This book is about strategy, wisdom, life, and so much more.
It is a great book for anyone who wants to travel the path of wisdom in their lives. It’s one that can and should be read and revisited many times throughout our life.
I have no doubt I’ll get something new every time I revisit it (I do so with other books such as Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations).
Flow: 5/5
Actionability: 4/5
Mindset: 5/5
Some of My Highlights:
“Where a Westerner might say, ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’, the Japanese would say, ‘Bunbu ichi’, or ‘Pen and Sword in accord’.”
“… and he who realized the resolute acceptance of death at any moment in his everyday life was a master of the sword.”
“…the warrior courts of Japan encouraged the austere Zen study among the samurai, and Zen went hand in hand with the arts of war.”
“Enlightenment in Zen does not mean a change in behaviour, but realization of the nature of ordinary life. The end point is the beginning, and the great virtue is simplicity.”
“…until he finally settled down at the age of fifty, having reached the end of his search for reason.”
“Even if a man has no natural ability, he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way.”
“It is said that the warrior’s way is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both ways.”
“The attainment of the carpenter is that his work is not warped, that the joints are not misaligned, and that the work is truly planned so that it meets well and is not merely finished in sections.”
“Water adopts the shape of its receptacle, it is sometimes a tickle and sometimes a wild sea.”
“The essence of this book is that you must train day and night in order to make quick decisions.”
“It is difficult to know yourself if you do not know others.”
“The Way of strategy is the Way of nature.”
“…the Way to learn this is to train with two long swords, one in each hand. It will seem difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first.”
“These things cannot be explained in detail. From one thing, know ten thousand things. When you attain the Way of strategy there will not be one thing you cannot see. You must study hard.”
“In my strategy, one man is the same as ten thousand, so this strategy is the complete warrior’s craft.”
“But even though these are not part of the Way, if you know the Way broadly you will see it in everything. Men must polish their particular Way.”
“Timing in strategy cannot be mastered without a great deal of practice.”
“All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this.”
“If there is a Way involving the spirit of not being defeated, to help oneself and gain honour, it is the Way of strategy.”
“Language does not extend to explaining the Way in detail, but it can be grasped intuitively.”
“Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm.”
“Do not let your spirit be influenced by your body, or your body influenced by your spirit.”
“When you cannot be deceived by men you will have realized the wisdom of strategy.”