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Miyamoto Musashi

63 quotesDied Jun 13, 1645

Miyamoto Musashi (宮本武蔵, c. 1584 – June 13, 1645), also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was an expert Japanese swordsman and rōnin. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent and unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 60 duels (next is 33 by Itō Ittōsai). He was the founder of the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū or Niten-ryū style of swordsmanship and in his final years authored The Book of Five Rings (五輪の書, Go Rin no Sho), a book on strategy, tactics, and philosophy that is still studied today. 2Biography 3Birth The details of Miyamoto Musashi's early life are difficult to verify. Musashi himself simply states in The Book of Five Rings that he was born in Harima Province. Niten Ki (an early biography of Musashi) supports the theory that Musashi was born in 1584: "[He] was born in Banshū, in Tenshō 12 [1584], the Year of the Monkey." The historian Kamiko Tadashi, commenting on Musashi's text, notes: "[...]Munisai was Musashi's father...he lived in Miyamoto village, in the Yoshino district [of Mimasaka Province]. Musashi was most probably born here." His childhood name was Bennosuke (弁之助). Musashi gives his full name and title in The Book of Five Rings as Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu (新免武蔵守藤原玄信). His father, Shinmen Munisai (新免無二斎) was an accomplished martial artist and master of the sword and jutte (also jitte

All strategy (15)Vision (7)Swordfighting (6)Enemy (5)Knowledge (4)Emptiness (4)Opposites (3)Wisdom (3)Existence (3)Spirit (3)enemies (2)warrior (2)Seize The Moment (2)Mastery (2)Timing (2)

From “The Book of Five Rings”

If the enemy remains spirited it is difficult to crush him.

Enemy strategy Spirit

Whenever you cross swords with an enemy you must not think of cutting him either strongly or weakly; just think of cutting and killing him. Be intent solely on killing the enemy.

Swordfighting Enemy strategy Murder

Study strategy over the years and achieve the spirit of the warrior. Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.

strategy Warrior Spirit victory

If you once make an attack and fail, there is little chance of success if you use the same approach again.

strategy Success Failure

In large-scale strategy, when the enemy starts to collapse you must pursue him without letting the chance go. If you fail to take advantage of your enemies' collapse, they may recover.

strategy Enemy

Waiting is bad. Always quickly re-assume your attitudes to both sides, cut the enemies down as they advance, crushing them in the direction from which they attack. Whatever you do, you must drive the enemy together, as if tying a line of fishes, and when they are seen to be piled up, cut them down…

Swordfighting strategy

You must cultivate your wisdom and spirit. Polish your wisdom: learn public justice, distinguish between good and evil, study the Ways of different arts one by one. When you cannot be deceived by men you will have realized the wisdom of strategy.

Wisdom Spirit Justice Good And Evil strategy

Strategy is the craft of the warrior. Commanders must enact the craft, and troopers should know this Way. There is no warrior in the world today who really understands the Way of strategy.

strategy Craft warrior

Students of the Ichi school Way of strategy should train from the start with the sword and long sword in either hand. This is the truth: when you sacrifice your life, you must make fullest use of your weaponry. It is false not to do so, and to die with a weapon yet undrawn.

strategy Swordfighting Ichi

It is crucial to think of everything as an opportunity to kill.

strategy

You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well.

weapon Familiarity Room for Growth strategy

When your opponent is hurrying recklessly, you must act contrarily and keep calm. You must not be influenced by the opponent.

Opponent calmness strategy influence

From “The Ground Book”

There is timing in everything. Timing in strategy cannot be mastered without a great deal of practice.

Time Timing strategy practice

These things cannot be explained in detail. From one thing, know ten thousand things. When you attain the Way of strategy there will not be one thing you cannot see. You must study hard.

strategy Studying Hard Effort Knowledge

From “The Water Book”

In strategy your spiritual bearing must not be any different from normal. Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased. Even when your spirit is calm do not let your body relax,…

strategy Spirituality calmness Relaxed

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