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

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
Life
Whether
War
Tell
Cannot
Persons
Vicissitudes
Person
Matters
Matter
Fortune
Good
Fate

More quotes by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

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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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Tether even a roasted chicken.
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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.
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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.
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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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All of man’s work is a bloody business. That fact, today, is considered foolish, affairs are finished cleverly with words alone, and jobs that require effort are avoided. I would like young men to have some understanding of this.
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It is difficult for a fool's habits to change to selflessness.
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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.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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The end is important in all things.
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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.
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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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When confronted with two alternatives, life and death, one is to choose death without hesitation.
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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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Singlemindedness is all-powerful.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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One should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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One should be wary of talking on end about such subjects as learning, morality or folklore in front of elders or people of rank. It is disagreeable to listen to.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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A warrior should not say something fainthearted, even casually. He should set his mind to this beforehand. Even in trifling matters the depths of one's heart can be seen.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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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.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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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.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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By being impatient, matters are damaged and great works cannot be done
Yamamoto Tsunetomo