147 Quotes by Yamamoto Tsunetomo
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"There is one transcending level, and this is the most excellent of all. This person is aware of the endlessness of entering deeply into a certain Way and never thinks of himself as having finished."
"You cannot tell whether a person is good or bad by his vicissitudes in life. Good and bad fortune are matters of fate."
"By inconsistency and frivolity we stray from the Way and show ourselves to be beginners. In this we do much harm."
"Even if one's head were to be suddenly cut off, he should be able to do one more action with certainty."
"The basic meaning of etiquette is to be quick at both the beginning and end and tranquil in the middle."