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I have found that the Way of the samurai is death. This means that when you are compelled to choose between life and death, you must quickly choose death.

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
Found
Must
Samurai
Mean
Compelled
Way
Quickly
Life
Choose
War
Means
Death

More quotes by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

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Purity is something that cannot be attained except by piling effort upon effort.
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A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death.
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In the eyes of mercy, no one should have hateful thoughts. Feel pity for the man who is even more at fault. The area and size of mercy is limitless.
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The way of the Samurai is found in death.
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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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In the Kamigata area, they have a sort of tiered lunchbox they use for a single day when flower viewing. Upon returning, they throw them away, trampling them underfoot. The end is important in all things.
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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.
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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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A samurai will use a toothpick even though he has not eaten. Inside the skin of a dog, outside the hide of a tiger.
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It is difficult for a fool's habits to change to selflessness.
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When something out of the ordinary happens, it is ridiculous to say that it is a mystery or a portent of something to come... the mystery is created in (their) minds, and by waiting for disaster, it is from their very minds that it occurs.
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One should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths.
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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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All abilities come from one mind
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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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A warrior is worthless unless he rises above others and stands strong in the midst of a storm.
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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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It is a wretched thing that the young men of today are so contriving and so proud of their material posessions. Men with contriving hearts are lacking in duty. Lacking in duty, they will have no self-respect.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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Not to borrow the strength of another, nor to rely on one's own strength to cut off past and future thoughts, and not to live within the everyday mind... then the Great Way is right before your eyes.
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The end is important in all things.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo