Quotes from Yamamoto Tsunetomo

The Four Oaths: Never be late with respect to the way of the warrior; be useful to the lord; be respectful to your parents; get beyond love and grief: exist for the good of man.

If one thinks only of winning, a sordid victory will be worse than a defeat. For the most part, it becomes a squalid defeat.

It is better not to become acquainted with men about whom you have formerly had doubts. No matter what you do, they will be people by whom you will be tripped up or taken in.

There is one transcending level, and this is the most excellent of all. This person is aware of the endlessness of entering deeply into a certain Way and never thinks of himself as having finished.

When delivering something like an important letter or other written materials, grasp it firmly in your hand as you go and do not release it once, but hand it over directly to the recipient.

You cannot tell whether a person is good or bad by his vicissitudes in life. Good and bad fortune are matters of fate.

The person who practices an art is an artist, not a samurai, and one should have the intention of being called a samurai.

The saying 'the arts aid the body' is for samurai of other regions. For samurai of the Nabeshima clan the arts bring ruin to the body.

Be true to the thought of the moment and avoid distraction. Other than continuing to exert yourself, enter into nothing else, but go to the extent of living single thought by single thought.

There is not a man who does not get senile by the time he reaches sixty. And when one thinks that he will not be senile, he is already so.

As everything in this world is but a sham, Death is the only sincerity.

By inconsistency and frivolity we stray from the Way and show ourselves to be beginners. In this we do much harm.

An affected laugh shows lack of self-respect in a man and lewdness in a woman. It is carelessness to go about with one's hands inside the slits in the sides of his hakama.

The basic meaning of etiquette is to be quick at both the beginning and end and tranquil in the middle.

A person who is discreet in speaking will be useful during the good times and will avoid punishment during the bad.

As long as people overlook matters, then inferiors can, without any fear, lead an easy and peaceful life.

Covetousness, anger and foolishness are things to sort out well. When bad things happen in the world, if you look at them comparatively, they are not unrelated to these three things.

Having only wisdom and talent is the lowest tier of usefulness.

All of us want to live, and that is absolutely natural. However, we should learn from childhood on to choose our best way to die. If we don't do that, we end up spending our days like a dog, only in search of harbour, food and expressing a blind loyalty to his owner in return. That isn't enough to make our lives have a meaning.

Looking comparatively at the good things, you will see that they are not excluded from wisdom, humanity and bravery.

This is the substance of the way of the samurai: if by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling.

It is difficult for a fool's habits to change to selflessness.

The way of the Samurai is found in death.

To desire with one's very soul every second of every day to accomplish one's aim.