EPTI've finally gotten to a readable point (I hope!) with my translation of Miyamoto Musashi's Gorinsho (Book of Five Rings) Water scroll. Please help me out and read and give feedback!
What this is:
+ Show Spoiler +
My MA project is on Miyamoto Musashi's "Book of Five Rings," the Gorinsho, a medieval document where Musashi critiques Edo-period Japanese martial ways and explains key points of his own school, Niten-ichi-ryu.
The HMK (Harima Musashi Kenkyukai) is a research group in Japan doing amazing work on the Gorinsho. Their great addition to Gorinsho scholarship lies in their comparative analysis of existing manuscripts (MS) and the conclusions they've come to as a result. The most critical of which is their separation of MS lines. They are the only ones to even consider comparing the existing manuscripts.
I'm not an expert at all this yet, but the largest and most important distinction is between the Chikuzen-line and Higo-line manuscripts. The Chikuzen-line follows the transmission history of MSs based on the historical documentation of the Gorinsho's transmission from the colophon at the end of each scroll, which is why this line follows the people whom received and transmitted the text. Early on in its transmission, this follows the heads of the 二天一流 (Niten-ichi-ryu) sword school.
The Higo-line, according to the HMK's comparative textual analysis, is the product of a leaked early Chikuzen-line MS. It was subsequently copied, and recopied, and these MS's tracing is based on the HMK's comparative analysis of those MS which all share similar characteristics (lack of transmission documentation, clear copy errors, peculiar omissions). The Hosokawa MS appears late on in this line.
This Hosokawa MS, treated and annotated, appears in the Japanese collection of martial writings, the Bushido Zensho (writings on Bushido, 1942-43). It also appears in another collection of Japanese writings, the Nihon Shisou Taikei (related works of Japanese thought, 1972). It is, as I understand it, the source text for all the modern Japanese translations. Out of the 15 English Gorinsho translations and interpretations, 4 (possibly 6) of them, I believe, were translated from the classical Japanese, and all of these used the Hosokawa MS as their source text (Harris, Wilson, Ochiai, Tokitsu, Cleary?, Bradford Brown?, Ashikaga?).
The rest of these English "translations" purport themselves to be modern-day interpretations, translations, or something in between. I've found that later published books draw from earlier translations/interpretations in making their own new, but different, interpretation. I believe there is a scandal here, a gross distortion of meaning, that I can trace starting from the HMK's genealogy and going through the English translations and interpretations. For example, I have evidence showing that Kaufman borrowed from Harris and Cleary (and likely the other two available to him) in creating his "martial artist's definitive interpretation," and that Krause's "Book of Five Rings for Executives" used Kaufman and Cleary. I also have evidence of Moore and Gough borrowing (at least) from Harris. I won't go into the rest or in more detail here, but the result is essentially a 365 year old game of "telephone."
The point is I can trace the genealogy of these English translations back to their classical routes, which is then found out to be a leaked and copied MS full of mistakes. I can expose this scandal of translation while simultaneously offering my own translation of the HMK's MS (the rough version of which I'm posting here), which was compiled through comparative analysis of Higo and Chikuzen MSs (though with obvious weight given to the Chikuzen-line). My project is thus to expose the scandal while offering my own translation of the HMK's manuscript.
The HMK (Harima Musashi Kenkyukai) is a research group in Japan doing amazing work on the Gorinsho. Their great addition to Gorinsho scholarship lies in their comparative analysis of existing manuscripts (MS) and the conclusions they've come to as a result. The most critical of which is their separation of MS lines. They are the only ones to even consider comparing the existing manuscripts.
I'm not an expert at all this yet, but the largest and most important distinction is between the Chikuzen-line and Higo-line manuscripts. The Chikuzen-line follows the transmission history of MSs based on the historical documentation of the Gorinsho's transmission from the colophon at the end of each scroll, which is why this line follows the people whom received and transmitted the text. Early on in its transmission, this follows the heads of the 二天一流 (Niten-ichi-ryu) sword school.
