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Quote by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Work

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.

The collection includes 'The Book of Five Rings' by Miyamoto Musashi, a seminal work on strategy and swordsmanship; 'Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai' by Toda Seigen, offering insights into the samurai mindset; and 'Bushido: The Soul of Japan' by Inazo Nitobe, a comprehensive look at samurai ethics and values. more

Author

Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Yamamoto Tsunetomo, a samurai and philosopher from the Edo period in Japan. His life and contributions are not well-documented. more

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“One must know the so-called 'lesson of a downpour. A man, caught in a sudden rain en route, dashes along the road not to get wet or drenched. Once one takes it for granted that in rain he naturally gets wet, he can be in a tranquil frame of mind even when soaked to the skin. This lesson applies to everything.”

“All of man’s work is a bloody business. That fact, today, is considered foolish, affairs are finished cleverly with words alone, and jobs that require effort are avoided. I would like young men to have some understanding of this.”

“Everyone lets the present moment slip by, then looks for it as though he thought it were somewhere else.”

“If a retainer will just think about what he is to do for the day at hand, he will be able to do anything. If it is a single day's work, one should be able to put up with it. Tomorrow, too is but a single day.”

“It is a principle of the art of war that one should simply lay down his life and strike. If one's opponent also does the same, it is a even match. Defeating one's opponent is then a matter of faith and destiny.”