Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings: 60 Duels, Then a Cave Manuscript

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Miyamoto Musashi was born in the late 1500s during Japan's civil wars and came of age as the country moved into the peaceful Edo period, leaving ronin like him to prove themselves in duels. He fought his first lethal duel at 13 against Arima Kihei and went on to survive more than 60. Between 1643 and 1645, near the end of his life and living in a cave, he wrote The Book of Five Rings as a technical manual for students of his school, insisting the text was useless without physical practice. He despised decorative technique and also pursued calligraphy and painting with the same discipline.

The book has five scrolls. Earth compares strategy to a carpenter building a house, weighs guns, bows, spears and swords, and warns against favoring one weapon. Water teaches adaptability, a calm mind in combat and soft peripheral vision. Fire covers using the sun at your back, driving opponents onto bad ground and disrupting their rhythm. Wind critiques rival schools to find their weaknesses. Void, rooted in Zen Buddhism, describes acting without conscious hesitation once the rules are fully absorbed.

Musashi taught a two-sword style, yet in his famous duel with Sasaki Kojiro he reportedly used a wooden sword carved from a boat oar.
He noted that two swords were mainly an advantage against multiple attackers.
He saw timing everywhere, including in the rise and fall of a merchant's fortune.
Against a right-handed swordsman he advised attacking the left side, forcing awkward cross-body blocks.
Treading down the sword means crushing an opponent's attack before it begins.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(16184)

The Art of Adult Friendship: Why Quality Matters More Than Quantity

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore how our understanding of friendship changes as we grow old...

9 Nov 18min

Summer Explained: The Science, History, and Traditions of the Warmest Season

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore summer, the season most closely associated with sunshine, ...

7 Nov 18min

Sir Patrick Stewart: From Shakespeare to Star Trek, the Life and Legacy of a Legend

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the extraordinary life of Sir Patrick Stewart, the acclaim...

7 Nov 49min

Larry David: The Genius of Social Awkwardness, Seinfeld, and Curb Your Enthusiasm

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and career of Larry David, the comedian, writer, ...

6 Nov 38min

Why Australian Shepherds Aren't From Australia

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the history of the Australian Shepherd, an intelligent, en...

5 Nov 45min

Labrador Retriever: From Newfoundland Fishing Dogs to Modern-Day Heroes

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the remarkable history of the Labrador Retriever, one of t...

4 Nov 53min

Discovering Ireland: A Journey Through History, Culture, and the Wild Atlantic Way

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore Ireland through the philosophy of slow travel: go slower, ...

3 Nov 48min

Willie Hutch: An Overnight I'll Be There Lyric and The Mack's Soundtrack

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!William McKinley Hutchins was born in Los Angeles in December 1944 and raised in Dallas, where h...

2 Nov 21min