incêncios. Bem como algumas reflexões da vida e da morte, da materializade das coisas e desejos. É muito interessante pensar que muitos dos pensamentos que temos, sempre os tivemos. A questão da temporalidade aqui fritou-me um bocado. Mas gostei bastante.
Basicamente é um livro escrito entre 1170 e 1212 no Japão, um homem que vive na cidade e que depois se muda para uma cabana e dedica-se ao budismo. Este livro são os seus diários quase, relata pensamento sobre a vida, sobre as inúmeras catástrofes que viveu - terramotos, tsunamis, fomes, pestes e incêncios. Bem como algumas reflexões da vida e da morte, da materializade das coisas e desejos. É muito interessante pensar que muitos dos pensamentos que temos, sempre os tivemos. A questão da temporalidade aqui fritou-me um bocado. Mas gostei bastante.
qwordyq's review
5.0
Had to read this for class but it’s very engaging and interesting so I wanted to put it in my read list of the year. I find myself agreeing a lot with Chomei’s reasonings and mentality and wonder if I should go build a ten foot hut in the woods and maybe I’d be happier. His observations of the disasters at the time are striking and horrific but truthful. His critique on civilization is often how I find myself thinking of the world are me. I definitely would recommend reading this and I hope I get to read it entirely in the original Classical Japanese someday.