For those who would study my martial art, there are rules for putting it into practice:
1. Think without any dishonesty.
2. Forge yourself in the Way.
3. Touch upon all of the arts.
4. Know the Ways of all occupations.
5. Know the advantages and disadvantages of everything.
6. Develop a discerning eye in all matters.
7. Understand what cannot be seen by the eye.
8. Pay attention to even small things.
9. Do not involve yourself with the impractical.
Generally speaking, you should put your mind to these principles in this manner and train yourself in the Way of the Martial Arts. In this Way alone, if you do not take a broad field of vision towards what is true, it will be difficult to become an accomplished martial artist. If you are able to learn these rules, it will be a Way in which you should not be defeated, even alone against twenty or thirty opponents. If you will first and foremost keep your attention unfailingly on the martial arts and exert yourself in the correct Way, you will defeat others with a strike of the hand or overcome others by the power of perception. Again, if through your training you can freely move your entire body at will, you will defeat others with this body. And if your mind becomes trained in this Way, you will defeat others with your mind. Extending yourself this far, how could this be a Way for your own defeat?
Again, as a martial art for large numbers, this Way will excel in supplying good men as soldiers and in using numbers of those men; it will excel as a Way to carry yourself correctly; and it will excel in regulating the country, in maintaining the people, and in establishing order in society. You will know how not to fall behind others in any of the other Ways, how to help your own self, and how to establish your reputation. This is the Way of the Martial Arts.
Twelfth Day of the Fifth Month, Second Year of Shoho
Shinmen Musashi
The heart of the martial art of the Two-Heavens Style takes water as its foundation and exercises the practice of advantage. Because of this, I have named this “The Water Chapter,” and here write about the swordsmanship of this style.
This Way is, in all regards, difficult to write about in detail with the mind just as it is. But even if the words do not seem to connect, you should be able to perceive its principles naturally. You should deeply consider what is written in this book, word by word, character by character. If you think about it indifferently, you are likely to diverge from the Way many times. Concerning the principles of the martial arts, there may be many places where they are described in the manner of a contest of individuals, but it is essential that you understand these principles to be for a battle of opposing armies of ten thousand men, as well, and that you see them in a large way.
In this Way, especially, if you misperceive it or become lost just a little, you will fall into distortion. 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.
THE FRAME OF MIND FOR THE MARTIAL ARTS
In the Way of the Martial Arts, do not let your frame of mind be any different from your everyday mind. In both everyday and military events, your mind should not change in the least, but should be broad and straightforward, neither drawn too tight nor allowed to slacken even a little. Keep the mind in the exact center, not allowing it to become sidetracked; let it sway peacefully, not allowing it to stop doing so for even a moment. You should investigate these things thoroughly.
Do not let your mind stand still even when you are in repose, but do not let it speed up even when you are involved in quick actions. The mind should not be distracted by the body, nor the body distracted by the mind. Be very watchful of the mind, but less so of the body; let the mind be replete without being the least bit overloaded. Though the mind appears weak on the surface, it should be strong at the bottom. Act so that your opponent cannot understand your mind. The man whose body is small should bear everything in mind about the man whose body is large, and the man whose body is large should bear everything in mind about the man whose body is small. But whether the body be large or small, keep the mind straight and in a way that it will allow no personal preferences. All these things are essential.
Do not let the mind become clouded inside; keep it broad, and place your wisdom in that broad place. It is very important to polish both wisdom and mind earnestly.
Sharpen your wisdom, distinguish principle and its opposite in the world, learn the good and bad of all things, experience all the arts and accomplishments and their various Ways, and act in a way so that you will not be taken in by anyone. This is the heart of the wisdom of the martial arts.
There is something particularly unique in the wisdom of the martial arts. Even when the action is extraordinarily lively on the battlefield, you should take the principles of the martial arts to the extreme and keep your mind unmoved. You should investigate this thoroughly.
APPEARANCE IN THE MARTIAL ARTS
In body posture, your face is neither turned down nor turned up, it is neither turned to the side nor distorted. Your eyes are not confused and your brow is not knit; narrow the space between your eyebrows, and do not move your eyeballs at all. Narrow the eyes a little without expressing a glimmer. With your face tranquil and the line of your nose straight, you should have a slight sensation of sticking your chin out. The line of the back of your neck is straight. Put strength into the nape of your neck, and think of your body as one from the shoulders down. Drop both shoulders, keep your back straight, do not stick out your rear and put strength from your knees to the front of your feet. Extend your stomach so that your hips will not be bent. To tighten the wedge, so to speak, the scabbard of your short sword should be carried at the belly and the sash tied so that it will not loosen. This is the teaching of “tightening the wedge.”
In all things concerning the body in the martial arts, make the everyday body the body for the martial arts, and the body for the martial arts the everyday body. This is essential and should be examined thoroughly.
