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The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War
Not to be confused with the Art of War by Sun Tzu, the much early and better known Chinese treaties on military strategy. The work of Yagyῡ Munenori from 1632 concerns martial arts and military science. It is translated by Thomas Cleary and can be found tucked behind Miyamoto Musashi‘s “the Book of five rings” from 1643. Both these texts analyse conflict between two men armed with swords and scale this up bigger battles. These important treaties on swordsmanship, and have been taken as giving lessons on life in general.
70 pages, Paperback
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 30, 2020
The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War by Yagyū Munenori
Finished 29/8/20
I would have to say I enjoyed this text more so than the Book of Five Rings that this book was appended to in my edition. Both of these books were read as a means of delving into the thoughts and philosophies of samurai in feudal Japan prior to playing the PS4 game Ghost of Tsushima.
The book gives the views of Yagyū Munenori, who’s life contrasts sharply with that of rag-tag Miyamoto Musashi, due in part to his role as teacher to future second Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, thus later becoming the ‘official shōgunke heihōshihan, or Martial Arts Teacher to the Family of the Shōguns”. Through an illustrious career, he claims to have no understood the true meanings of martial arts until past 50 years of age (a similar remark was made by Musashi), with book being completed in 1632, the year he was appointed head of the Secret Service there. In saying so, this book shows reflections born out by a deeper social and political understanding, and a deeper reflection on the consequences of actions on the political environment.
Divided into three parts (The Killing Sword, The Life-Giving Sword, No Sword), we see Yagyū employ terms of Zen Buddhist origin to that of ‘wartime and peacetime principles of the samurai’, whereby the ‘killing sword represents the use of force to quell disorder and eliminate violence. The life-giving sword represents the preparedness to perceive impending problems and forestall them. “No sword” represents the capacity to make full use of the resources of the environment’.
Much of the three scrolls, thus reads as a distillation of Zen principles in the context of samurai roles and life, while also containing lines implying a wider scope of application. What is interesting, however, is that Yagyū often subtly or at other times more distinctly, acknowledges the limitations in the mesh between samurai life and Zen philosophy. Again, like Musashi’s text, this book can be read in a number of ways, and I believe the most applicable to modern day life, other than reading it for historical understanding, is that of reading it to understand Zen principles, and as a somewhat primer of living life.
While it serves the first type of reading, that of understanding Zen principles, well enough, unfortunately, as with Musashi’s book, to people who have encountered such thoughts before, a reading of the book on the grounds of life-strategy often reads like platitudes rather than actionable tasks.
All in all though enjoyed the quick read. 3.5/5
Finished 29/8/20
I would have to say I enjoyed this text more so than the Book of Five Rings that this book was appended to in my edition. Both of these books were read as a means of delving into the thoughts and philosophies of samurai in feudal Japan prior to playing the PS4 game Ghost of Tsushima.
The book gives the views of Yagyū Munenori, who’s life contrasts sharply with that of rag-tag Miyamoto Musashi, due in part to his role as teacher to future second Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, thus later becoming the ‘official shōgunke heihōshihan, or Martial Arts Teacher to the Family of the Shōguns”. Through an illustrious career, he claims to have no understood the true meanings of martial arts until past 50 years of age (a similar remark was made by Musashi), with book being completed in 1632, the year he was appointed head of the Secret Service there. In saying so, this book shows reflections born out by a deeper social and political understanding, and a deeper reflection on the consequences of actions on the political environment.
Divided into three parts (The Killing Sword, The Life-Giving Sword, No Sword), we see Yagyū employ terms of Zen Buddhist origin to that of ‘wartime and peacetime principles of the samurai’, whereby the ‘killing sword represents the use of force to quell disorder and eliminate violence. The life-giving sword represents the preparedness to perceive impending problems and forestall them. “No sword” represents the capacity to make full use of the resources of the environment’.
