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Miyamoto Musashi Quotes

1580–1645 Japan

Miyamoto Musashi 宮本武蔵 (c. 1584 – 13 June 1645) was a famous Japanese swordsman, believed to have been one of the most skilled swordsmen in history. He founded the Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu, or Nito Ryu style of swordsmanship and wrote Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings) a classic work on strategy, tactics, and philosophy.

Japan
Martial artists
Painters
Philosophers

Also known as: Musashi, Musashi Miyamoto, Musashi, Miyamoto

Random Miyamoto Musashi quote

80 quotes

Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.

Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.

Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.

Be detached from desire your whole life long.

Step by step walk the thousand-mile road.

Go Rin No Sho (1645)

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.

Go Rin No Sho (1645)

You cannot profit from small techniques particularly when full armor is worn. My Way of strategy is the sure method to win when fighting for your life one man against five or ten.

Go Rin No Sho (1645)

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.

Go Rin No Sho (1645)

If you try to wield the long sword quickly you will mistake the Way. To wield the long sword well you must wield it calmly.

Go Rin No Sho (1645)

Some other schools have a liking for extra-long swords. From the point of view of my strategy these must be seen as weak schools.

Go Rin No Sho (1645)

Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself or others.

Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.

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

Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.

Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.

Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.

With water as the basis, the spirit becomes like water. Water adopts the shape of its receptacle, it is sometimes a trickle and sometimes a wild sea.

Go Rin No Sho (1645)

Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.

The spirit is to attack quickly while the enemy is still shooting with bows or guns. The spirit is to win by "treading down" as we receive the enemy's attack.

Go Rin No Sho (1645)

It is difficult to realise the true Way just through sword-fencing. Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things.

Go Rin No Sho (1645)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Miyamoto Musashi (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.