Miyamoto Musashi Quotes

“A thousand days of training to develop, ten thousand days of training to polish. You must examine all this well.”

“Accept everything just the way it is.”

“All man are the same except for their belief in their own selves, regardless of what others may think of them.”

“Be detached from desire your whole life long.”

“Be indifferent to where you live.”

“Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased.

Even when your spirit is calm do not let your body relax, and when your body is relaxed do not let your spirit slacken.

Do not let your spirit be influenced by your body, or your body be influenced by your spirit.”

“Do not act following customary beliefs.”

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

“Do not fear death.”

“Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.”

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

“Do not pursue the taste of good food.”

“Do not regret what you have done.”

“Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.”

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

“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.”

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

“Do nothing that is of no use.”

“From one thing, know ten thousand things.”

“Get beyond love and grief: exist for the good of Man.”

“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.”

“If you do not control the enemy, the enemy will control you”

“If you wish to control others you must first control yourself.”

“Immature strategy is the cause of grief.”

“In all things have no preferences.”

“In the construction of houses, choice of woods is made.

Straight un-knotted timber of good appearance is used for the revealed pillars, straight timber with small defects is used for the inner pillars.

Timbers of the finest appearance, even if a little weak, is used for the thresholds, lintels, doors, and sliding doors, and so on.

Good strong timber, though it be gnarled and knotted, can always be used discreetly in construction.”

“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.”

“It is difficult to understand the universe if you only study one planet.”

“It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways. Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way.”

“Know your enemy, know his sword.”