The Higo-line, according to the HMK's comparative textual analysis, is the product of a leaked early Chikuzen-line MS. It was subsequently copied, and recopied, and these MS's tracing is based on the HMK's comparative analysis of those MS which all share similar characteristics (lack of transmission documentation, clear copy errors, peculiar omissions). The Hosokawa MS appears late on in this line.
This Hosokawa MS, treated and annotated, appears in the Japanese collection of martial writings, the Bushido Zensho (writings on Bushido, 1942-43). It also appears in another collection of Japanese writings, the Nihon Shisou Taikei (related works of Japanese thought, 1972). It is, as I understand it, the source text for all the modern Japanese translations. Out of the 15 English Gorinsho translations and interpretations, 4 (possibly 6) of them, I believe, were translated from the classical Japanese, and all of these used the Hosokawa MS as their source text (Harris, Wilson, Ochiai, Tokitsu, Cleary?, Bradford Brown?, Ashikaga?).
The rest of these English "translations" purport themselves to be modern-day interpretations, translations, or something in between. I've found that later published books draw from earlier translations/interpretations in making their own new, but different, interpretation. I believe there is a scandal here, a gross distortion of meaning, that I can trace starting from the HMK's genealogy and going through the English translations and interpretations. For example, I have evidence showing that Kaufman borrowed from Harris and Cleary (and likely the other two available to him) in creating his "martial artist's definitive interpretation," and that Krause's "Book of Five Rings for Executives" used Kaufman and Cleary. I also have evidence of Moore and Gough borrowing (at least) from Harris. I won't go into the rest or in more detail here, but the result is essentially a 365 year old game of "telephone."
The point is I can trace the genealogy of these English translations back to their classical routes, which is then found out to be a leaked and copied MS full of mistakes. I can expose this scandal of translation while simultaneously offering my own translation of the HMK's MS (the rough version of which I'm posting here), which was compiled through comparative analysis of Higo and Chikuzen MSs (though with obvious weight given to the Chikuzen-line). My project is thus to expose the scandal while offering my own translation of the HMK's manuscript.
To download and read with the super-amazing-ultra-mega-stimmed up-upgraded-siege tech footnotes:
+ Show Spoiler +
You can read it here in the spoiler, but I'd recommend downloading it: link
user: TeamLiquid
p/w: iloveTL!
1) goto shared folders -> TeamLiquid
2) download the file titled "五輪書--水之巻 (English)"
3) read and enjoy!
If you download it you can also see footnotes!
user: TeamLiquid
p/w: iloveTL!
1) goto shared folders -> TeamLiquid
2) download the file titled "五輪書--水之巻 (English)"
3) read and enjoy!
If you download it you can also see footnotes!
To read here (without the delectable footnotes):
+ Show Spoiler +
As the mind of Heihō-niten-ichi-ryū is based on water and practices means of victory, I express in this writing as the Water scroll my school’s swordsmanship.
This way is difficult to express fully as I know it in minute detail. Should words not communicate it, its advantages will naturally be heard.
You must consider what is written here, word-by-word and letter-by-letter. Thinking generally, there will be many mistakes of the way.
Though the advantages in warfare are written of like a duel of two men, it is essential to be mindful of their benefit in the engagements of thousands of men and see these points largely.
Particularly in this way, mistake the way even slightly and it will be a confused way and worsen into a flawed way.
Simply reading this writing is not enough to reach the way of war. Take what is written here as your own, do not think of reading, do not think of learning, nor make it a model; that is, you must thoroughly work it out making this way of battle self-discovered and something already a part of yourself.
– Setting the mind in warfare:
In the way of war, how you set your mind must not replace your usual mind. Having not changed even a little in times usual or those of war and making the mind wide and straight, not stretching it tight, not slightly loosening, you center the mind so as to not incline and make the mind tremble quietly not stopping it at such moment of trembling; you must go over this thoroughly.
