The book of five rings

The book of five rings

Musashi Miyamoto, 1584-1645

Book - 1992

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Subjects
Military art and science > Early works to 1800.
Samurai.
Swordplay > Japan.
Art, Japanese.
Published
New York : Bantam Books 1992, c1982.
Language
English
Japanese
Main Author
Musashi Miyamoto, 1584-1645 (-)
Other Authors
Bradford J. Brown (-)
Item Description
Translation of Gorin no sho.
Physical Description
xxxiv, 116 p.
ISBN
9781570627484
  • Translator's Preface
  • Translator's Introduction
  • The Book of Five Rings
  • Preface
  • The Earth Scroll
  • On the Science of Martial Arts
  • Likening the Science of Martial Arts to Carpentry
  • The Science of Martial Arts
  • On the Composition of This Book in Five Scrolls
  • On Naming This Individual School "Two Swords"
  • On Knowing the Principles of the Words Martial Arts
  • On Knowing the Advantages of Weapons in Martial Arts
  • On Rhythm in Martial Arts
  • The Water Scroll
  • State of Mind in Martial Arts
  • Physical Rearing in Martial Arts
  • Focus of the Eyes in Martial Arts
  • Gripping the Long Sword
  • On Footwork
  • Five Kinds of Guard
  • The Way of the Long Sword
  • Procedures of Five Formal Techniques
  • On the Teaching of Having a Position without a Position
  • Striking Down an Opponent in a Single Beat
  • The Rhythm of the Second Spring
  • Striking without Thought and without Form
  • The Flowing Water Stroke
  • The Chance Hit
  • The Spark Hit
  • The Crimson Foliage Hit
  • The Body Instead of the Sword
  • Striking and Hitting
  • The Body of the Short-Armed Monkey
  • The Sticky Body
  • Comparing Height
  • Gluing
  • The Body Blow
  • Three Parries
  • Stabbing the Face
  • Stabbing the Heart
  • The Cry
  • The Slapping Parry
  • A Stand against Many Opponents
  • Advantage in Dueling
  • The Single Stroke
  • The State of Direct Penetration
  • Epilogue
  • The Fire Scroll
  • The Physical Situation
  • Three Preemptions
  • Holding Down the Pillow
  • Crossing a Ford
  • Knowing the State of Affairs
  • Stomping a Sword
  • Knowing Disintegration
  • Becoming the Opponent
  • Letting Go Four Hands
  • Moving Shadows
  • Arresting Shadows
  • Infection
  • Upset
  • Threat
  • Sticking Tight
  • Coming up against Corners
  • Flustering
  • Three Shouts
  • Mixing
  • Crushing
  • Mountain and Sea Changing
  • Knocking the Heart Out
  • Becoming New
  • Small and Large
  • A Commander Knowing Soldiers
  • Letting Go of the Hilt
  • Being Like a Rock Wall
  • Epilogue
  • The Wind Scroll
  • On Wielding Extra-long Swords in Other Schools
  • Powerful Sword Blows in Other Schools
  • The Use of Schorter Long Swords in Other Schools
  • Numerous Sword Strokes in Other Schools
  • Positions of the Sword in Other Schools
  • The Focus of the Eyes in Other Schools
  • Footwork in Other Schools
  • The Use of Speed in Other Schools
  • The Esoteric and Exoteric in Other Schools
  • Epilogue
  • The Scroll of Emptiness
  • Notes
  • The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War
  • The Killing Sword
  • Preface
  • The Great Learning
  • Mood and Will
  • Appearance and Intention
  • Beating the Grass to Scare the Snakes
  • The Vanguard of the Moment
  • Aggressive and Passive Modes
  • Logical Principles of Aggressive and Passive Attitudes of Body and Sword
  • Mental and Physical Aggressive and Passive Modes
  • Things to Learn When You Face an Aggressive Opponent
  • Things Learned for Facing Off in a Contest of Adversaries
  • The Mental Postures of Three Ways of Feinting
  • Addressing and Adapting to Changes of Mind
  • Double Looks
  • Hit and Be Hit At: The Sense of Winning by Letting Yourself Be Hit At
  • Three Rhythms
  • A Small Rhythm to a Large Rhythm, a Large Rhythm to a Small Rhythm
  • Noting the Tempo
  • Techniques
  • Techniques II
  • Hearing the Sound of Wind and Water
  • Sickness
  • The Sense of Elementary and Advanced Levels of Removal of Sickness
  • The Normal Mind
  • Like a Wooden Man Facing Flowers and Birds
  • The Free Mind
  • The Life-Giving Sword
  • Perceiving Abilities and Intentions
  • The Rhythm of Existence and Nonexistence
  • The Moon in the Water
  • The Quiescent Sword
  • Explanation of the Characters Used for "Quiescent"
  • Stride
  • The First Principle
  • The One-Foot Margin on Both Sides
  • "This Is the Ultimate"/The First Sword
  • Analysis of the Moon in the Water; the Quiescent Sword; Sickness; Body, Hands, and Feet
  • Moves
  • The Margin of Safety
  • Maneuvering
  • Seeing the Quiescent Sword: Distinction of Three Levels
  • "The Mind Is Like the Moon in Water, the Body Is Like an Image in a Mirror."
  • Hasty Attack
  • Bringing Back the Mind
  • The Sense of Total Removal, the Sense of the Void, the Sense of Presenting the Mind
  • True and False Mind
  • No Sword
  • Great Potential and Great Function
  • Mind and Objects
  • Martial Arts and Buddhism
  • Yes and No
  • Truth and Untruth
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
Review by Booklist Review

Here are two Japanese martial arts classics from the seventeenth century, of more than ordinary interest because of their distinguished translation and because of their identification with Zen. Musashi says things like "It is crucial to think of everything as an opportunity to kill," and there's no question his primer on training the would-be warrior's mind and body is, in that respect, as effective as ever. What might interest readers not inclined to bloodlust is Musashi's pared-down philosophy, as exemplified in his nine rules for learning any art. These include "Think of what is right and true," "Understand the harm and benefit in everything," "Become aware of what is not obvious," and the delightful "Do not do anything useless." Following Musashi's last meditation, "The Scroll of Emptiness" (about how, when one masters an art, one separates from it into a state of perfect, contented clarity), is Yagyu's short essay on the art of war. Yagyu, apparently quite a bloody warrior in his youth, in late life worked hard to link martial arts concepts to Zen, and his short essay has a distilled, aphoristic quality. Both writers are marvels of clarity and, oddly, peacefulness. ~--John Mort

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review

Written by legendary Japanese swordsman Musashi, this 17th-century exposition of sword-fighting strategy and Zen philosophy has been embraced by many contemporary readers, especially business school students, as a manual on how to succeed in life. There are many English translations, but every one, including this one, suffers from inadequate cultural, literary, and philosophical commentary. Musashi's work should be studied, not simply read, and Cleary's translation lacks commentary; it also makes the prose seems flat and the philosophy simplistic. Yet what makes this new translation worthwhile is the second text, buried deep in the back like an appendix: Yagyu Munenori's The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War . This text, also an exposition on sword fighting and Zen philosophy, is difficult to find in an English translation, and its availability is welcome. Recommended for academic libraries generally.-- Glenn Masuchika, Chaminade Univ. Lib., Honolulu (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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