Miyamoto Musashi quote

Nobufusa

Green Belt
Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Messages
104
Reaction score
6
So, Miyamoto Musashi is often quoted as saying the following:

"The truth isn't what you want it to be; it is what it is, and you must bend to its power, or live a lie"

the only problem is, I can't find this statement anywhere in his book. Does anyone know the source for this commonly attributed quote to Musashi?
 

Chris Parker

Grandmaster
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Messages
6,259
Reaction score
1,104
Location
Melbourne, Australia
So, Miyamoto Musashi is often quoted as saying the following:

"The truth isn't what you want it to be; it is what it is, and you must bend to its power, or live a lie"

the only problem is, I can't find this statement anywhere in his book. Does anyone know the source for this commonly attributed quote to Musashi?

Yeah.... the reason you can't find it in Musashi's works is that it's not in Musashi's works.

There are any number of "Musashi quotes" that aren't... they are taken from various editions of translations (well.... mostly) of Musashi's works, such as initial commentaries by persons such as Kenji Tokitsu, author of "Musashi: His Life and Writings". In this case, we're talking about a quote taken from Stephen Kaufman's "version" of The Book of Five Rings (Gorin no Sho). Kaufman describes this as the "definitive" version, and constantly claims that it's the most lauded version around... except, of course, it's not. It's utter garbage.

Look, the forum here has a strict no-fraud-busting policy, so I'm going to try to tread around using that particular word... but....

Stephen Kaufman was a fairly untalented, unskilled, relatively low-grade karate practitioner in the 60's who invented his own system of karate, promoted himself to 10th Dan, named himself "Hanshi" (a shogo title that was originated by the Dai Nippon Butokukai, an organisation that helped promote and regulate modern Japanese martial arts that ended in 1946, and is now used by groups associated with the Nippon Budokan, such as the Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei), and promoted himself as being "the only 10th Dan in America!"... which, of course, he was... because he gave the grade to himself. Hmm.

His lack of skill didn't worry his ego, and has continued to teach, naming his school "Dojo no Hebi", meaning "School of the Snake".... except, because of his lack of any clue of Japanese, it doesn't. It's more along the lines of "snake of the dojo"... which is amusingly appropriate. He has taught his karate, iaido (which would be hysterical if it wasn't so dangerous and badly performed, and that people actually pay him to teach him that stuff). He has also written a number of books, including the above-mentioned version of the Gorin no Sho... which is touted as being "the only version geared towards martial artists", as well as being the "best translation" of the text. Except, of course... it's not.

As we've established, Kaufman's grasp on Japanese is basically non-existent. His version of Gorin no Sho isn't a translation. It's a re-write of the book based on his complete failure to understand the text, lack of awareness of the context, inability to express the meanings, and overt delusions based in his woefully inadequate martial training. His writing of the text is his own fantasy, and has little bearing on the original text, which makes the above quote so ironic... it's is Kaufman living the lie as he refuses to accept reality or truth.
 

hoshin1600

Senior Master
Joined
May 16, 2014
Messages
3,127
Reaction score
1,643
Well,,
All that being said, I am curious
Is there a decent translation in english
 

Chris Parker

Grandmaster
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Messages
6,259
Reaction score
1,104
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Well,,
All that being said, I am curious
Is there a decent translation in english

Of Gorin no Sho? Yeah....... although I don't think any of them are without problems entirely. Presently, I'm using the William Scott Wilson and Alexander Bennett translations more than a few others... Kenji Tokitsu is also quite a good take on it. I've heard good things about David Goff's translation (he trains a form of Niten Ichi Ryu), and the one offered by Kim Taylor (translated by a student of Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu with Taylor-sensei adding commentary) is one of the best for practitioners of the school.

The thing to remember is that it was never intended for mass audiences... the book was written for Terao Kyumanosuke, one of the three top students of Musashi near the end of his life, and was intended for Terao to read, then burn. Which he did, dutifully. He did, however, loan it out first, which led to a copy being made (the so-called Hosokawa copy), which forms the basis of most of the translations around now. But most importantly, it's a text that is written specifically for a student of Musashi's art, as a way to explain a number of tactical and philosophical aspects of the school and it's teachings... it's not a "general" approach to anything at all... in fact, it's quite specific. And if you're not training in the school, it's value is somewhat muted, as all you can do is imagine what you think it means, or try to interpret it based on incomplete knowledge of what's actually being discussed.
 
OP
N

Nobufusa

Green Belt
Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Messages
104
Reaction score
6
Thank you Chris for your informative response.
 

Gyakuto

Senior Master
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
2,164
Reaction score
1,766
Location
UK
My old Kendo dojo president, Victor Harris (RIP) was the first to translate Go Rin No Sho into English. I was a very keen young practitioner, and clearly an avid absorber of all I read. This is what he wrote in my copy of A Book of Five Rings: 😂
 

Attachments

  • FA5AB1FD-23B2-4C79-A2C6-3877C30B85E2.jpeg
    FA5AB1FD-23B2-4C79-A2C6-3877C30B85E2.jpeg
    709.7 KB · Views: 120

Oily Dragon

Senior Master
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
3,257
Reaction score
1,650
My old Kendo dojo president, Victor Harris (RIP) was the first to translate Go Rin No Sho into English. I was a very keen young practitioner, and clearly an avid absorber of all I read. This is what he wrote in my copy of A Book of Five Rings: 😂
I can tell you what's not in the book.

All that blood.
 

Hyoho

2nd Black Belt
Joined
Oct 6, 2013
Messages
802
Reaction score
362
My old Kendo dojo president, Victor Harris (RIP) was the first to translate Go Rin No Sho into English. I was a very keen young practitioner, and clearly an avid absorber of all I read. This is what he wrote in my copy of A Book of Five Rings: 😂
He wrote in mine, "Reading Musashi is like kiri kaeshi. 10.000 times is not enough".
 

Oily Dragon

Senior Master
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
3,257
Reaction score
1,650
He wrote in mine, "Reading Musashi is like kiri kaeshi. 10.000 times is not enough".
Still, at some point I went beyond reading Musashi a long time ago, now I read about Musashi. That way I can put his words in context. The martial arts cool ronin high plains drifter dude, is one thing, but there's a lot more depth that most people can't grasp, because they've never faced death like he did. Some consider his sword school to be his best work. I've always felt it was the last few weeks of his life.

Here was a man who was a casual, ruthless killer, but ended up basically pulling a Bodhidharma, which makes you wonder what Damo did in his life...at least that's what I wonder. How did both end up at the same place? Some of the most venerated monks in both China and Japan.

I think #6 of the 獨行道is the best example of his paradoxical nature. "Do not regret what you have done", and yet, he wrote all 21 precepts a week before he died. I think he regretted quite a bit at the end, and he wrote the "One Lonely Way" down to make himself feel better.

#16, "Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.". This one is so useful. I'm something of a hoarder, myself.
 
Last edited:

Latest Discussions

Top