Even during calm times the mind is not calm, and even at times however fast the mind is not the least bit hastened. Without attaching the mind to the body, without attaching the body to the mind, you make your mind wary but not make wary the body.
You make the mind without lack and without any excess, setting it so while its surface is weak the mind’s base is strong and cannot be seen through by men; those of small body without exception know to make the mind large, those of large body know well making the mind small, whether of large or small body the mind is made straight and held so as without one’s body’s biases; this is essential.
Without dirtying your inner mind you must make it wide and place wisdom in its width. Wisdom and mind well honed, that is the focus.
Sharpening wisdom, discerning the true and false of the world, knowing the good and bad in all things, crossing the ways of ten-thousand arts and talents, you make yourself not slightly deceived by worldly people, and afterwards the mind is wise in warfare. Regarding wisdom in warfare, there are things especially mistaken.
Though battlefields are times hurried with ten-thousand things, mastering warfare’s principles, the undisturbed mind, is something you must go over thoroughly.
– Warfare and posture:
In one’s form, the head is not bent downward or turned upward, it is not leaned or crooked; do not goggled the eyes are nor wrinkle the forehead, furrow your brow and make the eyes look unmoving, try to not blink, slightly narrow your eyes, and have a calm-looking face. Making the nose-line straight, the chin feels slightly stuck out.
For the neck, you straighten the back-line and firm your nape, learn to feel balanced from the shoulders to the whole body, relax both shoulders, straighten your back without sticking your butt out, put tension in your legs from knee to toe-tip, and so as to not bend your waist stick out your stomach out; as for “fasten the wedge,” there is the teaching of “fasten the wedge” to make one hold the stomach on the short sword’s sheath so there is no slack in the belt.
In general, for posture in war, to make your usual body your body in war, and make your body in war your ordinary body is essential. You must go over this thoroughly.
– What I call looking in warfare:
The way to look is with the eyes seeing largely and widely. In “perceiving” and “seeing,” perceiving eyes are strong, seeing eyes are weak; to see what is far closely and see what is close from afar is its focus in war.
To know the enemy’s sword without having slightly seen the enemy’s sword is critical in warfare. You must work this out.
This way of looking, in small wars, in large wars, is the same.
To not move the eyes and see both sides is essential.
Such things, at hurried times, are difficult to understand suddenly. Learning what is written here, making this way of looking usual and habitual, and not changing the eyes in any situation are things you must go over thoroughly.
– Holding the sword:
Taking the sword, the thumb and forefinger hold with a loose feel, the middle finger is neither tight nor loose, and the ring and pinky finger hold with a fastened feel. To be in the hands for leisure is wrong.
Although one “holds” a sword, merely holding it is wrong. You must take the sword thinking it is something to cut the enemy.
When cutting the enemy, without change in your hand, you must hold so that your hand is not tense.
Even when knocking away, receiving, hitting, or suppressing the enemy’s sword, with only a small feeling of change in the thumb and forefinger, you must take the sword thinking to cut by whatever means.
Your hand when cutting a test object and your hand when cutting in battle, they are no different from the hand that cuts men.
In general, in swords and hands, I dislike being “stuck.” The stuck hand dies. The unstuck hand lives. You must be thoroughly familiar with this.
– Footwork:
The way to move the legs is to slightly raise the toes and strongly step on the heel.
Footwork, while according to the situation is large, small, slow, and fast, is the same as walking normally. In footwork, the jump-step, float-step, and firm-step are three steps I dislike.
To say what is important in this way, it is the “yin-yang step,” this is essential.
The yin-yang step does not move only one foot. When cutting, when pulling, and when receiving, I say “yin and yang,” stepping right, left, right, left. It is never stepping with one foot. This is something to go over thoroughly.
– The five stances:
The five stances are the upper-level, middle-level, and lower-level stances, the right-side stance, and the left-side stance; these are the five.
While the stances are split into five, all are for cutting men. Of stances, there are none outside these five. In any stance, you must think to cut and not think of being in a stance.
