Notes on Reading The Book of Five Rings

[Ted T.]

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community.

 

These are my notes on reading The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, translation by Thomas Cleary (Shambhala Publications, Inc., 1993).

 

The Earth Scroll

Martial arts are the warrior’s way of life.

This introduces Musashi’s thesis that those who would be warriors must study the way of martial arts. Contrary to the popular opinion of his day that all warriors thought about was death, he claimed:

The martial way of life practiced by warriors is based on excelling others in anything and in everything. (p. 5)

 

… and included such diverse activities as service to your lord, self service and social prominence.

 

This was written after a long life full of battle in which he apparently killed 60 some opponents in duels. He tells us that it was after his success as a fighter that he discovered the principles of the martial arts, which he recorded for us in his scrolls.

Yet there will be people in the world who think that even if you learn martial arts, this will not prove useful when a real need arises. Regarding that concern, the true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be useful at any time, and to teach them in such a way they will be useful in all things. (p. 6)

He wrote this to distinguish his approach from those who taught sword fighting (or any martial art) as technique only, who have missed the deeper aspects of the martial arts, the underlying martial science which creates the deepest skill and the broadest plan which will bring success in every endeavor. So even if you learn how to kill an enemy as he did in his youth, if you learn no more than that, you have no understanding of the way of martial arts, even though you never lose a battle.

 

In sum: the way is the underlying principles of any skill or lifestyle, including the martial arts, which make it useful for success. And following his comparison of the principles of the martial arts to the mind of a master carpenter, we see that the principles involved are social principles, not unlike the study of psychology.

 

The way of the martial arts involves attention to detail as if you were a master craftsman, not just a fighter. Deviance from the true way is caused by lack of commitment to the way from the beginning.

 

Quotes to remember:

The way of my school is the spirit of gaining victory by any means. (p. 12)

In any case, as human beings, it is essential for each of us to cultivate and polish our individual path. (p. 13)

… all the sciences of warriors, without exception, are called martial arts. (p. 13)

The Earth scroll ends with a discourse on “Rhythms in Martial arts”… to know rhythms so you can “produce formless rhythms from rhythms of wisdom” and a list of the rules for learning his art. These rules seem to be self evident in that if you followed them, they must work for you but the problem would seem to be to attain to the practice of following them.

The spirit of overcoming others is the same even if there are thousands or tens of thousands of opponents. (p. 9)

Once you learn to deal with one, you have learned to deal with many.

 

The Water Scroll

 

The purity of Mushashi’s sword technique. I imagine that this also refers to the practice of any style of weaponry, hand to hand or even to carpentry.

 

Learn details and you master the broader concepts also; i.e.:

… gradually attain the principles of the science. (pg 32)

But it ends with a mystery:

No matter how many opponents you beat, as long as you do anything in contravention of training, it cannot be the true path. When this principle comes to mind, you should understand how to overcome even dozens of opponents all by yourself. Once you can do that, you should also be able to grasp the principles of large-scale and individual military science by means of the power of knowledge of the art of the sword.

 

 

The Fire Scroll

 

This scroll contains the science of fighting:

 

1. Use your environment to advantage:

 

- See where the obstacles are and chase your opponent into them, avoiding them yourself. Keep the light at your back or on your right.

 

2. Use preemptive strikes:

 

- Attack on your own initiative.

 

- When he attacks, preempt him with a strong attack after he falters.

 

- Simultaneous attack can be preemptive. This idea sounds similar to Sensei Richard Kim’s punching reversals - how to turn his attack into a defensive posture.

 

3. Perceive his intention before he acts and stifle it at the start.

 

- Allow them to do what is useless, stop what is useful.

 

4. Crossing at the ford:

 

- A bit confusing in that he is writing of crossing a “sea” in a boat not a river on foot.

To ‘cross a ford,’ put the adversary in a weak position and get the jump yourself; then you will generally quickly prevail.”

To me, this sounds like a compilation of #’s 1 and 2.

 

5. Know the state of affairs:

 

- Assessing your opponent, his traditions, his character, his strength and weaknesses, move contrary to his expectations, (be flexible in your traditions!) determine his “highs and lows” and make the first move.

 

6. Stomping a sword:

 

- This means to regain the initiative after he attacks by overpowering his assault with your response so a second attack can’t be made. Sensei Kim taught us a number of these techniques, which I came to call “punching reversals” (how to reverse a flurry of punches so you don’t get caught “chasing hands” with blocks.)

 

7. Knowing disintegration:

 

- This is about timing… when an attack falters - take advantage before a second attack starts. You must lash out with power.

 

8. Become your opponent:

 

- Put yourself in his place, empathize and see his point of view.

 

9. Letting go of our hands:

 

- If it looks like a deadlock is about to happen, you must immediately change your approach and (come out of left field) win with an unsuspected tactic. Be flexible!

 

10. Moving shadows:

 

- This refers to making a move to elicit a response from our opponent so as to read his intentions and know how to win. If you are inattentive, you lose. Again, we have heard this from Sensei Richard Kim.

 

11. Arresting shadows:

 

- When facing an aggressive action, arrest it at the moment of impulse to act with a strong demonstration of control over the situation. This works by using rhythm. (I have a younger, stronger, fiercer friend that I can beat because every time he throws a punch, if I punch, too; very fast, he will always turn his punch into a block. I haven’t told him about this yet!)

 

12. Infection:

 

- In the sense that a yawn is infectious. Your actions can cause a similar action in your opponent even if they are false, i.e. a ploy to manipulate him. Calm an excited opponent with calmness and enter quickly when he slackens. “Entrancing” is used with boredom, restlessness and faintheartedness but its difference from “infection” is not written.

 

13. Upset:

 

- Cause a feeling of “upset” in your opponent by having him feel acute pressure, unreasonable strain or surprise.

 

- Use surprise and unexpected maneuvers to take the initiative and advantage.

 

14. Threat:

 

- This means being frightened by the unexpected.

 

- You can threaten by body, by weapon and by voice but a threat must be sudden and unexpected to create the fear that allows advantage.

 

- #’s 13 and 14 are both parts of “surprise.”

 

15. Sticking tight:

 

- When you are contesting power with someone and it is not going well, keep pushing, sticking close and keep thinking, be flexible and look for an advantage in the struggle.

 

16. Coming up against corners:

 

- Instead of going in straight on to contest power, chip away at his corners with your strength. Collapse a corner and all will collapse.

 

- Each time he attacks, cause him pain, without regard to a kill shot. (Didn’t Funakoshi Sensei write: “Defeat your enemies with many small injuries.”?) Weaken him by degrees.

 

17. Flustering:

 

- Act so as to unsteady their mind.

 

- Manipulate their attention, make them think confusing thoughts about your intentions, find a flustering rhythm… change your actions so as to be confusing

 

18. Three shouts:

 

- In a shout, the voice shows force and power.

 

- There are initial, middle and final shouts; initial shouts are loud as possible, middle shouts are low pitched and boom from the depths and final shouts are loud and strong after victory.

 

- Shouting on a feint can deceive him that it is a ‘real’ move then when he is stirred, lash out. This is a “before” shout. Your “after” shout signals victory and demoralizes others.

 

19. Mixing:

 

- To attack in zig zag.

 

- Zig to attack a flank then zag to attack your real target, the center of his force. Combine with #16?

 

- Also useful against multiple attackers when by yourself, after finishing a weak opponent, attack a strong one.

 

- It also applies to a sense of rushing straight in against a stronger opponent.

 

20. Crushing:

 

- This is the attitude you use to overwhelm a weak opponent or a strong one who is fouled-up, off his timing or backing off, do not let him catch his breath, just mow him down.

 

21. Mountain and sea changing:

 

- Means that it is bad to be repetitive and predictable.

 

- Repeat once but never thrice. Be flexible. Be creative. If a punch doesn’t work, kick. If the kick doesn’t work, throw.

 

22. Knocking the heart out:

 

- Useful for opponents who are beaten but who refuse to give up. He must feel defeated to the bottom of his heart.

 

- Use your weapons, your body and/or your mind. As long as they have ambitions, they won’t collapse.

 

23. Becoming new:

 

- When you feel snarled up and are making no progress, think strongly in your heart that you are now starting everything new. As you get the rhythm, you will discern how to win.

 

24. Small and large:

 

- Again, when you feel snarled up and are making no progress, remember that in the midst of minute details suddenly shift to a larger perspective.

 

- Changing to great or small is essential to all human endeavors and critical to even small scale encounters.

 

25. A commander knowing his soldiers:

 

- Thinking of your opponents as your own troops to be manipulated as you will.

 

26. Letting go of the hilt:

 

- Variously, to win without a sword, or failing to win with a sword. (?)

 

27. Being like a rock wall:

 

- A master who is inaccessible and immovable. (?)

 

The Wind Scroll

 

This is the knowledge of the methods of other schools.

 

Quotes to remember:

Other schools become theatrical, dressing up and showing off to make a living, commercializing martial arts; therefore it would seem that they are not the true Way. p. 49

Do you think that you have realized how to attain victory just by learning [to wield the long sword] and training your body land hands? p. 49

Sum: the “tricks” of a style are designed to give them an edge because they are deficient in the real Way of the true science of martial arts.

 

Simplicity, directness, focused intent to kill, being on the attack, watch the hearts and minds of your enemy, keep the footwork natural, don’t rush... these are the principles of victory in all matters of contention.

 

Scroll of Emptiness

Knowing of nonexistence while knowing of existence is emptiness. (p. 59)

 

I have no better idea of what he means when he uses the word “emptiness” after reading this scroll than I did before I read it...

 

 

 

[Patrick]

Thank you for the submission.

[Killer Miller]

To better explain emptiness is to read my article on "Mind Dumping." Otherwise I would be re-stating what I've already written.

- Killer -

[atalaya]

i love this topic! one of the best parts of dealing with martial artists, in my opinion, is that they are willing and even eager to express themselves/help/explain things to newer or non-practitioners. this is in keeping with the idea that we are all part of a larger whole, because as the parts or members improve, the life and health of the all is improved. certainly miyamoto musashi felt the responsibility that martial artists before and after him have felt to record their teachings and understanding.

this would be a good idea for everyone; get a journal and write the story of your learning process. notes from your teachers. your personal thoughts and impressions. specific/detailed instructions on certain topics. the history of your style. those treasures will become increasingly valuable to you when the time comes to try to pass on your martial heritage.

[Menjo]

Very in-depth, gave me something to think about. Well done.

[Leshiye]

I shall try to be brief here as i speak on what I know of Musashi's emptiness.

A friend of mine described it best to me as he tried to convey to me the act of expressing a movement without thinking about it.

"A glass is a glass if it has water in it or not. So you are a glass. As you are here in Nature, you are filled. A glass that is filled cannot be filled anymore."

This suggests that one must empty the self of that which was learned when facing a task. There can be no presuppositions, no plan... merely that which is being poured into your senses, filling you. That which you have learned is now part of the glass... part of you, it supports you and helps to bear what is now pouring in.

In short, there can be no doubt... only reception and result. The mechanism is all you. Your training, your physical abillity, your soul... all of this shapes your expression. Expression is shaped by that which fills you.

Regards...

[bushido_man96]

I stand and applaud your efforts in deciphering this great work. Excellent, excellent job