#Quote
More Quotes by Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when one’s body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of one’s master. And every day without fail one should consider himself as dead
If you are slain in battle, you should be resolved to have your corpse facing the enemy.
There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you will still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything.
A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death.
I have found that the Way of the samurai is death. This means that when you are compelled to choose between life and death, you must quickly choose death.
Light matters should be dealt with seriously. Serious matters should be dealt with lightly.
Even if it seems certain that you will lose, retaliate. Neither wisdom nor technique has a place in this. A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams.
A warrior is worthless unless he rises above others and stands strong in the midst of a storm.
As everything in this world is but a sham, Death is the only sincerity.
It is a wretched thing that the young men of today are so contriving and so proud of their material posessions. Men with contriving hearts are lacking in duty. Lacking in duty, they will have no self-respect.
