Miyamoto Musashi quotes - page 4

Some men use a shorter long sword with the intention of jumping in and stabbing the enemy at the unguarded moment when he flourishes his sword. This inclination is bad. To aim for the enemy's unguarded moment is completely defensive, and undesirable at close quarters with the enemy. (Miyamoto Musashi)
In this world it is said, "One inch gives the hand advantage", but these are the idle words of one who does not know strategy. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
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. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
The spirit of fire is fierce, whether the fire be small or big; and so it is with battles. The Way of battles is the same for man to man fights and for ten thousand a side battles. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
To master the virtue of the long sword is to govern the world and oneself, thus the long sword is the basis of strategy. The principle is "strategy by means of the long sword". If he attains the virtue of the long sword, one man can beat ten men. Just as one man can beat ten, so a hundred men can beat a thousand, and a thousand men can beat ten thousand. In my strategy, one man is the same as ten thousand, so this strategy is the complete warrior's craft. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
Until you realise the true Way, whether in Buddhism or in common sense, you may think that things are correct and in order. However, if we look at things objectively, from the viewpoint of laws of the world, we see various doctrines departing from the true Way. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
After that I studied morning and evening searching for the principle, and came to realise the Way of strategy when I was fifty. Since then I have lived without following any particular Way. Thus with the virtue of strategy I practise many arts and abilities - all things with no teacher. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
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. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
It is difficult to know yourself if you do not know others. To all Ways there are side-tracks. If you study a Way daily, and your spirit diverges, you may think you are obeying a good way, but objectively it is not the true Way. If you are following the true Way and diverge a little, this will later become a large divergence. You must realise this. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
The Three Methods to Forestall the Enemy. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
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. In the void is virtue, and no evil. (Miyamoto Musashi)
The Way of strategy is the Way of nature. 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. All this is the Way of the Void. I intend to show how to follow the true Way according to nature in the book of the Void. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
The "mountain-sea" spirit means that it is bad to repeat the same thing several times when fighting the enemy. There may be no help but to do something twice, but do not try it a third time. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
When I reached thirty I looked back on my past. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
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. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
To attain the Way of strategy as a warrior you must study fully other martial arts and not deviate even a little from the Way of the warrior. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
When we are fighting with the enemy, even when it can be seen that we can win on the surface with the benefit of the Way, if his spirit is not extinguished, he may be beaten superficially yet undefeated in spirit deep inside. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
There is no fast way of wielding the long sword. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
I take up my brush to explain the true spirit of this Ichi school as it is mirrored in the Way of heaven and Kwannon. The time is the night of the tenth day of the tenth month, at the hour of the tiger. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
Without the correct principle the fight cannot be won. The spirit of my school is to win through the wisdom of strategy, paying no attention to trifles. Study this well. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
There is a time and a place for use of weapons. (Miyamoto Musashi)
The gaze should be large and broad. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
These things cannot be explained in detail. From one thing, know ten thousand things. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
In my doctrine, I dislike preconceived, narrow spirit. You must study this well. View quote
Miyamoto Musashi
You can win with certainty with the spirit of "one cut". View quote
Miyamoto Musashi