Miyamoto Musashi

If you want to learn the craft of war, ponder over this book. The teacher is as a needle, the disciple is as thread. You must practice constantly.

If you fail to take advantage of your enemies' collapse, they may recover.

One must make the warrior walk his everyday walk.

To cut and slash are two different things. Cutting, whatever form of cutting it is, is decisive, with a resolute spirit. Slashing is nothing more than touching the enemy.

You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.

In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness.

Strategy is the craft of the warrior.

When you cannot be deceived by men you will have realised the wisdom of strategy.

You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.

To become the enemy, see yourself as the enemy of the enemy

You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well.

Aspire to be like Mt. Fuji, with such a broad and solid foundation that the strongest earthquake cannot move you, and so tall that the greatest enterprises of common men seem insignificant from your lofty perspective. With your mind as high as Mt Fuji you can see all things clearly. And you can see all the forces that shape events; not just the things happening near to you.

Accept everything just the way it is.

Speed is not part of the true Way of strategy. Speed implies that things seem fast or slow, according to whether or not they are in rhythm. Whatever the Way, the master of strategy does not appear fast.

A warrior has no confusion in his mind...This is true emptiness.

Immature strategy is the cause of grief.

There is timing in everything. Timing in strategy cannot be mastered without a great deal of practice.

To win any battle, you must fight as if you are already dead

Step by step walk the thousand-mile road.

Unless you really understand others, you can hardly attain your own self-understanding.

In all forms of strategy, it is necessary to maintain the combat stance in everyday life and to make your everyday stance your combat stance.