Musashi Miyamoto - The Book of Five Rings

Table of Contents

The Book of Five Rings Musashi Miyamoto

Introduction Introduction I have been many years training in the Way of Strategy, called Ni Ten Ichi Ryu, and now I think I will explain it in writing for the first time. It is now during the first ten days of the tenth month in the twentieth year of Kanei (1645). I have climbed mountain Iwato of Higo in Kyushu to pay homage to heaven, pray to Kwannon, and kneel before Buddha. I am a warrior of Harima province, Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin, age sixty years. From youth my heart has been inclined toward the Way of Strategy. My first duel was when I was thirteen, I struck down a strategist of the Shinto school, one Arima Kihei. When I was sixteen I struck down an able strategist Tadashima Akiyama. When I was twenty-one I went up to the capital and met all manner of strategists, never once failing to win in many contests. After that I went from province to province dueling with strategist of various schools, and not once failed to win even though I had as many as sixty encounters. This was between the ages of thirteen and twenty-eight or twenty-nine. When I reached thirty I looked back on my past. The previous victories were not due to my having mastered strategy. Perhaps it was natural ability, or the order of heaven, or that other schools' strategy was inferior. After that I studied morning and evening searching for the principle, and came to realize the Way of Strategy when I was fifty. Since then I have lived without following any particular Way. Thus with the virtue of strategy I practice many arts and abilities - all things with no teacher. To write this book I did not use the law of Buddha or the teachings of Confucius, neither old war chronicles nor books on martial tactics. I take up my brush to explain the true spirit of this Ichi school as it is mirrored in the Way of heaven and Kwannon. The time is the night of the tenth day of the tenth month, at the hour of the tiger (3-5 a.m.)

Chapter 1 THE GROUND BOOK

The Way of Strategy

Comparing the Way of the Carpenter to Strategy

The Way of Strategy

Outline of the Five Books of this Book of Strategy

The Name Ichi Ryu Ni To (One school - two swords)

The Benefit of the Two Characters Reading "Strategy"

The Benefit of Weapons in Strategy

Timing in Strategy

Chapter 2 THE WATER BOOK

Spiritual Bearing in Strategy

Stance in Strategy

The Gaze in Strategy

Holding the Long Sword

Footwork

The Five Attitudes

The Way of the Long Sword

The Five Approaches

The "Attitude No-Attitude" Teaching

To Hit the Enemy "In One Timing"

The "Abdomen Timing of Two"

No Design, No Conception

The Flowing Water Cut

Continuous Cut

The Fire and Stones

The Red Leaves Cut

The Body in Place of the Long Sword

Cut and Slash

Chinese Monkey's Body

Glue and Lacquer Emulsion Body

To Strive for Height

To Apply Stickiness

The Body Strike

Three Ways to Parry His Attack

To Stab at the Face

To Stab at the Heart

To Scold "Tut-TUT!"

The Smacking Parry

There are Many Enemies

The Advantage when Coming to Blows

One Cut

Direct Communication

Chapter 3 THE FIRE BOOK

Depending on the Place

The Three Methods to Forestall the Enemy

The First - Ken No Sen

The Second - Tai No Sen

The Third - Tai Tai No Sen

To Hold Down a Pillow

Crossing at a Ford

To Know the Times

To Tread Down the Sword

To Know "Collapse"

To Become the Enemy

To Release Four Hands

To Move the Shade

To Hold Down a Shadow

To Pass On

To Cause Loss of Balance

To Frighten

To Soak In

To Injure the Corners

To Throw into Confusion

The Three Shouts

To Mingle

To Crush

The Mountain-Sea Change

To Penetrate the Depths

To Renew

Rat's Head, Ox's Neck

The Commander Knows the Troops

To Let Go the Hilt

The Body of a Rock

Chapter 4 THE WIND BOOK

Other Schools Using Extra-Long Swords

The Strong Long Sword Spirit in Other Schools

Use of the Shorter Long Sword in Other Schools

Other Schools with many Methods of using the Long Sword

Fixing the Eyes in Other Schools

Use of the Feet in Other Schools

Speed in Other Schools

"Interior" and "Surface" in Other Schools

Chapter 5 THE BOOK OF THE VOID

AUDIO BOOK

Published:1644 Categorie(s):Non-Fiction, Human Science, Philosophy

I have been many years training in the Way of Strategy, called Ni Ten Ichi Ryu, and now I think I will explain it in writing for the first time.

It is now during the first ten days of the tenth month in the twentieth year of Kanei (1645). I have climbed mountain Iwato of Higo in Kyushu to pay homage to heaven, pray to Kwannon, and kneel before Buddha. I am a warrior of Harima province, Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin, age sixty years. From youth my heart has been inclined toward the Way of Strategy.

My first duel was when I was thirteen, I struck down a strategist of the Shinto school, one Arima Kihei. When I was sixteen I struck down an able strategist Tadashima Akiyama. When I was twenty-one I went up to the capital and met all manner of strategists, never once failing to win in many contests.

After that I went from province to province dueling with strategist of various schools, and not once failed to win even though I had as many as sixty encounters. This was between the ages of thirteen and twenty-eight or twenty-nine. When I reached thirty I looked back on my past. The previous victories were not due to my having mastered strategy. Perhaps it was natural ability, or the order of heaven, or that other schools' strategy was inferior.

After that I studied morning and evening searching for the principle, and came to realize the Way of Strategy when I was fifty. Since then I have lived without following any particular Way. Thus with the virtue of strategy I practice many arts and abilities - all things with no teacher. To write this book I did not use the law of Buddha or the teachings of Confucius, neither old war chronicles nor books on martial tactics. I take up my brush to explain the true spirit of this Ichi school as it is mirrored in the Way of heaven and Kwannon. The time is the night of the tenth day of the tenth month, at the hour of the tiger (3-5 a.m.)

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