Quotes from Miyamoto Musashi

Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is, and you must bend to its power or live a lie.

Study strategy over the years and achieve the spirit of the warrior. Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.

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

When you have attained the way of strategy there will be nothing that you cannot understand. You will see the way in everything.

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.

It is imperative to master the principles of the art of war and learn to be unmoved in mind even in the heat of the battle.

When you cannot be deceived by men you will have realised the wisdom of strategy.

Crossing at a ford occurs often in a man's lifetime. It means setting sail even though your friends stay in harbour, knowing the route, knowing the soundness of your ship and the favour of the day.

You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well.

The spirit of defeating a man is the same for ten million men. The strategist makes small things into big things, like building a great Buddha from a one foot model.

From inside fortifications, the gun has no equal among weapons. It is the supreme weapon on the field before the ranks clash, but once swords are crossed the gun becomes useless.

If there is a Way involving the spirit of not being defeated, to help oneself and gain honour, it is the Way of Strategy.

The halberd is inferior to the spear on the battlefield. With the spear you can take the initiative, the halberd is defensive.

If you want to learn the craft of war, ponder over this book. The teacher is as a needle, the disciple is as thread. You must practice constantly.

The bow is tactically strong at the commencement of battle, especially battles on a moor, as it is possible to shoot quickly among the spearmen.

Second is the way of the merchant. The wine maker obtains his ingredients and puts them to use to make his living. The way of the merchant is always to live by taking profit.

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.

Polish your wisdom: learn public justice, distinguish between good and evil, study the ways of different arts one by one.

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

Even if a man has no natural ability, he can be a warrior.

No man is invincible, and therefore no man can fully understand that which would make him invincible

The warrior is different in that studying the Way of strategy is based on overcoming men

In time, all things work to your advantage when you pursue them with an open heart.

Whatever your determination or will power, it is foolish to try to change the nature of things. Things work the way they do because that is the way of things