Für diejenigen, die meine Kunst erlernen wollen, gelten die folgenden Regeln:
1. Habe nie arglistige Gedanken.
2. Übe dich unablässig darin, dem Weg zu folgen.
3. Mache dich vertraut mit allen Techniken und Künsten.
4. Studiere die Wege vieler Tätigkeiten und Berufe.
5. Lerne an allen Dingen Gewinn und Verlust zu unterscheiden.
6. Entwickle deine Fähigkeit, die Dinge auf den ersten Blick zu durchschauen.
7. Bemühe dich, das Wesen auch dessen zu erkennen, was unsichtbar bleibt.
8. Vernachlässige nie deine Aufmerksamkeit auch gegenüber den kleinsten Dingen.
9. Halte dich nicht mit nutzlosen Beschäftigungen auf.
Diese Regeln sollte man unbedingt beherzigen und sich so in der Kunst üben. Ein Meister der Kunst wird nur, wer unter strengster Befolgung dieser Regeln die jeweilige Situation insgesamt betrachtet. Hat einer die Regeln gelernt und hält sich an sie, wird er keiner, auch nicht zwanzig oder dreißig Herausforderungen, unterliegen. Wenn er mit ganzem Herzen dabei ist und ernsthaft an sich arbeitet, wird er sowohl mit dem Handwerk als auch mit dem Auge jeder Situation gewachsen sein; stete Übung wird ihn befähigen, seinen Körper so zu beherrschen, daß er die Aufgabe körperlich besteht, und hat er darüber hinaus seinen Geist gestählt, so wird er seine Aufgabe auch geistig bestehen.
Wer dahin gelangt – ist er nicht einfach unsterblich?
Schließlich wird er sich in der Kunst im weiteren Sinne mit hervorragenden Menschen zusammentun, wird er seine Mitarbeiter geschickt einsetzen, wird er sich selber aufrecht verhalten, das ihm anvertraute Aufgabengebiet mit Umsicht verwalten, für die Angehörigen sorgen und im Umfeld die Ordnung bewahren. Wenn es einen Weg gibt, der zu unbesiegbarem Selbstvertrauen führt, dem einzelnen alle Schwierigkeiten überwinden hilft und ihm Erfolg einträgt, so ist es der Weg des Meisters.
- nach Shimmen Musashis Gorin-no-sho
THE BOOK OF THE VOID
AntwortenLöschen~
The Ni To Ichi Way of strategy is recorded in this the Book of the Void.
What is called the spirit of the void is where there is nothing. It is not included in
man's knowledge. Of course the void is nothingness. By knowing things that exist, you
can know that which does not exist. That is the void.
People in this world look at things mistakenly, and think that what they do not
understand must be the void. This is not the true void. It is bewilderment.
In the Way of strategy, also, those who study as warriors think that whatever they
cannot understand in their craft is the void. This is not the true void.
To attain the Way of strategy as a warrior you must study fully other martial arts
and not deviate even a little from the Way of the warrior. With your spirit settled,
accumulate practice day by day, and hour by hour. Polish the twofold spirit heart and
mind, and sharpen the twofold gaze perception and sight. When your spirit is not in the
least clouded, when the clouds of bewilderment clear away, there is the true void.
Until you realise the true Way, whether in Buddhism or in common sense, you may
think that things are correct and in order. However, if we look at things objectively, from
the viewpoint of laws of the world, we see various doctrines departing from the true Way.
Know well this spirit, and with forthrightness as the foundation and the true spirit as the
Way. Enact strategy broadly, correctly and openly.
Then you will come to think of things in a wide sense and, taking the void as the
Way, you will see the Way as void.
In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence,
the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness.
Twelfth day of the fifth month, second year of Shoho (1645).
to Teruo Magonojo
SHINMEN MUSASHI
TIMING IN STRATEGY
AntwortenLöschenThere is timing in everything. Timing in strategy cannot be mastered without a great deal of practice.
