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Miyamoto Musashi Quotes

Author

A renowned Japanese swordsman, painter, calligrapher, and military strategist, known as the 'Sword Saint'. Born in 1584 and died on June 13, 1645. Musashi is famous for his unique swordsmanship and philosophical ideas, with his works such as 'The Book of Five Rings' being influential in the field of military strategy.

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All Way Ifs War Strategy Enemy Men Martial Arts Art Warrior Spirit Thinking Study Doe May Mind Training Use Weapons Able Body

Famous Miyamoto Musashi Quotes

“If the enemy thinks of the mountains, attack like the sea; and if he thinks of the sea, attack like the mountains.”

Ifs Thinking Enemy Sea Mountain

Book:Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

Source: Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

“When you attack the enemy, your spirit must go to the extent of pulling the stakes out of a wall and using them as spears and halberds.”

Spirit Enemy Wall Stakes Pulling Spears

Book:The Book of Five Rings: A Text on Kenjutsu and the Martial Arts in General, Written by the Swordsman Miyamoto Musashi

Source: The Book of Five Rings: A Text on Kenjutsu and the Martial Arts in General, Written by the Swordsman Miyamoto Musashi

“Approach the enemy with the attitude of defeating him without delay.”

Attitude Enemy Approach Delay

Author:Miyamoto Musashi

“You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.”

Doe Winning Enemy Knowing Battle Mma Timing

Author:Miyamoto Musashi

“The primary thing when you take a sword in your hands is your intention to cut the enemy, whatever the means. Whenever you parry, hit, spring, strike or touch the enemy's cutting sword, you must cut the enemy in the same movement. It is essential to attain this. If you think only of hitting, springing, striking or touching the enemy, you will not be able actually to cut him.”

Ifs Thinking Mean Hands Able Enemy Cutting Movement Essentials Spring Intention Strikes Primaries Martial Arts Touching Hitting

Book:A Book of Five Rings: With the Unfettered Mind

Source: A Book of Five Rings: With the Unfettered Mind

“Know your enemy, know his sword.”

Knows Enemy

Author:Miyamoto Musashi

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

Ifs Enemy

Author:Miyamoto Musashi

“To become the enemy, see yourself as the enemy of the enemy”

Enemy

Author:Miyamoto Musashi

“The important thing in strategy is to suppress the enemy's useful actions but allow his useless actions”

Important Action Enemy Important Things Strategy Useless Martial Arts

Book:Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

Source: Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

“When you decide to attack, keep calm and dash in quickly, forestalling the enemy...attack with a feeling of constantly crushing the enemy, from first to last.”

Firsts Feelings Lasts Enemy Calm Crush

Book:The Book of Five Rings - The Bestselling, Classic Samurai Guide to Strategy

Source: The Book of Five Rings - The Bestselling, Classic Samurai Guide to Strategy

“When the enemy starts to collapse you must pursue him without the chance of letting go. If you fail to take advantage of your enemies collapse, they may recover.”

Ifs May War Chance Enemy Failing Letting Go Advantage Pursue Collapse

Author:Miyamoto Musashi

“Do not let your spirit be influenced by your body, or your body be influenced by your spirit. Be neither insufficiently spirited or over spirited. An elevated spirit is weak and a low spirit is weak. Do not let the enemy see your spirit.”

War Body Spirit Enemy Lows Weak Your Body Spirited

Book:The Book of Five Rings: A Text on Kenjutsu and the Martial Arts in General, Written by the Swordsman Miyamoto Musashi

Source: The Book of Five Rings: A Text on Kenjutsu and the Martial Arts in General, Written by the Swordsman Miyamoto Musashi

“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.”

War Able Situation Enemy Knowing Appreciate Strikes Rhythm Power Of Nature

Book:Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

Source: Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

“Cutting down the enemy is the way of strategy, and there is no need for many refinements of it.”

Way Needs War Enemy Cutting Strategy Refinement Cutting Down

Book:A Book of Five Rings: With the Unfettered Mind

Source: A Book of Five Rings: With the Unfettered Mind

“To cut and slash are two different things. Cutting, whatever form of cutting it is, is decisive, with a resolute spirit. Slashing is nothing more than touching the enemy.”

Two Different War Form Spirit Enemy Cutting Different Things Touching Resolute Two Different Things

Book:Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

Source: Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

“If you fail to take advantage of your enemies' collapse, they may recover.”

Ifs May Art Enemy Failing Advantage Martial Arts Collapse

Book:Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

Source: Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

“In contests of strategy it is bad to be led about by the enemy. You must always be able to lead the enemy about.”

Able Enemy Strategy Contests

Book:Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

Source: Honor: Samurai Philosophy of Life - The Essential Samurai Collection; The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

“If the enemy stays spirited it is difficult to crush him.”

Ifs Difficult Enemy Military Crush Spirited

Author:Miyamoto Musashi