USING THE EYES IN THE MARTIAL ARTS
In using the eyes, do so in a large and encompassing way. There is observation and there is seeing.1 The eye of observation is strong. The eye of seeing is weak. To see the faraway as nearby, and the nearby as faraway is essential to the martial arts. To know your opponent’s sword, yet not to “see”2 it at all is very important in the martial arts. You should make great efforts in this. The use of the eyes is the same for martial events whether in individual combat or in large confrontations. It is essential that your eyes do not move and that you be able to see on both sides. It is difficult to understand such a thing when, suddenly, the situation becomes chaotic. Learn what is written in this book, master the use of the eyes, and do not change that use under any circumstances. This is something you should investigate thoroughly.
THE WAY TO HOLD A SWORD
To grasp a sword, give your thumb and index fingers a sense of flotation. Keep your middle finger neither tight nor loose, and tighten your ring and little fingers. It is wrong to have a relaxed grasp; you should take up the sword with the idea of cutting your opponent down. When you do this, you should hold your sword so that there is no change in your grasp nor the possibility of your hand contracting into an uncontrollable position. Whether you are bracing, parrying, striking, or restraining your opponent’s sword, you should be intent on moving only your thumb and index finger a little. In all events, grasp your sword with the intent of cutting the man down. Your grasp does not change when doing this, whether the act involves the testing of new swords on prisoners or corpses, or is taking place in a real fight. In all things, whether it be the sword or the hand, immobility is undesirable. Im
mobility means a dead hand; mobility means a living hand. You should understand this well.
USE OF THE FEET
I the carriage of the feet, you should float your toenails a little and step strongly with your heels. In the use of the feet, you should walk as usual, whether the case calls for large, small, quick, or slow strides. Feet that seem to fly, float, or be immobile are, all three, undesirable.
There is something important in this Way called the Yin-Yang Foot, and it is considered essential. The Yin-Yang Foot means never moving just one foot. With Yin-Yang, you step right and left, right and left, whether striking, pulling back, or parrying a blow. I repeat: you should never step with just one foot. You should investigate this thoroughly.
THE FIVE STANCES
The Five Stances include the Upper, the Middle, the Lower, the Right-Side Stance, and the Left-Side Stance. The stances are divided into five, but they are all for the purpose of cutting a man down. There are no other than these five. No matter which of these stances you take, you should not think of the stance itself, but rather that you are going to cut your opponent down.
Whether a stance is large or small, it should follow the circumstances and the advantage you wish to take. The Middle, Upper, and Lower are stances of the body; the two side stances are stances of free and easy motion. The Left-Side and Right-Side Stances are those used to check the area above you and to the two sides. For their use, you should judge according to the circumstances. You should understand that in this Way, it is largely said that the Middle Stance is the best. The main intention of the stance itself is found in the Middle Stance. Look at the martial arts in terms of large armies. The Middle Stance is the seat of the commanding general, and the four other Stances follow after him. You should investigate this thoroughly.
Portrait of Miyamoto Musashi by Ogata Tanko (1812–1868). Reproduced by permission of the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art.
THE WAY OF THE SWORD
“Knowing the Way of the Sword” means that, even when you handle with two fingers what I generally indicate as the sword,3 you understand what you are doing and can handle it freely. You go against the Way of the Sword by trying to handle it with speed, and it will be difficult to wield. To the extent that you handle the sword well, you will handle it tranquilly. If you think you will handle it with speed, as you would a fan or a dagger, you will not be in accord with the Way of the Sword, and it will be difficult to wield. Using what is called a knife cut, you will be unable to cut a man down with a sword. If you have struck downward with your sword, raise it in a simple way; if you have swung it to the side, return it to the other side in a simple way. But in all cases, extend your elbow fully, and swing with strength. This is the Way of the Sword.
If you learn to use the Five Fundamentals, or Stances, of my martial art, the Way of the Sword will be in order and you will handle it well. You should practice this thoroughly.
CONCERNING THE FIRST OF THE FIVE FUNDAMENTALS
The Middle Stance, where the tip of the sword is aimed at your opponent’s face, is the first of the Five Fundamentals. When you meet with your opponent and he strikes with his sword, deflect it to the right. When he strikes at you again, strike so that the tip of his sword returns upward and leave your sword, which has swung downward, in just that position. When your opponent attacks again, strike his hands from below. This is the first.
All of these Five Fundamentals are difficult to understand just by what is written here. For the Five Fundamentals, you train in the Way of the Sword with your hands. With these five techniques of using the sword, you will know my Way of the Sword and will be able to understand your opponent’s sword, no matter how he strikes. This is why I am teaching you that, with two swords, there are no other than these Five Stances. You should put them into practice.
CONCERNING THE SECOND FUNDAMENTAL
In the second use of the sword, take the Upper Stance and strike your opponent at the same moment he makes his attack to strike you. If you have struck at your opponent but missed him, leave your sword just as it is, and when he strikes again, strike him by bringing your sword back up. This will be the same for yet another strike.