The large and small of a stance should follow its merits according to the situation.
The upper, middle, and lower are fundamental stances. Both sides are applied stances.
The left and right stances are for places where above or one side is blocked. There are differences in the left and right according to location.
To say what is important in this way, you must know well the middle-level, the ultimate stance. The middle-level is the fundamental stance.
Look at stances largely and middle-level is the general’s seat. Next to the general, are later the other four stances. You must go over this thoroughly.
– What I call the “sword’s path:”
To know the sword’s path is to know the sword’s route well and swing easily the swords you normally wear, even when swinging with two fingers.
If you try swing the sword quickly, you oppose the sword’s path and swinging will be difficult. The sword is well swung to the degree it is swung calmly.
If you try to swing quickly using it like a folding fan or short sword, the sword will be off course and difficult to swing. That is “small-sword chopping” and it cannot cut men with a sword.
Striking the sword downward, you raise along its easy upward path, swinging to the side, you return along its easily returned path, to swing strongly extending the elbow as much as possible, this is the sword’s path.
If you use and learn my warfare’s five forms, you will swing well determining the sword’s path. You must train this thoroughly.
– The five forms’ order. The first stance: middle-level.
When engaging the enemy, point the swords’ tips at the enemy’s face and when he comes to strike, ride his sword off to the right; or, strike in return with the sword’s tip when the enemy comes to attack, and your sword that struck downward, leave it as is, and when the enemy comes to strike again, cut his wrist from below; this is the first.
In general, these five forms, with only something written they are difficult to comprehend. This is why you take each of the five forms in hand and practice the sword’s path.
Through these five stances of swordsmanship you will know the way of my sword and you will know whatever sword the enemy strikes with.
These, the stances of two swords, no others outside the five, I wish to make known. You must train them.
– Form, the second in order:
The second sword is set at the upper-level, and when the enemy comes to strike you strike him all at once.
The sword missing the enemy, you leave it as is, and when the enemy attacks again you scoop upward from below and strike. Even striking once more, it is the same.
In these forms there are various moods and assorted rhythms, and when you train in my way with these forms you will somehow win knowing fully the sword’s five paths. They are something you must practice.
– Form, the third in order:
The third stance holds at the lower-level with a hanged feel, and when the enemy comes to strike, you strike the wrist from below.
When the enemy goes to strike down your sword that strikes the wrist or knocks his sword away, with a surpassing rhythm you cut across his upper arms after he has struck. In the lower-level stance, when the enemy strikes you cut him dead all at once.
The lower-level stance, making use of the sword’s path, is of use at times fast and slow. You must train taking the sword in hand.
– Form, the fourth in order:
The fourth stance, set at the left side, should strike the enemy’s wrist from below when he comes to strike.
Striking from below, when the enemy goes to knock yours down, feeling to strike the hand, immediately aware of his sword’s path you cut diagonally upward towards above your shoulder. This is the sword’s path.
Even when the enemy comes to strike again, to win aware of the sword’s path is the way. You must go over this thoroughly.
– Form, the fifth in order.
For the fifth (in order of sword) stance, you set at the right side, and responding to the condition of the enemy’s attack, from your sword’s lower side, you should swing upward into upper-level and cut straight from above.
This, too, is to for knowing the sword’s path well. Becoming used to swinging in these stances, you become able to freely wield even heavy swords.
These five forms, I do not record them in detail. The whole of my school and knowing the sword’s path, also learning generally of rhythm and discerning the enemy’s sword, first with these five you apply yourself constantly.
Even while battling the enemy, wholly mobilize your swords, and responding to the enemy’s mind with various rhythms somehow you will win. You must discern this thoroughly.
– The teaching of form and formlessness:
Form and formlessness means it is not ideal the sword take form. Though, placed in the five directions, it certainly becomes formed. While placed in whatever direction in response to the enemy’s manner or position and according to his state of being, the sword is held with the mind to cut the enemy easily.
