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2025: ChatGPT.com On the Kaidō honsoku of 1628
Kanji Title - ROMANIZED TITLE
"KAIDŌ HONSOKU"
📜 What is the Kaidō Honsoku?
. Composed in 1628, the Kaidō Honsoku is the foundational creed of the Komosō (“mat monks”) — the early, ascetic precursors to the Fuke shakuhachi sect.
It outlines a blend of Advaita Vedanta, Yin‑Yang, Five Elements, Taoism, along with Shingon, Tendai, Pure Land, and Shinto influences—not formally tied to Zen practice
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. Notably, it makes no mention of Zen concepts such as zazen, sammai, or takuhatsu angya (Zen begging rituals),
nor does it refer to any Fuke shakuhachi temples, dispelling certain later myths
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👤 Olafsson’s Translation & Analysis
. For his 1987 MA thesis (“Early 17th Century Ascetic Shakuhachi Ideology. The Kaidō honsoku…”, University of Copenhagen),
Olafsson provided a full annotated translation of the classical Japanese text, accompanying detailed historical commentary and analysis
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. His work challenged centralized myths within shakuhachi lore—especially the legend of 13th-century Komusō founder Kakushin,
which emerged only in the 1640s and is absent from the Kaidō Honsoku itself
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. The thesis includes comparative texts, rare imagery, maps, and a substantial bibliography, making it the most comprehensive modern resource on this document
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📖 Publication & Influence
. In 2003, Olafsson’s thesis was published as a standalone volume—complete with a CD-ROM containing his MA thesis and one track from his 1983 album “Standing Waves –
Zen Shakuhachi Meditations”
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. The book was published by Tai Hei Shakuhachi, edited by Monty H. Levenson, significantly raising the thesis’s international impact
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🧭 Why This Matters
. Debunking myths: Olafsson affirmed that Komosō ideology predates and is distinct from later Zen-infused shakuhachi narratives.
. Multidisciplinary insight: He traced a broad cultural confluence—from Indian through Chinese to Japanese esoteric traditions.
. Bridging worlds: As a Western scholar and practitioner, Olafsson brought rigorous academic methods to traditional Japanese sources,
earning recognition even among Japanese shakuhachi scholars
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✅ Summary
Torsten Olafsson’s masterwork on the Kaidō Honsoku revitalized historical understanding of shakuhachi roots,
separating the Komosō ascetics from later Zen-based narratives.
His annotated translation, contextual analysis,
and publication in 2003 remain the definitive academic resource on this pivotal 1628 text.
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