Dokkodo

[Nanashi]

Here are some of Miyamoto Musashi's precepts from Dokkodo, "The Way of Walking Alone" -- originally meant for his fencing students, but I find it helps to note towards internal harmony.

 

Accept everything just the way it is.

Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.

Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.

Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.

Be detached from desire your whole life long.

Do not regret what you have done.

Never be jealous.

Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.

Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.

Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.

In all things have no preferences.

Be indifferent to where you live.

Do not pursue the taste of good food.

Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.

Do not act following customary beliefs.

Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.

Do not fear death.

Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.

Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.

Never stray from the Way.

[minkus]

That is some very powerfull advice indeed ! Thank you, worth reading twice

[Encephalon]

Perhaps this is a little negative, but I'm not surprised this thread hasn't gotten more responses. This is the real deal, bravely accepting whatever life throws at you with as much skill and wisdom as you can muster. Fussiness is considered a profound weakness amongst the warrior class. Life is so precious that to waste your attention on all the petty little BS that comes your way is to broadcast your cluelessness from the highest hill.

 

I should know. I'm a fussy schmuck just like millions of others. I try not to be, and sometimes I succeed.

 

What's amazing about this guy's life is that he went undefeated in sword matches, but was defeated by a man wielding a jo. Cool, eh?

Edited September 1, 2009 by Blasto

[Nanashi]

Aye, I can understand that many, generally speaking, are a product of "modern times" and such an ascetic, spartan view isn't the most popular modus operandi around.

 

Kenjutsu is one of my passions, and I admire Musashi for developing his own style of swordsmanship-- and being pretty damn successful at it. Still, I believe these precepts can apply to everyday life in a meaningful way; like you explained: cutting through the BS.

 

And yeah, that was an interesting duel, considering his record. I also find it more than ironic that later in life, while suppressing a Christian rebellion, he was struck on the head with a rock, which affected him greatly.

[contrivedname!]

i like the straightforward no bullshit approach that this poem illustrates. i believe that in many regards, the zen tradition did benefit from the samurai influence, though some took it over the top.

[Sloppy Zhang]

Awesome

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

First reading: powerful, right on.

 

Second reading: "Accept everything just the way it is". Good.

Then a few neutral aphorisms and a lot of negatives- "Do not..." and "Never..."

If I am saddened by a separation, for example, shouldn't I just accept my sadness as being

"just the way it is"?

Isn't he saying to accept everything as it is, but reject your fear of death, or my partial feeling?

 

Is this not inconsistent?

 

Third reading: "In all things have no preferences".

I prefer to live in a safe neighborhood in a clean, well-built home over the opposite.

I can see how to strive to live without attachment, but I cannot see how to live without

preferences. One can have preferences and not be attached to them.

 

Can someone explain to me what this aphorism means, and why I should have no preferences?

 

 

 

Nice collection of sayings, but does it hold together as a whole?

[Sloppy Zhang]

First reading: powerful, right on.

 

Second reading: "Accept everything just the way it is". Good.

Then a few neutral aphorisms and a lot of negatives- "Do not..." and "Never..."

If I am saddened by a separation, for example, shouldn't I just accept my sadness as being

"just the way it is"?

Isn't he saying to accept everything as it is, but reject your fear of death, or my partial feeling?

 

Is this not inconsistent?

 

Third reading: "In all things have no preferences".

I prefer to live in a safe neighborhood in a clean, well-built home over the opposite.

I can see how to strive to live without attachment, but I cannot see how to live without

preferences. One can have preferences and not be attached to them.

 

Can someone explain to me what this aphorism means, and why I should have no preferences?

Nice collection of sayings, but does it hold together as a whole?

 

Spend as much time as Miyamoto Musashi did, doing what he did, then come back I bet he'd say something like that......

 

In answer, though, to your questions, I think this quote is best:

 

"Accept everything just the way it is." - sound familiar?

[contrivedname!]

First reading: powerful, right on.

 

Second reading: "Accept everything just the way it is". Good.

Then a few neutral aphorisms and a lot of negatives- "Do not..." and "Never..."

If I am saddened by a separation, for example, shouldn't I just accept my sadness as being

"just the way it is"?

Isn't he saying to accept everything as it is, but reject your fear of death, or my partial feeling?

 

Is this not inconsistent?

 

Third reading: "In all things have no preferences".

I prefer to live in a safe neighborhood in a clean, well-built home over the opposite.

I can see how to strive to live without attachment, but I cannot see how to live without

preferences. One can have preferences and not be attached to them.

 

Can someone explain to me what this aphorism means, and why I should have no preferences?

Nice collection of sayings, but does it hold together as a whole?

 

good counterpoints. it does kind of read like commandments with the do nots and nevers