Upper-level, if slightly lowered according to the situation, becomes middle-level, and middle-level, too, if raised according to the situation, becomes upper-level. Also lower-level, which becomes middle-level if swung slightly upward. Even the stances of both sides, according to the situation will become middle-level or lower-level if put a little towards the center. Thus is the advantage of form and formlessness.
Foremost, taking the sword means to cut the enemy by whatever means. If, you receive the enemy’s sword, strike it, hit it, stick to it, or make contact with it, though there are such things, you must understand that all are for cutting the enemy.
Because of thinking to receive, to strike, to hit, to stick to, or glance, the cut will be lacking. To think everything for cutting is essential. You must go over this thoroughly.
Enlarging the way of war, there are stances of a host’s formation. They are all for victory in battle.
To be stuck is wrong. You must work this out thoroughly.
– Striking the enemy, the strike of one rhythm:
Of rhythms of striking the enemy there is the one rhythm strike, when you are of a distance to hit the enemy and feel the enemy’s mind is unprepared, without moving the body or rousing the mind, it is the rhythm of striking directly as fast as possible.
The rhythm that strikes while the enemy has not yet thought to draw back his sword, receive or strike; this is the one rhythm.
Having learned this rhythm well, you must train to strike at off-beat rhythms quickly.
– The two kept rhythms:
The two kept rhythms are when you are about to strike and the enemy seems about to quickly pull back or quickly withdraw to receive, having feigned to strike, you strike when he relaxes having received, you strike when he relaxes having pulled back; these are the kept rhythms.
With only this writing, it is a strike likely difficult to acquire. Having received this teaching, you will suddenly understand.
– What I call the “strike without intent:”
When the enemy goes to strike and you mean to go to strike as well, making the body the striking body, making the mind the striking mind, without a “when” the hands strike strongly out of thin air; this, the strike without intent, is an important strike.
This strike is useful time and time again. Having learned it well, you must train its principle.
– What I call the “flowing water strike:”
The “flowing water strike” is when you have met the enemy and compete in combat, while he goes to quickly pull back, quickly slip away, or quickly withdraw to knock away your sword, you make your mind large, and somewhat slowly as if with hesitation you strike, the sword from behind your body, strongly and largely.
Having learned this strike, it is something reliable and good.
Discerning the enemy’s condition is essential.
– What I call “hitting connections:”
When you go to attack and when the enemy moves to stop the strike or step back and knock away your sword, making one strike you strike the head, the hands, and the legs. Striking whichever with one sword’s path, this is striking connections.
Having learned it well, this strike is useful at any time. You will understand it having exchanged blows many times over.
– What I call the “hit of flint fire:”
The hit of flint fire is, at the point of my sword and the enemy’s having met, not raising the sword slightly, striking as strongly as possible.
With strong legs, body, and hands, with these three points, you must strike it quickly.
This strike, not repeatedly practiced, will be difficult to strike. When well trained, it hits strongly.
– What I call the “autumn leaves strike:”
The autumn leaves strike means to striking down the enemy’s sword, to take away his sword.
When the enemy beforehand prepares his sword to strike, knock away, or receive, the meaning of your strike, with either the strike without intent or hit of flint fire, is to strongly strike the enemy’s sword with the intent to hit it immediately afterwards; if struck while the sword tip drops the enemy’s sword will certainly fall.
When this strike is trained, knocking down the enemy’s sword is simple. It must be practiced thoroughly.
– What I call the “body that replaces the sword:”
I also talk of the sword that replaces the body.
In general, to talk of the body striking the enemy, the sword and body do not strike simultaneously. According to what the enemy does, your body looks to strike first or the sword strikes without care for the body.
Depending on the situation, though there are times the sword strikes though the body does not go before, generally the body strikes first and the sword strikes after. Going over this thoroughly, you must practice striking.
– What I call “striking and hitting:”
“Striking” and “hitting” are two.
The meaning of “strike,” with whichever strike, being deliberate, is striking reliably.
