The Book of Five Rings
A couple years ago I read (most of) The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto (sometimes Shinmen) Musashi (1584-1645). I am glad to say that, following a recent conversation with a friend whom reminded me of it, I have picked the book back up and am re-reading it from the beginning. Musashi was a 17th century samurai. He is still revered to this day due to his incredible talents, in virtually every endeavor. As skilled as Musashi was, his most profound affect on the world was the Book of Five Rings, which he penned mere weeks before his death. In the book, Musashi explains his view of Martial Arts and the Way. He was a master, without a teacher. He was certainly influenced by his contemporaries, of the Kyoto Renaissance, but everything he learned, or did, or thought, was his alone. Here is much that we all can learn from his insightful writings, especially in the area of self-reliance.
I would love to share the entire book with all of you, but since that is a rather preposterous idea for a journal entry, I will jot down an excerpt from Takuan Soho's, The Mysterious Record of Immovable Wisdom. The following concept is covered extensively in Musashi's, The Book of Five Rings.
"What is called Fudo Myo-o [a wrathful manifestation of the central Buddha Vairocana is said to be one's unmoving mind and an unvacillating body. Unvacillating means not being detained by anything. Glancing at something and not stopping the mind is called Immovable. This is because when the mind stops at something, the breast is filled with various judgments, and there are various movements within it. When its movements cease, the stopping mind moves, but does not move at all . . . When you first notice the sword that is moving to strike you, if you think of meeting that sword just as it is, your mind will stop at the sword in just that position, your own movements will be undone, and you will be cut down by your opponent . . .
The action of Spark and Stone . . . underscores the point that the mind should not be detained by things; it says that even with speed it is essential that the mind does not stop. When the mind stops, it will be grasped by the opponent. On the other hand, if the mind contemplates being fast and goes into quick action, it will be captured by its own contemplation . . . Putting the mind in one place is called falling into one-sidedness. One-sidedness is said to be bias in one place. Correctness is in moving about anywhere. The Correct Mind shows itself by extending the mind throughout the body. It is not biased in any one place . . . The effort not to stop the mind in just one place -- this is discipline. Not stopping the mind is the object and essence. Put nowhere, it will be everywhere. Even in moving the mind outside the body, if it is sent in one direction, it will be lacking in nine others. If the mind is not restricted to just one direction, it will be in all ten."
-- Takuan Soho (1573-1645), Zen Buddist priest
And to quote Musuashi himself:
"You will not reach the essence of the martial arts by merely looking at this book. Think that what is written down here was done just for you, and do not consider simply looking at it, familiarizing yourself with it or trying to imitate it. Rather, you should consider these principles as though they were discovered from your own mind, and continually make great efforts to make them a physical part of yourself."
I would love to share the entire book with all of you, but since that is a rather preposterous idea for a journal entry, I will jot down an excerpt from Takuan Soho's, The Mysterious Record of Immovable Wisdom. The following concept is covered extensively in Musashi's, The Book of Five Rings.
"What is called Fudo Myo-o [a wrathful manifestation of the central Buddha Vairocana is said to be one's unmoving mind and an unvacillating body. Unvacillating means not being detained by anything. Glancing at something and not stopping the mind is called Immovable. This is because when the mind stops at something, the breast is filled with various judgments, and there are various movements within it. When its movements cease, the stopping mind moves, but does not move at all . . . When you first notice the sword that is moving to strike you, if you think of meeting that sword just as it is, your mind will stop at the sword in just that position, your own movements will be undone, and you will be cut down by your opponent . . .
The action of Spark and Stone . . . underscores the point that the mind should not be detained by things; it says that even with speed it is essential that the mind does not stop. When the mind stops, it will be grasped by the opponent. On the other hand, if the mind contemplates being fast and goes into quick action, it will be captured by its own contemplation . . . Putting the mind in one place is called falling into one-sidedness. One-sidedness is said to be bias in one place. Correctness is in moving about anywhere. The Correct Mind shows itself by extending the mind throughout the body. It is not biased in any one place . . . The effort not to stop the mind in just one place -- this is discipline. Not stopping the mind is the object and essence. Put nowhere, it will be everywhere. Even in moving the mind outside the body, if it is sent in one direction, it will be lacking in nine others. If the mind is not restricted to just one direction, it will be in all ten."
-- Takuan Soho (1573-1645), Zen Buddist priest
And to quote Musuashi himself:
"You will not reach the essence of the martial arts by merely looking at this book. Think that what is written down here was done just for you, and do not consider simply looking at it, familiarizing yourself with it or trying to imitate it. Rather, you should consider these principles as though they were discovered from your own mind, and continually make great efforts to make them a physical part of yourself."