Quotes by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

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. 

There is a saying of the elders' that goes, "Step from under 
the eaves and you're a dead man. Leave the gate and the enemy 
is waiting." This is not a matter of being careful. It is to consider 
oneself as dead beforehand. 

***

The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes 
to either/or, there is only the quick choice of death. It is not 
particularly difficult. Be determined and advance. To say that 
dying without reaching one's aim is to die a dog's death is the 
frivolous way of sophisticates. When pressed with the choice of 
life or death, it is not necessary to gain one's aim. 

We all want to live. And in large part we make our logic 
according to what we like. But not having attained our aim 
and continuing to live is cowardice. This is a thin dangerous 
line. To die without gaming one's aim is a dog's death and 
fanaticism. But there is no shame in this. This is the substance 
of the Way of the Samurai. If by setting one's heart right every 
morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were 
already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. His whole life will 
be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling. 

***

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. 

***

Although it seems that taking special care of one's appear- 
ance is similar to showiness, it is nothing akin to elegance. Even 
if you are aware that you may be struck down today and are 
firmly resolved to an inevitable death, if you are slain with an 
unseemly appearance, you will show your lack of previous re- 
solve, will be despised by your enemy, and will appear unclean. 
For this reason it is said that both old and young should take 
care of their appearance. 

***

The person without previous resolution to inevitable death 
makes certain that his death will be in bad form. But if one is 
resolved to death beforehand, in what way can he be despicable? 
One should be especially diligent in this concern.

***

As everything in this world is but a shame, Death is the only 
sincerity. It is said that becoming as a dead man in one's daily 
living is the following of the path of sincerity.

***

There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When 
meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to pet 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 still 
get the same soaking. This understanding extends to every- 
thing. 

***

 There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the 
present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment 
after moment. If one fully understands the present moment, 
there will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. 
Live being true to the single purpose of the moment . 

Everyone lets the present moment slip by, then looks for it 
as though he thought it were somewhere else. No one seems 
to have noticed this fact. But grasping this firmly, one must 
pile experience upon experience. And once one has come to this 
understanding he will be a different person from that point on, 
though he may not always bear it in mind. 

When one understands this settling into single-mindedness

well, his affairs will thin out. Loyalty is also contained within 
this single- mindedness.

Source - full text of Hagakure