“Hitting” is mindful to the extent of going and hitting, and however strongly struck, even to the point of the enemy dying, this is hitting. “Striking” is striking with understanding. Go over this.
To hit the enemy’s arms or legs means, first, to hit. It is for striking strongly the moment after you have hit. A hit has the feeling of touching, and having learned this they become separate. You must figure this out.
– What I call the “body of the autumn monkey:”
The body of the autumn monkey means to not reach out with one’s hands.
To get in close to the enemy, quickly move your body in with no feeling of reaching out the hands before striking the enemy.
As the body will certainly lag behind when you think to reach out the hands, think to move the whole body in quickly. At the distance of fighting with the hands, it is easy for the body can also move in beforehand. You must go over this thoroughly.
– What I call the “body of lacquer and glue:”
Lacquer and glue is, when moving in, firmly sticking and not separating. When moving in on the enemy, you stick to his face, body, legs, and stick firmly.
While anyone can move in quickly with the head and legs, the body hangs back. Intimately stick your body to the enemy’s body, gluing yourself so there is no gap. You must go over this thoroughly.
– What I call “comparing height:”
Comparing height means, whenever moving in on the enemy and so your body does not shrink, to stretch the legs, straighten the back, stretch the neck, and move in strongly; when lining the face next to the enemy’s face, comparing height and thinking you have won the comparison, you heighten yourself and move in. This must be figured out thoroughly.
– What I call “applying stickiness:”
When the enemy attacks and you also attack with the sword, while the enemy receives you stick your sword to the enemy’s sword, and with a feeling of stickiness you move in.
“Sticking” means it is difficult to separate the swords, and but you should move in without too strong a feeling. When you are attached to the enemy’s sword and move in applying stickiness, it does not matter how slowly you move in.
“Sticking” and “tangling,” to stick is strong and to tangle is weak. These must be distinct.
– What I call “body slam:”
“Body slam” means plunging through the edge of the enemy and hitting the enemy with the body.
Slightly inclining the head and sticking out the left shoulder, you hit the enemy’s chest. Making your body as strong as possible, you must move in with sudden rhythm and the feeling to explode.
Having learned this way of moving in, it is powerful enough to knock back the enemy twelve or eighteen feet. It hits to the extent the enemy enters death.
It must be thoroughly trained.
– The “three counters:”
The “three counters” are when moving towards the enemy you receive his attacking sword; with your sword, as if to stab the enemy’s eye, you receive drawing the enemy’s sword away to your right side.
Also, the “thrust counter” is where, as if to stab the enemy’s right eye, you stab and receive with a feeling of putting the enemy’s attacking sword in his neck.
Also, when the enemy attacks, moving in with the short sword and not minding your receiving sword, as if to stab his face with your left hand [sword], you move in.
These are the “three counters.” Gripping the left hand, you should think to stab the face with your fist. This is something to train thoroughly.
– What I call “stabbing the face:”
In “stabbing the face,” being together with the enemy’s sword, in the gaps of his sword and the gaps of your sword, to always think to stab the enemy’s face with the sword’s point is essential.
If there is intent to stab the enemy’s face, his face and body will be startled. Make the enemy startled, and there will be many opportunities for victory. You must fully figure this out.
During battle, when the enemy feels his body startled you have already won. Therefore, you must not forget “stabbing the face.” In the practice of warfare, this advantage is something you must train.
– What I call “stabbing the heart:”
“Stabbing the heart,” in places where above and sides are obstructed during combat or when it is hard to cut whatever you do, means to stab the enemy; the meaning of deflecting the enemy’s attacking sword is to see the back of your sword straight with the enemy, draw back the sword so that the sword tip does not go off-center, and stab the enemy’s chest.
If you are exhausted or your sword does not cut, intend to only use this. You must understand this thoroughly.