Much of the three scrolls, thus reads as a distillation of Zen principles in the context of samurai roles and life, while also containing lines implying a wider scope of application. What is interesting, however, is that Yagyū often subtly or at other times more distinctly, acknowledges the limitations in the mesh between samurai life and Zen philosophy. Again, like Musashi’s text, this book can be read in a number of ways, and I believe the most applicable to modern day life, other than reading it for historical understanding, is that of reading it to understand Zen principles, and as a somewhat primer of living life.
While it serves the first type of reading, that of understanding Zen principles, well enough, unfortunately, as with Musashi’s book, to people who have encountered such thoughts before, a reading of the book on the grounds of life-strategy often reads like platitudes rather than actionable tasks.
All in all though enjoyed the quick read. 3.5/5
September 27, 2024
This book came as the second part of Musashi's Book of Five Rings. While dealing with the same or very similar topics most of the time, this book (at least to me) feels much more comprehensive and more easily applicable to aspects outside of martial arts. Definitely a worthwhile read that I will return to at some point for sure.
February 15, 2015
This book highlights the ethical and spiritual insights of Taoism and Zen as they apply to the way of the warrior (As written on the back cover)
[This book is clubbed with THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS by Miyamoto Musashi and translated by Thomas Cleary].
[This book is clubbed with THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS by Miyamoto Musashi and translated by Thomas Cleary].
May 11, 2017
Great intro into Zen, Buddhism and its link to martial arts strategy. Can be applied for all arts and paths in life.
March 3, 2023
An underrated classic.
August 14, 2025
عنوان جالبی بود و چون جفت کتاب پنج حلقه میاموتو موساشی(نشرنیک فرجام/ترجمه شیرین راحله) بود؛ طبیعتا نمیشه باهم مقایسه شون نکرد، به هرحال موساشی و مونِنوری هردو از جنگجوهای ژاپنی هستند که پیرامون هنر رزم قلم فرسایی کردند و تجربیات زیادی داشتند. اما شباهت این دو همینجا تموم میشه. میاموتوموساشی از طبقه فرودست هست تحصیلات رسمی و آکادمیک نداشته. فوق العاده رک و راست، ساده زیست و ساده قلمه؛ خودش هم در کتابش میگه نمیخوام حرافی کنم و فلسفه های پیچیده ارائه بدم و خیلی ساده و مختصر نظراتش رو میگه. از نظرات انتزاعی فاصله میگیره و روی تکنیک های عملی تمرکز میکنه و خیلی جامع هم بحث میکنه. میتونم بگم آدمی با تیپ رغبت واقع گرایی هست. یاگیو مونِنوری در مقابل از طبقه بالاتری هست. تحصیلات آکادمیک داشته و علاقه مند به جنبه های فرهنگی و فلسفیه و لذا در متن این کتاب به ضرب المثل ها، دغدغه های زمانه، نکات فرهنگی رایج، فلسفه ذهن و فلسفه بودیسم و ذن مرتبط با هنر رزم پرداخته. بعضی از نکاتی که میگه مثل "بیماری ذهن" یا "یادگیری کبیر" امروز با زبان علمی به شکل دیگه گفته و اثبات شده و از این نظر خیلی جالبه.
شاید یکی از بنیادی ترین تفاوت های موساشی و مونِنوری فلسفه اونا برای به کارگیری هنر رزم و شمشیرزنی هست؛ موساشی میگه از شمشیر و هنر رزم باید فقط برای کشتن استفاده کرد؛ یعنی زمانی باید وارد درگیری شد که هدف پیروزی از طریق کشتن یا غلبه موثر بر حریفه. مطابق همین نظر هدف روش شمشیرزنیش یعنی "مکتب دو آسمان" رو پیروزی سریع با کمترین حرکات اضافی عنوان میکنه. و واقعا باید بگم در این مورد نگاه وسیع و جامعی داره. اما فلسفه یاگیو نرم تره؛ اون معتقده هنر رزم و فن شمشیرزنی باید تنها برای زنده موندن و دفاع از خود استفاده بشه(تقریبا معادل فلسفه بسیاری از سبک های رزمی امروزی) بنابراین روش هاش نسبت به موساشی تدافعی تره و بهترین و مهم ترین تکنیک خودش رو روش "بدون شمشیر" عنوان میکنه که به شخص یاد میده چطور بدون سلاح از خودش دفاع کنه و زنده بمونه. همچنین مونِنوری معتقده شخص باید نفس و ذهنش رو تعلیم داده و شخصیتش رو رشد بده در حالی که موساشی به ذهنیت توجه نمیکنه و هدف افراد رو بهترین شدن در کار و هنر خودشون توصیف میکنه.