Timing is important in dancing and pipe or string music, for they are in rhythm only if timing is good. Timing and rhythm are also involved in the military arts, shooting bows and guns, and riding horses. In all skills and abilities there is timing.
There is also timing in the Void.
There is timing in the whole life of the warrior, in his thriving and declining, in his harmony and discord. Similarly, there is timing in the Way of the merchant, in the rise and fall of capital. All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this. In strategy there are various timing considerations. From the outset you must know the applicable timing and the inapplicable timing, and from among the large and small things and the fast and slow timings find the relevant timing, first seeing the distance timing and 31 Indoor techniques: Dojos were mostly where a great deal of formality and ritual was observed, safe from the prying eyes of rival schools.
the background timing. This is the main thing in strategy. It is especially important to know the background timing, otherwise your strategy will become uncertain.
You win in battles with the timing in the Void born of the timing of cunning by knowing the enemies' timing, and this using a timing which the enemy does not expect.
All the five books are chiefly concerned with timing. You must train sufficiently to appreciate all this.
If you practise day and night in the above Ichi school strategy, your spirit will naturally broaden. Thus is large scale strategy and the strategy of hand to hand combat propagated in the world. This is recorded for the first time in the five books of Ground, Water, Fire, Tradition (Wind), and Void. This is the Way for men who want to learn my strategy:
- Do not think dishonestly.
- The Way is in training.
- Become aquainted with every art.
- Know the Ways of all professions.
- Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters.
- Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything.
- Perceive those things which cannot be seen.
- Pay attention even to trifles.
- Do nothing which is of no use.
It is important to start by setting these broad principles in your heart, and train in the Way of strategy. If you do not look at things on a large scale it will be difficult for you to master strategy. If you learn and attain this strategy you will never lose even to twenty or thirty enemies. More than anything to start with you must set your heart on strategy and earnestly stick to the Way. You will come to be able to actually beat men in fights, and to be able to win with your eye. Also by training you will be able to freely control your own body, conquer men with your body, and with sufficient training you will be able to beat ten men with your spirit. When you have reached this point, will it not mean that you are invincible?
Moreover, in large scale strategy the superior man will manage many subordinates dextrously, bear himself correctly, govern the country and foster the people, thus preserving the ruler's discipline. If there is a Way involving the spirit of not being defeated, to help oneself and gain honour, it is the Way of strategy.
The second year of Shoho (1645), the fifth month, the twelfth day.
to Teruo Magonojo
SHINMEN MUSASHI
The Benefit of Weapons in Strategy
AntwortenLöschenThere is a time and a place for use of weapons.
The best use of the companion sword is in a confined space, or when you are engaged closely with an opponent. The long sword can be used effectively in all situations.
The halberd is inferior to the spear on the battlefield. With the spear you can take the initiative; the halberd is defensive. In the hands of one of two men of equal ability, the spear gives a little extra strength. Spear and halberd both have their uses, but neither is very beneficial in confined spaces. They cannot be used for taking a prisoner. They are essentially weapons for the field.
Anyway, if you learn "indoor" techniques, you will think narrowly and forget the true Way. Thus you will have difficulty in actual encounters.
The bow is tactically strong at the commencement of battle, especially battles on a moor, as it is possible to shoot quickly from among the spearmen. However, it is unsatisfactory in sieges, or when the enemy is more than forty yards away. For this reason there are nowadays few traditional schools of archery. There is little use nowadays for this kind of skill.
From inside fortifications, the gun has no equal among weapons. It is the supreme weapon on the field before the ranks clash, but once swords are crossed the gun becomes useless.
One of the virtues of the bow is that you can see the arrows in flight and correct your aim accordingly, whereas gunshot cannot be seen. You must appreciate the importance of this.
Just as a horse must have endurance and no defects, so it is with weapons.
Horses should walk strongly, and swords and companion swords should cut strongly.
Spears and halberds must stand up to heavy use: bows and guns must be sturdy.
Weapons should be hardy rather than decorative.
You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can handle properly. It is bad for commanders and troops to have likes and dislikes. These are things you must learn thoroughly.
(timing in strategy)