Author Description

Introduction: "... A haiku is an awakening and the Buddha is The Awakened One who wishes all of us to come to an awakening, sooner or later. Yes, a true haiku is a true awakening. It is an awakening to universal insights experienced by people of all beliefs and none: 'The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower booms.' This is the Buddhist mind, the open, universal mind, the awakened mind, the joyous mind (even in hard times), the haiku mind as expressed beautifully above by Thich Nhat Hanh... This anthology contrasts haiku by major and minor Japanese Haijin (haiku masters) with contemporary practitioners..."--Pages i-ii