Since i have saw the higlander 3 the sorcerer,I have add this question. In the film they show him making is sword he as a stone writen on it knowledge. And he seams to meditate every day making is sword. Today there is only 30 traditionnal japanese sword maker and many of them say that they have drop the ceremonial part of the tradition. But was there a deeper aspect(psycho-spiritual,meditation) to sword making? We know that alchemist where not only about metal but about hiden spiritual truth. so maybe it was the same for japanese sword maker?

here is what i have found so far:From the 13th century when the legendary founder and pioneer Motoshige first began making swords in Seki, they were much appreciated throughout Japan. Warlords praised them highly, as we may gather from the old saying: "They neither break nor bend and cut marvelously well." Down through the ages the craftsmen of Seki remained faithful to the secrets of their ancestral art as well as to the Buddhist teaching of Hajya Kensho, which translated literally means: "Smash vice and iniquity, and restore light to righteousness." Clad in their white robes to keep themselves free from defilement, these men forged blades in a spirit of inner emptiness, a characteristic goal of Buddhist spirituality which may explain why so many master sword-makers went on to become famous performers of No and of Kyogen, the comical counterpart of No. Even today the swordsmiths of Seki carry on this 700-year tradition. Some of them say that the flame is the most important element in producing a blade. They say that its color or appearance teaches them everything they need to know, from the state of the steel to the precise moment when the bellows must be brought into play. The flame is their master and friend, and through it they remain in touch with the spirit and art of their predecessors.

http://www.braskai.net/en/story/ki04.html

Kenshō [note 1] is a Japanese term from the Zen tradition. Ken means "seeing," shō means "nature, essence".[4][2]

Kenshō is an initial insight or awakening, not full Buddhahood.[5] It is to be followed by further training to deepen this insight, and learn to express it in daily life.[6][7][8]

The term kenshō is often used interchangeably with satori, which is derived from the verb satoru[9], and means "comprehension; understanding"

Buddhist scholars have defined kenshō as:

D.T. Suzuki: "Looking into one's nature or the opening of satori"[16]; "This acquiring of a new point of view in our dealings with life and the world is popularly called by Japanese Zen students 'satori' (wu in Chinese). It is really another name for Enlightenment (Annuttara-samyak-sambodhi)".[17][note 4] Dumoulin (1988/2005): "Enlightenment is described here as an insight into the identity of one's own nature with all of reality in an eternal now, as a vision that removes all distinctions. This enlightenment is the center and the goal of the Zen way. Hakuin prefers the term "seeing into one's nature", which for him means ultimate reality. The Buddha nature and the cosmic Buddha body, wisdom (prajna), and emptiness (sunyata), the original countenance one had before one was born, and other expressions from the rich palette of Mahayana terms were all familiair to him from his continued study of the sutras and Zen literature."[19] Peter Harvey (1990): "It is a blissful realization where a person's inner nature, the originally pure mind, is directly known as an illuminating emptiness, a thusness which is dynamic and immanent in the world."[20] G. Victor Sogen Hori (2000): "The term consists of two characters: ken, which means "see" or "seeing", and sho, which means "nature", "character", "quality." To "see one's nature" is the usual translation for kensho".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensh%C5%8D

on the same page i have found this:The notion of "experience" introduces a false notion of duality between "experiencer" and "experienced", where-as the essence of kensho is the realisation of the "non-duality" of observer and observed.[23][26] "Pure experience" does not exist; all experience is mediated by intellectual and cognitive activity.[27][46] The specific teachings and practices of a specific tradition may even determine what "experience" someone has, which means that this "experience" is not the proof of the teaching, but a result of the teaching.[47] A pure consciousness without concepts, reached by "cleaning the doors of perception"[note 8], would be an overwhelming chaos of sensory input without coherence.[49] The notion of "experience" also over-emphasises kensho, as if it were the single goal of Zen-training, where-as the Zen-tradition clearly states that "the stink of Zen"[50] has to be removed and the "experience" of kensho has to be integrated into daily life.

smile ha ha ha. I wounder why people meditate for over 40 days to solve their own inner puzzle,to not be double minded and move out of duality. sure the more puzzle you have on the table the more confusion you will have, know your self and solve them.

Hakuin was alot like Osho he add understand that when you doubt you seek the truth.

The most important and influential teaching of Hakuin was his emphasis on, and systematization of, koan practice. Hakuin deeply believed that the most effective way for a student to achieve insight was through extensive meditation on a koan. Only with incessant investigation of his koan will a student be able to become one with the koan, and attain enlightenment. The psychological pressure and doubt that comes when one struggles with a koan is meant to create tension that leads to awakening. Hakuin called this the "great doubt", writing, "At the bottom of great doubt lies great awakening. If you doubt fully, you will awaken fully".

Four ways of knowingAsanga, one of the main proponents of Yogacara, introduced the idea of four ways of knowing: the perfection of action, observing knowing, universal knowing, and great mirror knowing. He relates these to the Eight Consciousnesses:

1.The five senses are connected to the perfection of action, 2.Samjana (cognition) is connected to observing knowing, 3.Manas (mind) is related to universal knowing, 4.Alaya-vijnana is connected to great mirror knowing.[19] In time, these ways of knowing were also connected to the doctrine of the three bodies of the Buddha (Dharmakāya, Sambhogakāya and Nirmanakaya), together forming the "Yuishiki doctrine".[19]

Hakuin related these four ways of knowing to four gates on the Buddhist path: the Gate of Inspiration, the Gate of Practice, the Gate of Awakening, and the Gate of Nirvana.[20]

1.The Gate of Inspiration is initial awakening, kensho, seeing into one's true nature. 2.The Gate of Practice is the purification of oneself by continuous practice. 3.The Gate of Awakening is the study of the ancient masters and the Buddhist sutras, to deepen the insight into the Buddhist teachings, and acquite the skills needed to help other sentient beings on the Buddhist path to awakening. 4.The Gate of Nirvana is the "ultimate liberation", "knowing without any kind of defilement

One of Hakuin's major concerns was the danger of what he called "Do-nothing Zen" teachers, who upon reaching some small experience of enlightenment devoted the rest of their life to, as he puts it, "passing day after day in a state of seated sleep".[21] Quietist practices seeking simply to empty the mind, or teachers who taught that a tranquil "emptiness" was enlightenment, were Hakuin's constant targets. In this regard he was especially critical of followers of the maverick Zen master Bankei.[22] He stressed a never-ending and severe training to deepen the insight of enlightenment and forge one's ability to manifest it in all activities.[17][18] He urged his students to never be satisfied with shallow attainments, and truly believed that enlightenment was possible for anyone if they exerted themselves and approached their practice with real energy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakuin

Experience and enjoy.

My research stopped at: garbha-samsthana,did not find anny thing more after that.