Miyamoto Musashi Quotes

it is bad to repeat the same thing several times when fighting the enemy.

In the Way of my school, it is proper procedure for novices to train by wielding a long sword in one hand and a short sword in the other. This is crucial. When the time comes to abandon life in combat, a warrior must make full use of all the weapons at his disposal. To perish with a weapon uselessly sheathed at one’s side is shameful.

"Enemy "To become the enemy" means to think yourself in the enemy's position. In the world people tend to think of a robber trapped in a house as a fortified enemy. However, if we think of "becoming the enemy", we feel that the whole world is against us and that there is no escape. He who is shut inside is a pheasant. He who enters to arrest is a hawk. You must appreciate this."

Think lightly of yourself, and deeply of the World

The important thing in strategy is to suppress the enemy's useful actions but allow his useless actions. However, doing this alone is defensive. First, you must act according to the Way, suppressing the enemy's techniques, foiling his plans and thence command him

Enact strategy broadly, correctly and openly. Then you will come to think of things in a wide sense and, taking the void as the Way, you will see the Way as void.

...kako god bilo, svako je od nas kao ljudskim bićima neophodno njegovati i usavršavati vlastiti individualni put.

Cualquiera que sea la guardia que adoptéis, no penséis en ella como en una posición defensiva; consideradla como una parte del acto de matar.

Westener might say “The pen is mightier than the sword”, the Japanese would say “Bunbu Itchi”, or “Pen and sword in accord”.

The gaze should be large and broad. This is the twofold gaze “Perception and Sight”. Perception is strong and sight weak.

Train assiduously, with the teacher serving as the needle and the student as the thread.31

Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things. As if it were a straight road mapped out on the ground ... 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

The way to do battle is the same whether it is a battle between one individual and another or a battle between one army and another. You should observe reflectively, with overall awareness of the large picture as well as precise attention to small details.

"To become the enemy" means to think yourself in the enemy's position

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