Quote

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.

Yamamoto Tsunetomo

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Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Age: 60 †
Born: 1659
Born: June 11
Died: 1719
Died: November 30
Bushi
Philosopher
Writer
Hizen Domain
Nothing
Single
Moment
Living
Exert
War
Distraction
Moments
Continuing
Else
Extent
True
Enter
Thought
Avoid

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Having only wisdom and talent is the lowest tier of usefulness.
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Even if one's head were to be suddenly cut off, he should be able to do one more action with certainty.
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It is better to have some unhappiness while one is still young, for if a person does not experience some bitterness, his disposition will not settle down.
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Light matters should be dealt with seriously. Serious matters should be dealt with lightly.
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To give a person an opinion one must first judge well whether that person is of the disposition to receive it or not.
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If you are slain in battle, you should be resolved to have your corpse facing the enemy.
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A person who is discreet in speaking will be useful during the good times and will avoid punishment during the bad.
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If one is but secure at the foundation, he will not be pained by departure from minor details or affairs that are contrary to expectation. But in the end, the details of a matter are important. The right and wrong of one's way of doing things are found in trivial matters.
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It is difficult for a fool's habits to change to selflessness.
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Purity is something that cannot be attained except by piling effort upon effort.
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There is nothing we should be quite so grateful for as the last line of the poem that goes, 'When your own heart asks.
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If one thinks only of winning, a sordid victory will be worse than a defeat. For the most part, it becomes a squalid defeat.
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By inconsistency and frivolity we stray from the Way and show ourselves to be beginners. In this we do much harm.
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A warrior is worthless unless he rises above others and stands strong in the midst of a storm.
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It is bad when one thing becomes two. One should not look for anything else in 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.
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All abilities come from one mind
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One must know the so-called 'lesson of a downpour. A man, caught in a sudden rain en route, dashes along the road not to get wet or drenched. Once one takes it for granted that in rain he naturally gets wet, he can be in a tranquil frame of mind even when soaked to the skin. This lesson applies to everything.
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There are few people who will make mistakes with fire after having once been burned.
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Even if it seems certain that you will lose, retaliate. Neither wisdom nor technique has a place in this. A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams.
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