میتونم تصور کنم که نظرات یاگیو احتمالا بین مردم عادی ژاپن و حتی جاهای دیگه مقبول تر باشه و قلمش پسندیده تر نسبت به موساشی که شاید تنها عاشقان هنر رزم نظراتش رو بپذیرن. از طرفی موساشی در جنگ های بیشتری نسبت به یاگیو شرکت کرده (از۱۳ سالگی وارد ارتش شده) و دوئل های بسیار زیادی داشته و کارش هم آموزش هنر شمشیرزنی به دانش آموزان مدرسه شمشیرزنیش و آموزش خصوصی به فرزندان اشراف بوده. با نظر به همه اینا درک نظراتش راحت تره. بدون شک موساشی شخص استثنایی بوده، روح جنگاوری عصر سامورایی ها ولی مونِنوری روح رزمی عصر مدرنه، جایی که دفاع از خود و حرکت به سمت رشد و تعالی فلسفی، ذهنی، شخصیتی مورد احترام و پسند جامعه است. در دنیای نوین فکر نمیکنم نظرات کسی مثل موساشی فراگیر بشه. اگر نبودندامثال مانگاهایی مثل واگابند که از این شخصیت داستان بگن یا فیلم هایی مثل شمشیرزن دوره گرد تا سال ها اسم میاموتوموساشی در میان مردم امروزی ناشناخته می موند. در حالی که فلسفه های یاگیو مونِنوری در تمام سبک ها و ورزش های رزمی امروزی راه پیدا کرده، زنده است و هنوزم تدریس میشه.
شاید یکی از بنیادی ترین تفاوت های موساشی و مونِنوری فلسفه اونا برای به کارگیری هنر رزم و شمشیرزنی هست؛ موساشی میگه از شمشیر و هنر رزم باید فقط برای کشتن استفاده کرد؛ یعنی زمانی باید وارد درگیری شد که هدف پیروزی از طریق کشتن یا غلبه موثر بر حریفه. مطابق همین نظر هدف روش شمشیرزنیش یعنی "مکتب دو آسمان" رو پیروزی سریع با کمترین حرکات اضافی عنوان میکنه. و واقعا باید بگم در این مورد نگاه وسیع و جامعی داره. اما فلسفه یاگیو نرم تره؛ اون معتقده هنر رزم و فن شمشیرزنی باید تنها برای زنده موندن و دفاع از خود استفاده بشه(تقریبا معادل فلسفه بسیاری از سبک های رزمی امروزی) بنابراین روش هاش نسبت به موساشی تدافعی تره و بهترین و مهم ترین تکنیک خودش رو روش "بدون شمشیر" عنوان میکنه که به شخص یاد میده چطور بدون سلاح از خودش دفاع کنه و زنده بمونه. همچنین مونِنوری معتقده شخص باید نفس و ذهنش رو تعلیم داده و شخصیتش رو رشد بده در حالی که موساشی به ذهنیت توجه نمیکنه و هدف افراد رو بهترین شدن در کار و هنر خودشون توصیف میکنه.
