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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.

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
Persons
Person
Discreet
Good
Punishment
Useful
Speaking
Avoid
Times
War

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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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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.
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It is difficult for a fool's habits to change to selflessness.
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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.
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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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If you are slain in battle, you should be resolved to have your corpse facing the enemy.
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To desire with one’s very soul every second of every day to accomplish one’s aim.
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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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By bringing shame to a person, how could one expect to make him a better man?
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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.
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When someone is giving you his opinion, you should receive it with deep gratitude even though it is worthless. If you don't, he will not tell you the things that he has seen and heard about you again.
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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.
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Bushido is realised in the presence of death. In the case of having to choose between life and death you should choose death. There is no other reasoning.
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There are few people who will make mistakes with fire after having once been burned.
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If a warrior is not unattached to life and death, he will be of no use whatsoever. The saying that “All abilities come from one mind” sounds as though it has to do with sentient matters, but it is in fact a matter of being unattached to life and death. With such non-attachment one can accomplish any feat.
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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.
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As long as people overlook matters, then inferiors can, without any fear, lead an easy and peaceful life.
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The person who practices an art is an artist, not a samurai, and one should have the intention of being called a samurai.
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Our bodies are given life from the midst of nothingness. Existing where there is nothing is the meaning of the phrase, Form is emptiness. That all things are provided for by nothingness is the meaning of the phrase, Emptiness is form. One should not think that these are two seperate things.
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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.
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