– What I call “katsu-totsu:”
Katsu-totsu means, when you strike with both and corner the enemy and he appears once more about to strike in return, you strike raising from below to stab the enemy as a counter; both having quick rhythm, you strike with katsu-totsu, stabbing upward on “katsu” and striking on “totsu.”
This rhythm, no matter when during a fight, is wholly useful. The execution of katsu-totsu, with the feeling of stabbing the sword point upward and thinking to “stab the enemy,” is to strike and raise all at once; it is something you practice often and must go over.
– What I call the “slap-counter:”
The “slap-counter” means, when exchanging blows with the enemy and the rhythm becomes “to-tan-to-tan,” to slap against the enemy’s strike with your sword and strike.
The slap’s feeling is not so an intense slapping nor is it receiving. In response to the enemy’s sword you slap his attacking sword, and more quickly than the slap you strike the enemy. To take initiative with the slap and take initiative with the strike is essential.
When the slapping rhythm matches up properly, however strongly the enemy strikes, if there is a small slapping feeling the tip of your sword will not fall. You must learn this well and go over it.
– The “situation of many enemies:”
The “situation of many enemies” is when you battle many men by yourself.
Having drawn your sword and short sword, you take stance spreading apart your swords widely to your left and right side.
Even if enemies come from all directions, chase them around towards one direction. Discerning the order of the coming enemies, quickly meet those advancing to the front, and perceiving the enemies’ coming attacks having widened your focus, simultaneously swing alternately both right and left sword, cutting the enemy in front with the going-sword and cutting the enemy coming from the sides with the returning-sword.
Waiting after having swung alternately is wrong. Quickly reforming the stance of both sides, strongly cut into and chase down where the enemies come from, and immediately again, throw yourself towards the direction the enemies come from, being of the mind to cut them down.
As much as you can, earnestly attack the enemies feeling like chasing them into a line of connected fish, and when you see them piled up, immediately, not allowing any space, strongly cleave into them.
Have closed in on an enemy, if you tenaciously chase him around progress will be difficult. Also, when you think of the direction the enemy comes from as coming-direction, there being a waiting feeling, progress will be difficult.
To take your enemies’ rhythm and know the point of their collapse is victory.
From time to time gather many partners and learn to chase, and when you have grasped its sensation you will be relaxed against one, ten, or even twenty enemies. You must practice often and go over this.
– Advantages of crossing swords:
With these advantages of crossing swords, you will understand advantages of victory with the sword in the way of war.
I do not write them down in detail. With practice, you will know victory.
Generally, it is the sword that expresses the true way of war. Oral Tradition
– What I call the “strike of one:”
Through the meaning of this “strike of one,” you will certainly grasp victory. Warfare is difficult to understand if not studied well.
When this matter is well trained, your warfare will being free and you win as you will. You must practice constantly.
– What I call the “position of direct transmission:”
Direct transmission means to receive and pass on the true way of Niten-ichi-ryū. To train constantly and make this way of war part of yourself is essential. Oral Tradition
The above writing records in this scroll the general swordsmanship of my school.
To learn to win against men with the sword in warfare, first, through the five forms, know the five direction’s stances and learn the sword’s path; then, the body being supple your mind and ability appears, and knowing the way’s rhythm your sword hands naturally become skilled, and as like the mind both the body and feet become untied you win against one, you win against two, and being able to discern the good and bad in warfare, you know their mind no matter who you battle with and walk the path of a thousand miles step by step.
To realize thinking calmly and practicing these methods as the samurai’s duty, to practice this writing’s contents section by section, to grasp the truth of the way bit by bit by battling enemies, to endeavor constantly without a hurried mind, to gradually become accustomed and learn its virtue, today winning against yesterday’s self, tomorrow winning against the less skilled, and later thinking to win against skilled opponents, doing just as is written you must think so as to not go at all down other ways. However, no matter how many enemies you defeat, if you go against what you have learned it will not be the true way.
When this truth comes to mind, you will be able to understand the meaning of winning against even twenty enemies as one. Then, through the wisdom of swordsmanship, you will be enlightened in the warfare of many and one.