میتونم تصور کنم که نظرات یاگیو احتمالا بین مردم عادی ژاپن و حتی جاهای دیگه مقبول تر باشه و قلمش پسندیده تر نسبت به موساشی که شاید تنها عاشقان هنر رزم نظراتش رو بپذیرن. از طرفی موساشی در جنگ های بیشتری نسبت به یاگیو شرکت کرده (از۱۳ سالگی وارد ارتش شده) و دوئل های بسیار زیادی داشته و کارش هم آموزش هنر شمشیرزنی به دانش آموزان مدرسه شمشیرزنیش و آموزش خصوصی به فرزندان اشراف بوده. با نظر به همه اینا درک نظراتش راحت تره. بدون شک موساشی شخص استثنایی بوده، روح جنگاوری عصر سامورایی ها ولی مونِنوری روح رزمی عصر مدرنه، جایی که دفاع از خود و حرکت به سمت رشد و تعالی فلسفی، ذهنی، شخصیتی مورد احترام و پسند جامعه است. در دنیای نوین فکر نمیکنم نظرات کسی مثل موساشی فراگیر بشه. اگر نبودندامثال مانگاهایی مثل واگابند که از این شخصیت داستان بگن یا فیلم هایی مثل شمشیرزن دوره گرد تا سال ها اسم میاموتوموساشی در میان مردم امروزی ناشناخته می موند. در حالی که فلسفه های یاگیو مونِنوری در تمام سبک ها و ورزش های رزمی امروزی راه پیدا کرده، زنده است و هنوزم تدریس میشه.
August 9, 2016
This book is similar to "The Book of five rings" by Miyamoto Musashi but has more focus on philosophy of why one should fight and how sword, which was the primary weapon for the warriors of past, is both life-taking and life-giving.
The book gives meaning to the life of warriors and war and has heavy emphasis on Buddhism.
The book gives meaning to the life of warriors and war and has heavy emphasis on Buddhism.
June 28, 2020
Like Book of Five Rings, but mainly about Zen Buddhism and less about practical advice about fighting. If you want a martial take on Buddhism then I can highly recommend it.
July 2, 2024
Underrated companion of The Book of Five Rings. Clearer outcomes, deeper initial thoughts provoked.
1. Learning is the gate to attainment of the Way, not the house. When you read books, do not think this is the Way. You have to go though the gate to enter the house, which is inside it, behind it.
2. In all things, uncertainty exists because of not knowing. Things stick in your mind because of being in doubt. When the principle is clarified, nothing sticks in your mind. This is called consummating knowledge and perfecting things. Then, all your tasks become easy to do.
3. Control your mood by means of your will.
4. In general and in particular, a rhythm that can be tapped into is bad.
5. When you flow, you go. When you think, you sink - Me, 2024.
6. It is imperative to act in a rhythm that is different from that of adversaries.
7. Sickness Pg 117-125; 135: It is sickness to be obsessed; To think of riddance is itself sickness. When you are not consciously mindful, you will succeed every time. This does not mean to me mindless, but rather a normal mind. People who successfully pacify their mind once do not purify their physical, verbal and mental actions; they are unstained even as they mingle with the dust of the world.
• Getting rid of sickness is for the purpose of perceiving abilities and intentions.
8. Even dogs and cats should be unleashed to be raised properly - a well governed mine does not use expedients (means to an ends) to pacify it. To pacify your mind and allow your body to follow requires constant practise.
9. It is essential to make sure that the mind is not fixated on one point. If your mind lingers and does not return to the original state, your ability in martial arts will also slip. You use thought to get rid of thought.
10. The desired state is one in which you are not upset at all..this does not mean holding back spontaneous action eg blinking when being swung at. A normal mind would do this (Pg 131-132).
11. In Buddhism, sickness is to cling. if the mind clings to one spot and lingers there, you will miss what you should see and suffer unexpected defeat (Pg 141). Buddhism is a matter of realising the emptiness of the mind.
12. When the mind has found its proper and position within the body and is settled where it ought to be, one is free in all paths.
13. Do not let your false mind confuse your original mind. The false mind is sickness of mind. If you accord with the original mind, you will excel in martial arts - the existent and non-existent.
14. To deliberately hold back spontaneous blinking indicates a much more disturbed mind than does blinking.
15. Pg 156-158: To be recondite is to be subtle and imperceptible; this means the mind not lingering on any particular point. If your mind stops and stays somewhere, you will be defeated in martial arts. If you linger where you turn, you will be crushed.
