The Art Of Reading

HawkHunt

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Allright so this may not be for everyone. Because not everyone cares about the why's in their the art they study.

But my personal philosophy for life, my three pillars if you will, dicate that I must train the mind aswell.

I wont go into my personal philosophy here don't worry. I was however curious about how many other share my habit of learning about other styles of the sword through literature.

Do we have a literature list or shall we make one?

I would start of with a few of the most famous books out there regarding the sword:

The Book Of Five Rings - Miyamoto Musashi

The Book Of Family Traditions On The Art Of War - Yagyu Munenori

The Art Of War -Sun Tzu

I am sure there are many other books that are great. As a side note I really want to start reading about Confucius.

Should any of you be, for whatever reason, curious about my personal philosophy then ask away!
 

Bill Mattocks

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The Japanese Way Of The Artist
by H. E. Davey

This book is actually three complete works:
Living The Japanese Arts & Ways
Brush Meditation
The Japanese Way Of The Flower​

It is relatively inexpensive:
https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Way...r=8-1&keywords=the+japanese+way+of+the+artist

Before reading this book, I had never experienced terms like 'shugyo' and 'furyo'.

Beware that this is philosophy and meditation upon 'do'. It is not about how to hit people or when to do so.
 

Jameswhelan

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'Hyoho Michishirube' by Shirai Toru. It's a commentary on a very strange and interesting old book about swordsmanship associated with Kukamishin ryu called the Shinken Kakkiron!
 

lklawson

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Allright so this may not be for everyone. Because not everyone cares about the why's in their the art they study.

But my personal philosophy for life, my three pillars if you will, dicate that I must train the mind aswell.

I wont go into my personal philosophy here don't worry. I was however curious about how many other share my habit of learning about other styles of the sword through literature.

Do we have a literature list or shall we make one?

I would start of with a few of the most famous books out there regarding the sword:
Just the famous ones. OK. How about Fiore, McBane, Le Marchant, Burton, Hutton, Nadi, Patton, or Document No. 286; War Department - Office of the Chief of Staff (Provisional Regulations for Saber Exercise, United States Army).

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
 

Langenschwert

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For HNIR practitioners, The Book of Five Rings is required reading. To the OP, you're not going to get much out of it if you're not practicing HNIR, it's just that simple. Or at least, you're not going to get out of it what was intended, most likely. That doesn't mean don't read it, just be aware that you are missing vital context if you don't practice Musashi's art. Maybe you do?

I would, for general tactics of swordsmanship, recommend the so-called "Dobringer" manuscript, HS 3227a. It's the first manuscript in the Liechtenauer tradition, but talks a fair amount in general terms, making it far more useful for sword art practitioners in general than later manuscripts which are far more technical and specific to the style. Here are two different translations:

http://www.thearma.org/Manuals/Dobringer_A5_sidebyside.pdf
Nuremberg Hausbuch (MS 3227a) ~ Wiktenauer ~☞ Insquequo omnes gratuiti fiunt
 

oaktree

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The deity and the sword since I am a tksr guy, legacies of the sword are my two favorite ones. I also like the yagyu book but I missed my chance to study that style.
 

Gyakuto

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The Japanese Way Of The Artist
by H. E. Davey

This book is actually three complete works:
Living The Japanese Arts & Ways​
Brush Meditation​
The Japanese Way Of The Flower​

It is relatively inexpensive:
The Japanese Way of the Artist: Living the Japanese Arts & Ways, Brush Meditation, The Japanese Way of the Flower: Davey, H. E.: 9780990421443: Amazon.com: Books

Before reading this book, I had never experienced terms like 'shugyo' and 'furyo'.

Beware that this is philosophy and meditation upon 'do'. It is not about how to hit people or when to do so.
I bought this on your recommendation and I’m really enjoying it! Thank you 🙏🏽
 

_Simon_

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I bought this on your recommendation and I’m really enjoying it! Thank you 🙏🏽
How bizarre, I've been currently reading this book too haha, but I only have the first of the collection, "Living the Japanese Arts & Ways". Bought it in 2006!

Also enjoying it an immense amount, a great read so far! Some parts are so profound and have just knocked me out, have had to stop reading and state straight ahead many times haha.
 

Gyakuto

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How bizarre, I've been currently reading this book too haha, but I only have the first of the collection, "Living the Japanese Arts & Ways". Bought it in 2006!

Also enjoying it an immense amount, a great read so far! Some parts are so profound and have just knocked me out, have had to stop reading and state straight ahead many times haha.
I think there are so few really good books on the ‘peripherals’ of Budo. Generally I find older texts impenetrable (I’m not at all ‘literary’ so just don’t get them). But these a great ones
2583B4E4-DEE1-4F6D-B46A-411AA4BD97D6.jpeg
3D064B0F-B1FF-4D27-BE04-92E1818C9C02.jpeg
 

_Simon_

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I think there are so few really good books on the ‘peripherals’ of Budo. Generally I find older texts impenetrable (I’m not at all ‘literary’ so just don’t get them). But these a great onesView attachment 28368View attachment 28367
Oh awesome thanks for that will check them out. Very true they are hard to find! Yeah definitely that's where my interest lies... another is Zen Body-Being which I got recently as it was highly highly recommended to me by many. Sort of an integrative book, can't wait to read

 

Gyakuto

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I’ve just ordered a copy, _Simon_

I practise Rinzai Zen which has many physical aspects to it from breathing to postural alignment to ah-un breathing to tanden sok and fukushiki kokyu… all sorts of stuff that have parallels or are directly lifted by Budo. Are you familiar with them at all?
 

_Simon_

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I’ve just ordered a copy, _Simon_

I practise Rinzai Zen which has many physical aspects to it from breathing to postural alignment to ah-un breathing to tanden sok and fukushiki kokyu… all sorts of stuff that have parallels or are directly lifted by Budo. Are you familiar with them at all?
Ah very nice!

Oh cool, I study and practice Zen but on a more broad basis (not formalised I guess). Yeah for sure I had to look up some terms but they seem to refer to deep breathing and from/through the tanden, I'm being more and more conscious of this in my MA practice and have been trying to bring it in as a foundation for sure! A rich area of exploration it's been :)
 

Gyakuto

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In that case, I highly recommend this…

08A995C5-4325-4957-85FE-FF67BDE5E1E9.jpeg

Rinzai Zen really is a physical way of attaining realisation and so many of the techniques described here are used in Budo and vice versa! And of course, all these come from Chinese Chan Buddhism and beyond.
 

_Simon_

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In that case, I highly recommend this…

View attachment 28375
Rinzai Zen really is a physical way of attaining realisation and so many of the techniques described here are used in Budo and vice versa! And of course, all these come from Chinese Chan Buddhism and beyond.
Ahh fantastic, thanks for that! I've attended a few online session with Meido and asked him a few questions, he's amazing haha, I love his approach and genuine nature.

I have quite a few books on Zen but actually a great idea getting one of his, cheers :)
 

Gyakuto

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Meido Moore is an interesting character and I like his martial leanings (Omori Sogen’s lineage I believe). If I lived in the US, I’d like to study with him…alas…
 

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