Miyamoto Musashi Vagabond Quotes

To cut and slash are two different things. Cutting, whatever form of cutting it is, is decisive, with a resolute spirit. Slashing is nothing more than touching the enemy. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Crossing at a ford occurs often in a man's lifetime. It means setting sail even though your friends stay in harbour, knowing the route, knowing the soundness of your ship and the favour of the day. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Any man who wants to master the essence of my strategy must research diligently, training morning and evening. Thus can he polish his skill, become free from self, and realise extraordinary ability. He will come to possess miraculous power. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

When you have attained the way of strategy there will be nothing that you cannot understand. You will see the way in everything. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having to use them ~ Miyamoto Musashi

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. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Under the sword lifted high, There is hell making you tremble. But go ahead, And you have the land of bliss. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

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. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Then you will come to see things in an all-encompassing sense and, taking the void as the Way, you will see the Way as void.

In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom exists, principle exists, the way exists. Spirit is Void. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Speed in the martial arts is not the True Way. Concerning speed, we say that something is fast or slow depending on whether it misses the rhythm of things. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

When in a fight to the death, one wants to employ all one's weapons to the utmost. I must say that to die with one's sword still sheathed is most regrettable. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

In battle, if you you make your opponent flinch, you have already won. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

The important thing is to polish wisdom and the mind in great detail. If you sharpen wisdom, you will understand what is just and unjust in society and also the good and the evil of this world; then you will come to know all kinds of arts and you will tread different ways. In this manner, no one in this world will succeed in deceiving you. It is after this stage that you will arrive at the wisdom of strategy. The wisdom of strategy is entirely distinct. Even right in the middle of a battle where everything is in rapid movement, it is necessary to attain the most profound principle of strategy, which assures you an immovable mind. You must examine this well. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

When you and your opponent are fighting and nothing is going right, nor is there progress, be of a mind to throw off your former intention and start entirely anew. Take on another rhythm and see your way to victory. With Renewal, whenever you think that you and your opponent are just grating along, you should change your mind on the spot and take the victory by using another tactic. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

As if with the nut and flower, the nut has become less than the flower ... both those teaching and those learning are concerned with colouring and showing off their technique, trying to hasten the bloom of the flower. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Though you give up your life, do not give up your honor. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

The fact of the matter is that the world does not care about you or me, our hopes, our desires, or our dreams. And, the world of dreams, hopes, and desires that is constructed between our ears it is not necessarily a reflection of what is actually going on around us. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

It may seem difficult at first, but all things are difficult at first. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Never stray from the Way. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

The warrior is different in that studying the Way of strategy is based on overcoming men ~ Miyamoto Musashi

If you are not progressing along the true way, a slight twist in the mind can become a major twist. This must be pondered well. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

You should not have any special fondness for a particular weapon, or anything else, for that matter. Too much is the same as not enough. Without imitating anyone else, you should have as much weaponry as suits you. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

What is essential is to suddenly make a move totally unexpected by the opponent, pick up on the advantage of fright, and seize the victory right then and there. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

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

Get beyond love and grief: exist for the good of Man. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

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. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

There are many ways of understanding simple things, but generally the opposite is true for difficult ideas ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Do not act following customary beliefs. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

In the Way of the Martial Arts, do not let your frame of mind be any different from your everyday mind. In both everyday and military events, your mind should not change in the least, but should be broad and straightforward, neither drawn too tight nor allowed to slacken even a little....Do not let your mind stand still even when you are in repose, but do not let it speed up even when you are involved in quick actions. The mind should not be distracted by the body, nor the body distracted by the mind. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Fourthly, the way of the artisan. The way of the carpenter is to become proficient in the use of his tools, first to lay his plans with true measure and then perform his work according to plan. Thus he passes through life. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

The purpose of today's training is to defeat yesterday's understanding. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Do not waste time idling or thinking after you have set your goals ~ Miyamoto Musashi

The path that leads to truth is littered with the bodies of the ignorant. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

From inside fortifications, the gun has no equal among weapons. It is the supreme weapon on the field before the ranks clash, but once swords are crossed the gun becomes useless. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

The halberd is inferior to the spear on the battlefield. With the spear you can take the initiative, the halberd is defensive. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

See to it that you temper yourself with one thousand days of practice, and refine yourself with ten thousand days of training. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

1. Accept everything just the way it is.
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
5. Be detached from desire your whole life long.
6. Do not regret what you have done.
7. Never be jealous.
8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11. In all things have no preferences.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15. Do not act following customary beliefs.
16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
17. Do not fear death.
18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19. Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
20. You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.
21. Never stray from the Way. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Becoming the opponent means you should put yourself in an opponent's place and think from the opponent's point of view. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Teaching people a large number of sword techniques254 is turning the way into a business of selling goods, making beginners believe that there is something profound in their training by impressing them with a variety of techniques. This attitude toward strategy must be avoided, because thinking that there is a variety of ways of cutting a man down is evidence of a disturbed mind. In the world, different ways of cutting a man down do not exist. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Immature strategy is the cause of grief". ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Even if you strive diligently on your chosen path day after day, if your heart is not in accord with it, then even if you think you are on a good path, from the point of view of the straight and true, this is not a genuine path. If you do not pursue a genuine path to its consummation, then a little bit of crookedness in the mind will later turn into a major warp. Reflect on this. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

There is even rhythm in being empty. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

Respect the gods and buddhas, but never rely on them. ~ Miyamoto Musashi

It is difficult to understand the universe if you only study one planet ~ Miyamoto Musashi