• Since the mind has no form or shape, it is basically invisible; but when it clings and lingers, the mind is visible as such in that condition.
• When the thought is within, the impression appears outwardly. When the mind does not leave any traces in any particular place, but turns to what lies ahead, with the past dying out like the wake of a boat, not lingering at all, this should be understood as the turning point being truly recondite.
16. Pg 158: Yes and No. Insofar as keeping in mind something that is right will become onerous all of a sudden, it will be even more onerous if it is something wrong. Therefore the saying has it that you do not see the pillar. This means that you should not look at the pillars of affirmation and denial, right and wrong. These judgments of good and bad are sicknesses of the mind. As long as these sicknesses do not leave the mind, whatever you do is not good.
• Therefore the saying goes that we should attain understanding within affirmation and denial after having gotten rid of affirmation and denial. The eye detached from affirmation and denial is truly hard to attain, even if you have understood Buddhism.
17. The normal mind keeps nothing in the heart, but lightly relinquishes the past, so that the heart is empty and therefore is the normal mind. People who read Confucian books, failing to understand this principle of emptying the mind, only concern themselves with
"seriousness." Seriousness is not the ultimate realisation; it is training in the first couple of steps.
1. Learning is the gate to attainment of the Way, not the house. When you read books, do not think this is the Way. You have to go though the gate to enter the house, which is inside it, behind it.
2. In all things, uncertainty exists because of not knowing. Things stick in your mind because of being in doubt. When the principle is clarified, nothing sticks in your mind. This is called consummating knowledge and perfecting things. Then, all your tasks become easy to do.
3. Control your mood by means of your will.
4. In general and in particular, a rhythm that can be tapped into is bad.
5. When you flow, you go. When you think, you sink - Me, 2024.
6. It is imperative to act in a rhythm that is different from that of adversaries.
7. Sickness Pg 117-125; 135: It is sickness to be obsessed; To think of riddance is itself sickness. When you are not consciously mindful, you will succeed every time. This does not mean to me mindless, but rather a normal mind. People who successfully pacify their mind once do not purify their physical, verbal and mental actions; they are unstained even as they mingle with the dust of the world.
• Getting rid of sickness is for the purpose of perceiving abilities and intentions.
8. Even dogs and cats should be unleashed to be raised properly - a well governed mine does not use expedients (means to an ends) to pacify it. To pacify your mind and allow your body to follow requires constant practise.
9. It is essential to make sure that the mind is not fixated on one point. If your mind lingers and does not return to the original state, your ability in martial arts will also slip. You use thought to get rid of thought.
10. The desired state is one in which you are not upset at all..this does not mean holding back spontaneous action eg blinking when being swung at. A normal mind would do this (Pg 131-132).
11. In Buddhism, sickness is to cling. if the mind clings to one spot and lingers there, you will miss what you should see and suffer unexpected defeat (Pg 141). Buddhism is a matter of realising the emptiness of the mind.
12. When the mind has found its proper and position within the body and is settled where it ought to be, one is free in all paths.
13. Do not let your false mind confuse your original mind. The false mind is sickness of mind. If you accord with the original mind, you will excel in martial arts - the existent and non-existent.
14. To deliberately hold back spontaneous blinking indicates a much more disturbed mind than does blinking.
15. Pg 156-158: To be recondite is to be subtle and imperceptible; this means the mind not lingering on any particular point. If your mind stops and stays somewhere, you will be defeated in martial arts. If you linger where you turn, you will be crushed.
• Since the mind has no form or shape, it is basically invisible; but when it clings and lingers, the mind is visible as such in that condition.
• When the thought is within, the impression appears outwardly. When the mind does not leave any traces in any particular place, but turns to what lies ahead, with the past dying out like the wake of a boat, not lingering at all, this should be understood as the turning point being truly recondite.
