The Zen Journal and Letters of an Irish Woman in Japan
A statue stands in the grounds of a monastery in Northern Japan of a 27 year old Irish woman who became a Zen monk and is now venerated as a Buddhist saint.
Maura 'Soshin' O'Halloran went to Japan at the age of 24, where she began to study in an old temple tucked away in the back streets of Tokyo. From there she moved to a remote temple in Northern Japan and started her formal Zen training. One thousand days later she received the dharma transmission of her Roshi. Six months later, while returning to Ireland, she met her tragic death in a road accident.
'Pure Heart, Enlightened Mind' is a collection of Maura's journals and letters home during the three year period of her taining. They serve as a powerful record of one woman's journey to her destiny. Through her lively , humorous and sharp observation, Maura eloquently describes the rigours, hardships and ultimate joys of Zen training and temple life. Through her writing she reveals an endless sense of compassion that will deeply touch everyone who reads this book.