There are various frames of mind and rhythms to take within these fundamental stances. Practice this style within their framework, and you will know the five Ways of the Sword in detail. Thus, you will win in any situation. You should put them into practice.
CONCERNING THE THIRD FUNDAMENTAL
In the Third Fundamental, use the Lower Stance, with an idea of drawing your opponent in. When he advances to strike, you strike his hands from below. At the point when you are to strike his hand, your opponent may once again advance to strike. As he goes to knock down your sword, let his excessive rhythm pass, then cut his upper arm laterally after he has made his strike. With the Lower Stance, you kill the opponent at the same moment he strikes.
For training in the Way, the Lower Stance is fitting for both the beginner and the more experienced alike. You should take up the sword and practice.
CONCERNING THE FOURTH FUNDAMENTAL
In the Fourth Stance, you should take a position with the sword held laterally to the left, striking your opponent’s sword hand from below. As your opponent moves to strike down on your upward strike, stay intent on striking his hand, parry the path of his sword immediately, then cut obliquely in the direction of your shoulder. This is the Way of the Sword. Again, it is a means of winning by parrying the path of your opponent’s sword as he strikes. You should investigate this thoroughly.
CONCERNING THE FIFTH FUNDAMENTAL
In the Fifth Fundamental, you should take a stance with your sword held laterally to your right. As your opponent comes to strike, change the path of your sword from the lower side, raise it to the upper position and immediately cut down from above. This is also for the purpose of knowing the Way of the Sword well. If you get used to wielding the sword with this fundamental stance, you will be able to handle a heavy sword easily.
I have not written in detail about these Five Fundamentals. To know my style in general, to gain a larger understanding of its rhythm and to be able to discern the direction of your opponent’s sword, it is essential to first polish these Five Fundamentals daily.
By earnestly applying these paths of the sword, by seeing through your opponent’s intent and by using these various rhythms, even as you fight with your opponent, you will win in one way or another. You should understand this thoroughly.
THE LESSON OF THE STANCE-NO-STANCE
The so-called Stance-No-Stance calls for no stance at all to be taken with your sword. However, as I place this within the Five Stances, there is a stance here. According to the chances your opponent takes, and his position and energy, your sword will be of a mind to cut him down in fine fashion no matter where you place it. According to the moment, if you want to lower your sword a little from the Upper Stance, it will become a Middle Stance; if, according to the situation, you raise your sword a bit from the Middle Stance, it will become the Upper Stance. Likewise, the Lower Stance may be raised a little to become the Middle Stance. This means that the two Side Stances, depending on their position, may be moved a little to the center to become either the Middle or Lower Stance.
This is the principle in which there is, and there is not, a stance. At its heart, this is first taking up the sword and then cutting down your opponent, no matter what is done or how it happens. Whether you parry, slap, strike, hold back, or touch your opponent’s cutting sword, you must understand that all of these are opportunities to cut him down. To think, “I’ll parry” or “I’ll slap” or “I’ll hit, hold, or touch” will be insufficient for cutting him down. It is essential to think that anything at all is an opportunity to cut him down. You should investigate this thoroughly. With martial arts in the larger field, the placement of numbers of people is also a stance. All of these are opportunities to win a battle. It is wrong to be inflexible. You should make great efforts in this.
STRIKING YOUR
OPPONENT IN ONE COUNT
The Rhythm of Striking an Opponent in One Count means taking a position within which both you and your opponent may strike each other and, before he has settled on a tactic and without moving your body or putting your mind anywhere, striking him quickly and directly. Striking with this rhythm before your opponent has even considered pulling back his sword, avoiding a blow or striking with his sword is the “one count.” You should learn this well, practicing to strike quickly in the rhythm of the interval.
THE DOUBLE-ACTION RHYTHM
In the Double-Action Rhythm,4 when you advance to strike your opponent and he quickly moves back and then strikes, feign your next move by first striking at the point where he has completed his action, then strike once again at the point of his withdrawal. This is the Double-Action Rhythm.
It will be rather difficult to master this stroke by merely following what is written here. But once having received this lesson, you will quickly come to understand it.
THE NO THOUGHT–NO CONCEPT STRIKE
When you think that both you and your opponent are ready to strike, your body becomes a striking body, your mind becomes a striking mind and your hand instantaneously strikes with strength emerging from nothingness and leaving no wake. This is the most important strike, that of No Thought–No Concept. This is often an effective strike, and you should practice and master it thoroughly.
THE STRIKE OF RUNNING WATER
Should you and your opponent be equally matched, and should he attempt to quickly move away, avoid your strike, and brush your sword away, you must inflate both body and mind, let your sword follow your body and, quite slowly, strike with all the power of momentarily restrained water bursting forth from a running stream. This I call the Strike of Running Water. When you master this, you will have, with certainty, a good strike. It is essential to discern your opponent’s position.
The Book of Five Rings Page 4