16. Pg 158: Yes and No. Insofar as keeping in mind something that is right will become onerous all of a sudden, it will be even more onerous if it is something wrong. Therefore the saying has it that you do not see the pillar. This means that you should not look at the pillars of affirmation and denial, right and wrong. These judgments of good and bad are sicknesses of the mind. As long as these sicknesses do not leave the mind, whatever you do is not good.
• Therefore the saying goes that we should attain understanding within affirmation and denial after having gotten rid of affirmation and denial. The eye detached from affirmation and denial is truly hard to attain, even if you have understood Buddhism.
17. The normal mind keeps nothing in the heart, but lightly relinquishes the past, so that the heart is empty and therefore is the normal mind. People who read Confucian books, failing to understand this principle of emptying the mind, only concern themselves with
"seriousness." Seriousness is not the ultimate realisation; it is training in the first couple of steps.
July 9, 2023
Calificación: 4/5
Sin intención, terminé por leer este libro que se encuentra adjunto con "The Book of Five Rings" de Miyamoto Musashi, la versión traducida por Thomas Cleary. Ambos libros escritos en la era del Shogunato en Japón, donde fuerzas militares eran consideradas la máxima autoridad a pesar de contar con Emperador. Es importante remarcar el contexto histórico del siglo 17, cuando fue escrito este libro.
Separado en tres pergaminos, "The Killing Sword", "The Life-Giving Sword" y "No Sword", Yagyu Munenori crea una visión del Arte de la Guerra desde la formación que se inicia en casa, las ideas del individuo y su deber-ser en el mundo exterior. A pesar de su redacción repetitiva y en momentos, bastante confusa, Munenori repasa los conceptos enseñados en el Zenismo explicados en términos de guerra y enfrentamientos.
Los conceptos de aprendizaje, de una "mente normal" y como en todos los campos de estudio, hay quienes sobrepasan los límites y las reglas y viven en verdadera libertad habiendo logrado maestría en sus campos, que se habla en los tres pergaminos, son mis temas favoritos de este libro.
Habiendo leído filosofía occidental previo a este libro da un contraste interesante y amplió bastante mi gusto por el mismo. Lo recomiendo como lectura ligera, no es muy largo.
Sin intención, terminé por leer este libro que se encuentra adjunto con "The Book of Five Rings" de Miyamoto Musashi, la versión traducida por Thomas Cleary. Ambos libros escritos en la era del Shogunato en Japón, donde fuerzas militares eran consideradas la máxima autoridad a pesar de contar con Emperador. Es importante remarcar el contexto histórico del siglo 17, cuando fue escrito este libro.
Separado en tres pergaminos, "The Killing Sword", "The Life-Giving Sword" y "No Sword", Yagyu Munenori crea una visión del Arte de la Guerra desde la formación que se inicia en casa, las ideas del individuo y su deber-ser en el mundo exterior. A pesar de su redacción repetitiva y en momentos, bastante confusa, Munenori repasa los conceptos enseñados en el Zenismo explicados en términos de guerra y enfrentamientos.
Los conceptos de aprendizaje, de una "mente normal" y como en todos los campos de estudio, hay quienes sobrepasan los límites y las reglas y viven en verdadera libertad habiendo logrado maestría en sus campos, que se habla en los tres pergaminos, son mis temas favoritos de este libro.
Habiendo leído filosofía occidental previo a este libro da un contraste interesante y amplió bastante mi gusto por el mismo. Lo recomiendo como lectura ligera, no es muy largo.
November 12, 2021
The translation I read was by Thomas Cleary. It's remarkably difficult to find distinct versions of this book on Goodreads, so I settled for this place to indicate I read it.
I don't know whether the problems with it were in the original or in Thomas Cleary's translation. My experience with Cleary's translations have not been great. He seems inclined to select translations that fit an agenda, from what I've seen so far.
In this particular case, reading the text was a confusing, repetitive, and tedious process. I think I grasped all the ideas that made it through the translation, but I'm not sure how many of the original's ideas got through. Because this is my first time reading this famous work of Yagyu Munenori, I am not prepared to judge the accuracy of the translation.
