Miyamoto Musashi Quotes - Page 3

The primary thing when you take a sword in your hands is your intention to cut the enemy, whatever the means. Whenever you parry, hit, spring, strike or touch the enemy's cutting sword, you must cut the enemy in the same movement. It is essential to attain this. If you think only of hitting, springing, striking or touching the enemy, you will not be able actually to cut him.

When you decide to attack, keep calm and dash in quickly, forestalling the enemy...attack with a feeling of constantly crushing the enemy, from first to last.

If you do not look at things on a large scale, it will be difficult to master strategy.

Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.

The Way is in training... Do nothing which is not of value.

Do not let your opponent see your spirit

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 if a man has no natural ability, he can be a warrior.

Unless you really understand others, you can hardly attain your own self-understanding.

Polish your wisdom: learn public justice, distinguish between good and evil, study the ways of different arts one by one.

Water adopts the shape of its receptacle, it is sometimes a trickle and sometimes a wild sea.

A bullet from a gun does not make a distinction between practice and combat. You are training to be one and the same way in your life

If you fail to take advantage of your enemies' collapse, they may recover.

People in this world look at things mistakenly, and think that what they do not understand must be the void. This is not the true void. It is bewilderment.

Know your enemy, know his sword.

Do not regret what you have done

No man is invincible, and therefore no man can fully understand that which would make him invincible. Even with complete and thorough study there is always the possibility of being defeated and although one may be expert in a particular form, mastery is something a man never stops seeking to attain.

If you do not control the enemy, the enemy will control you

Do not act following customary beliefs.

Also by training you will be able to freely control your own body, conquer men with your body, and with sufficient training you will be able to beat ten men with your spirit. When you have reached this point, will it not mean that you are invincible?

...most warriors only perform tricks. The way of the warrior is filled with soul and feeling

When you appreciate the power of nature, knowing the rhythm of any situation, you will be able to hit the enemy naturally and strike naturally.

In all forms of strategy, it is necessary to maintain the combat stance in everyday life and to make your everyday stance your combat stance.

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.

You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.