To think that being righteous is the best one can do and to do one’s utmost to be righteous will, on the contrary, bring many mistakes. The Way is in a higher place than righteousness. This is very difficult to discover, but it is the highest wisdom. When seen from this standpoint, things like righteousness are rather shallow. If one does not understand this on his own, it cannot be known.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Yamamoto Tsunetomo Quotes

At times because of one man’s evil, ten thousand people suffer. So you kill that one man to let the tens of thousands live. Here, truly, the blade that deals death becomes the sword that saves lives.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get 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 all things.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Imitating another style is simply a sham.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

If one does not get it into his head from the very beginning that the world is full of unseemly situations, for the most part his demeanour will be poor and he will not be believed by others.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Throughout your life advance daily, becoming more skillful than yesterday, more skillful than today. This is never-ending.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

It is not sufficient just to remain calm in the event of catastrophe or emergency. When challenged by adversity, charge onwards with courage and jubilation. This is rising to a higher level. It is like the saying, “The more water there is, the higher the boat rises.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Common sense will not accomplish great things. Simply become insane and desperate.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Learning is a good thing, but more often it leads to mistakes. It is like the admonition of the priest Konan. It is worthwhile just looking at the deeds of accomplished persons for the purpose of knowing our own insufficiencies. But often this does not happen. For the most part, we admire our own opinions and become fond of arguing.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

It is said that what is called “the spirit of an age” is something to which one cannot return. That this spirit gradually dissipates is due to the world’s coming to an end. For this reason, although one would like to change today’s world back to the spirit of one hundred years or more ago, it cannot be done. Thus it is important to make the best out of every generation.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Personally, I like to sleep. And I intend to appropriately confine myself more and more to my living quarters and pass my life away sleeping.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

If one is secure at the foundation, he will not be pained by departure from minor details or affairs that are contrary to expectation.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Living without mistakes is truly impossible. But this is something that people who live by cleverness have no inclination to think about.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

The condition of a person is revealed by his dreams. It would be good to make companions of your dreams and to put forth effort.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

In a 50-50 life or death crisis, choose death.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

One should every day think over and make an effort to implant in his mind the saying, “At that time is right now.” It is said that it is strange indeed that anyone is able to pass through life by one means or another in negligence.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Feeling deeply the difference between oneself and others, bearing ill will, and falling out with people – these things come from a heart that lacks compassion. If one wraps up everything with a heart of compasion, there will be no coming into conflict with people.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

La negligencia es algo extremo.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

To think that being righteous is the best one can do and to do one’s utmost to be righteous will, on the contrary, bring many mistakes. The Way is in a higher place than righteousness. This is very difficult to discover, but it is the highest wisdom. When seen from this standpoint, things like righteousness are rather shallow. If one does not understand this on his own, it cannot be known.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

It is bad when one thing becomes two. One should not look for anything else in the Way of the Samurai. It is the same for anything that is called a Way. Therefore, it is inconsistent to hear something of the Way of Confucius or the Way of the Buddha, and say that this is the Way of the Samurai. If one understands things in this manner, he should be able to hear about all Ways and be more and more in accord with his own.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Depending on one’s point of view, Hagakure represents a mystical beauty intrinsic to the Japanese aesthetic experience, and a stoic but profound appreciation of the meaning of life and death.

— Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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