71 Quotes By Miyamoto Musashi That Will Help You Battle All Odds In Life
Miyamoto Musashi was one of the best known Japanese swordsmen and because he was self-taught in this art, he is also known as rōnin. Though there is not much information about Musashi, yet his book ‘The Book of Five Rings’ (Go Rin no Sho) tells a lot about him and his origin.
He was born at Shinmen Takezo in the Harima Province of Japan and was named Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Genshin. His father Shinmen Munisai was a samurai who was skilled in kenjutsu as well as juttejutsu and this was probably how Musashi developed an inclination towards this combatting art. Shortly after his birth his mother died and hence, he was under the parent ship of his stepmother called Toshiko, but after his father divorced this lady, he was sent to the Shoreian temple to his uncle Dorin who was a monk there. During his stay there he learnt about Zen Buddhism and also given primary education. Not much is known about his family after this point, as his book is more about fighting tactics.
As stated by him, his first achievement as a swordsman was at the age of thirteen when he defeated a samurai named Arima Kibei. From then on, there was no looking back and it was him who first realized that only getting better at handling the sword is not enough. To win a combat one must know other strategies like gauging the moves of the opponent and plan their moves in accordance. Thus, the world was introduced to the book of strategies by Miyamoto Musashi which has not lost the lustre even after centuries.
Here is a treasure of quotes by this impeccable swordsman which will tell you how to move forward in life.
There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.
Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world
You must understand that there is more than one path to the top of the mountain
Do nothing that is of no use
The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having to use them
If you wish to control others you must first control yourself
From one thing, know ten thousand things
You can only fight the way you practice
It is difficult to understand the universe if you only study one planet
Perceive that which cannot be seen with the eye.
In battle, if you you make your opponent flinch, you have already won.
Get beyond love and grief: exist for the good of Man.
Do not regret what you have done
Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.
Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help
Do not sleep under a roof. Carry no money or food. Go alone to places frightening to the common brand of men. Become a criminal of purpose. Be put in jail, and extricate yourself by your own wisdom.
The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is to win
If you do not control the enemy, the enemy will control you
All man are the same except for their belief in their own selves, regardless of what others may think of them
The important thing in strategy is to suppress the enemy's useful actions but allow his useless actions
To know ten thousand things, know one well
Whatever the Way, the master of strategy does not appear fast….Of course, slowness is bad. Really skillful people never get out of time, and are always deliberate, and never appear busy.
You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.
To become the enemy, see yourself as the enemy of the enemy
The true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be useful at any time, and to teach them in such a way that they will be useful in all things.
Know your enemy, know his sword.
Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things.
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.
No man is invincible, and therefore no man can fully understand that which would make him invincible
It is difficult to realize the true Way just through sword-fencing. Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things.