I don't know whether the problems with it were in the original or in Thomas Cleary's translation. My experience with Cleary's translations have not been great. He seems inclined to select translations that fit an agenda, from what I've seen so far.
In this particular case, reading the text was a confusing, repetitive, and tedious process. I think I grasped all the ideas that made it through the translation, but I'm not sure how many of the original's ideas got through. Because this is my first time reading this famous work of Yagyu Munenori, I am not prepared to judge the accuracy of the translation.
May 30, 2024
This is like the better more universally applicable version of the Book of Five Rings. Included at the end of the aforementioned book it's a more philosophical treatise that incorporates thoughts of Buddhism to martial arts and thinking in general. I especially liked the concept of "The Moon in the Water" as essentially the visualisation inside your opponents range of attack. According to this, martial arts exist outside of the moon in the water. I constantly think of how this can be applied in fighting games like Tekken and life in general. Great book. I think I'll get the physical copy too
March 3, 2020
This book has snippets of good wisdom interspersed throughout it, but you have to wade through a lot of Buddhist mysticism to get to it. Useful for somebody doing comparative religions as part of systematic theology. For purely martial writings, go with Musashi. The comparison is fair as both were bound back to back in my edition.
June 27, 2023
I read it as a complement to Go Rin no Sho. Although the translation shows that there is a difference in the way that both original authors express their points, i felt that i could not grasp all that i was meant to from this book.
May 4, 2024
Nearly opaque work on swordsmanship from 16th century Japan. As a person with some interest in Bujutsu (the war arts of feudal Japan), I found some value in it, but do not recommend it unless you already have a grounding in that area and want to read more.
February 11, 2025
Great insights to the way of warfare. The integration of Buddhist teachings was fantastic. I suppose Zen truly is the way of the warrior for non-combatants. Zen serves the Warrior! This book is superior to 'The book of five rings', and the discussion on good and evil was far ahead of its time.
March 6, 2020
I still mostly don't get it, but then it is written cryptically, on purpose.
September 17, 2020
Was better than the book of rings, some pages kept my interest, but was mostly a struggle to get through.
Read
October 26, 20212021
January 4, 2022
mostly confused me, but the components i understood where pretty interesting
March 17, 2022
A great book with timeless principles to follow.
November 25, 2022
70 pages of repeating itself and speaking abstractly. I'll save you the time, "clear your mind" and "focus" - that's about it. Thoroughly unenjoyable and lacking value.
December 17, 2023
Better written than 5 Rings and slightly more useful for the modern audience. The same thing conceptually.
September 20, 2019
Zaujímavý pohľad na bojovnícke vnímanie sveta.
April 18, 2015
الكتاب
الكتاب يتكلم عن طريق المحارب مستلهما معم الافكار و المبادئ من الطاوية و البوذية الزينية و الكونفوشية. من غير إلمام بالمذاهب الدينية و الفلسفية في اليابان, يصعب فهم المصلحات مثل "العقل العادي" و "العقل الصحيح" , و التي تختلف تفسيراتها عن الفلسفة المعاصرة. المترجم توماس كليري قام بعمل جيّد في الهواش لتوضيح هذه المصلحات و معانيها.
الكتاب يتكلم عن طريق المحارب مستلهما معم الافكار و المبادئ من الطاوية و البوذية الزينية و الكونفوشية. من غير إلمام بالمذاهب الدينية و الفلسفية في اليابان, يصعب فهم المصلحات مثل "العقل العادي" و "العقل الصحيح" , و التي تختلف تفسيراتها عن الفلسفة المعاصرة. المترجم توماس كليري قام بعمل جيّد في الهواش لتوضيح هذه المصلحات و معانيها.
March 24, 2016
This book was certainly ahead of its time. Here we find early explanations of the phenomenon that is now known as Flow. To operate with a free mind is to operate at your highest potential. My only complaint is that it repeats the same thing over and over again.
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