Wisdom From a Samurai - Miyamoto Musashi, Arguably Japan's Greatest Swordsman
Fall Seven Times, Get Up Eight - Japanese Proverb
Miyamoto Musashi was a Japanese samurai warrior and philosopher. He was arguably one of the best swordsmen of the 17th century.Ā
Here are 7 words of wisdom from this ronin, a term in feudal Japan that means a wandering samurai who had no lord or master. Below, Iāve written short commentaries to supplement his words.Ā
āAnger. Control your anger. If you hold anger toward others, they have control over you. Your opponent can dominate and defeat you if you allow him to get you irritated.ā
If someone has angered you, and it still causes you angst, they own space in your mind. Anger is like drinking salt water. The thirst only grows stronger with every sip. Anger eats up the energy that could be given to other parts of your life. Understand anger by identifying and questioning it. For many, anger is one of their most adversarial enemies.Ā
āWith your spirit open and unconstricted, look at things from a high point ofĀ view.ā
You are the observer of your life, and also the observed. There is an entity within you watching your life unravel right in front of you. Itās the entity that prevails when thoughts from the chattering mind subside. I call it our conscious self. Listen to this voice when the spirit is uneasy.Ā
āDo not regret what you haveĀ done.ā
Forgiving your past is the realization that it could never have been different. Iāve driven myself crazy with regret in the past. Itās a terrible way to live. Whatās done is done. Move on. Hold this as a standard and in the same way, forgive others for their regrets.Ā
āIf there isnāt discipline, how can there be a true realization of anĀ ideal?ā
Become a disciple of discipline. A balanced life is one where a few chosen rituals benefit the mind, body, and spirit. Personally, my search is and always has been to keep the mind healthy, no matter what happens externally. Iāve found that suffering removes suffering. Do something every day that causes tension. Exercise is the easiest form of voluntary suffering.
āStep by step walk the thousand-mile road.ā
Where you are right now is exactly where you need to be, because you couldnāt be anywhere else. Presence isnāt a state of mind, or somewhere you can travel to when it's convenient. Let every moment be one of total awareness and consciousness. Understanding this truth, makes you want to remove things that are of no use.Ā
āRespect Buddha and the gods without counting on theirĀ help.ā
Use the teachings of past contemplatives as guides. However, your own will is the only compass needed for progress. We give too much precedence to things outside of us for assistance. With total accountability, we can develop confidence and a healthier frame of mind. This alone can propel us to tackle any obstacle that finds us.Ā
āThere is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.ā
Rely on yourself for the answers that plague your mind. Having too many choices blinds us. Trust your intuition often. It knows best. Iāve read many self-help, religious, and philosophical books. They have all been useful and Iām grateful to have the ability to assimilate their knowledge to suit my life.Ā
All knowledge is self-knowledge. Use what is needed, and disregard whatās useless, no matter the source. We are all like the blade of a sword. With constant refinement, our life can blossom in unexpected ways, and our perception of the world becomes sharper.
With love,
Anand