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

"To tread down the sword" is a principle often used in strategy. First, in large-scale strategy, when the enemy first discharges bows and guns and then attacks, it is difficult for us to attack if we are busy loading powder into our guns or notching our arrows. 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. In single combat, we cannot get a decisive victory by cutting, with a "tee-dum tee-dum" feeling, in the wake of the enemy's attacking long sword. We must defeat him at the start of his attack, in the spirit of treading him down with the feet, so that he cannot rise again to the attack.

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

The sword has to be more than a simple weapon; it has to be an answer to life's questions.