Masaaki Hatsumi Quotes

The simplest is always the most difficult.

The first priority to the ninja is to win without fighting.

Learning a technique is not an end in itself, it merely indicates where you need to start.

Forget your sadness, anger, grudges, and hatred. Let them pass like smoke caught in the breeze. You should not deviate from the path of righteousness; you should lead a life worthy of a man. Don't be possessed by greed, luxury, or your ego. You should accept sorrows, sadness and hatred as they are, and consider them a chance for trial given to you by the powers... a blessing given by nature. Have both your mind and your time fully engaged in bud?, and have your mind deeply set on bujutsu.

When weak or injured always continue training as you should always be able to adapt in any condition.

Forget your sadness, anger, grudges and hatred. Let them pass like smoke caught in a breeze. Do not indulge yourself in such feelings.

Nature is your friend; it helps you to win. Your enemy will have unnatural movement, therefore you will be able to know what he is going to do before he does it.

You are not just fighting one opponent. You are fighting the unknown.

If you do something and it saves your life, it was good taijutsu. In a real fight, you aren't worried about what's pretty.

Looking for the meaning of life, one man can discover the order of the universe. To discover the truth, to achieve. a higher spiritual state, that is the true meaning of ninja.

There was a famous Zen master whom people would seek out to become enlightened. He was strict and would occupy people with things having nothing to do with seeking enlightenment. You see, that is the only way to achieve enlightenment; by not focusing on achieving it. Then, one day it will just come to you.

People who cannot respect others for their good qualities - people who only look at the bad in others - are no good themselves. By looking at only the bad points, you open yourself up, and in a real encounter, will most probably be killed.

It's important to make an effort under any circumstance - stagnant, sickness, being in an unstable lifestyle, even when society is insane. You should consider such periods as an omen before you move. When you are stuck on something, it is important to hold to your purpose but not press onward against the current. When you can't move at all, try to concentrate, continuing forward as if in a boat switching to a stronger motor. The keiko that is most important when you cannot move is kage no keiko [shadow training].

Your life is on the line, practice well.

When properly applied, the kamae reflects the ninja's heart. This means that our physical nature conforms to our intentions, and there is no division between our interior and exterior aspects. This state of integrated mind and body action is totally natural, and can be observed readily in the movements of animals as they interact with their environment. Only human beings seem to develop the need to be trained in natural body motion.

Any place we can breathe, we can do Ninjutsu.

Always be able to kill your students

Separate yourself from the technique; separate yourself from yourself.

No more talk. I'm sick of people talking. Train.

What I want you to do is just take it as it is. Don't think too much. If you get involved with thinking about it, the whole thing gets lost or loses its purity. Don't think during practice - DO! The more you think, the further from the truth of budo you get: Budo is NOT an academic subject!

It is important to practice so your movement is the minimum necessary to complete its task.

Move with your feet, the hands will follow.

Those who desire only techniques will never understand this art. It is everything beyond that

Humans have yet to dwell upon the consequences of their actions. People have yet to admit the bad that they do to nature, for example. Actually, most people spend their time finding fault in the action of others, rather than their own.

You must throw away your bad habits to get good.