One thousand days of practice to forge, ten thousand days of practice to polish. You must go over this thoroughly.
This way is difficult to express fully as I know it in minute detail. Should words not communicate it, its advantages will naturally be heard.
You must consider what is written here, word-by-word and letter-by-letter. Thinking generally, there will be many mistakes of the way.
Though the advantages in warfare are written of like a duel of two men, it is essential to be mindful of their benefit in the engagements of thousands of men and see these points largely.
Particularly in this way, mistake the way even slightly and it will be a confused way and worsen into a flawed way.
Simply reading this writing is not enough to reach the way of war. Take what is written here as your own, do not think of reading, do not think of learning, nor make it a model; that is, you must thoroughly work it out making this way of battle self-discovered and something already a part of yourself.
– Setting the mind in warfare:
In the way of war, how you set your mind must not replace your usual mind. Having not changed even a little in times usual or those of war and making the mind wide and straight, not stretching it tight, not slightly loosening, you center the mind so as to not incline and make the mind tremble quietly not stopping it at such moment of trembling; you must go over this thoroughly.
Even during calm times the mind is not calm, and even at times however fast the mind is not the least bit hastened. Without attaching the mind to the body, without attaching the body to the mind, you make your mind wary but not make wary the body.
You make the mind without lack and without any excess, setting it so while its surface is weak the mind’s base is strong and cannot be seen through by men; those of small body without exception know to make the mind large, those of large body know well making the mind small, whether of large or small body the mind is made straight and held so as without one’s body’s biases; this is essential.
Without dirtying your inner mind you must make it wide and place wisdom in its width. Wisdom and mind well honed, that is the focus.
Sharpening wisdom, discerning the true and false of the world, knowing the good and bad in all things, crossing the ways of ten-thousand arts and talents, you make yourself not slightly deceived by worldly people, and afterwards the mind is wise in warfare. Regarding wisdom in warfare, there are things especially mistaken.
Though battlefields are times hurried with ten-thousand things, mastering warfare’s principles, the undisturbed mind, is something you must go over thoroughly.
– Warfare and posture:
In one’s form, the head is not bent downward or turned upward, it is not leaned or crooked; do not goggled the eyes are nor wrinkle the forehead, furrow your brow and make the eyes look unmoving, try to not blink, slightly narrow your eyes, and have a calm-looking face. Making the nose-line straight, the chin feels slightly stuck out.
For the neck, you straighten the back-line and firm your nape, learn to feel balanced from the shoulders to the whole body, relax both shoulders, straighten your back without sticking your butt out, put tension in your legs from knee to toe-tip, and so as to not bend your waist stick out your stomach out; as for “fasten the wedge,” there is the teaching of “fasten the wedge” to make one hold the stomach on the short sword’s sheath so there is no slack in the belt.
In general, for posture in war, to make your usual body your body in war, and make your body in war your ordinary body is essential. You must go over this thoroughly.
– What I call looking in warfare:
The way to look is with the eyes seeing largely and widely. In “perceiving” and “seeing,” perceiving eyes are strong, seeing eyes are weak; to see what is far closely and see what is close from afar is its focus in war.
To know the enemy’s sword without having slightly seen the enemy’s sword is critical in warfare. You must work this out.
This way of looking, in small wars, in large wars, is the same.
To not move the eyes and see both sides is essential.
Such things, at hurried times, are difficult to understand suddenly. Learning what is written here, making this way of looking usual and habitual, and not changing the eyes in any situation are things you must go over thoroughly.
– Holding the sword:
Taking the sword, the thumb and forefinger hold with a loose feel, the middle finger is neither tight nor loose, and the ring and pinky finger hold with a fastened feel. To be in the hands for leisure is wrong.
Although one “holds” a sword, merely holding it is wrong. You must take the sword thinking it is something to cut the enemy.
When cutting the enemy, without change in your hand, you must hold so that your hand is not tense.
Even when knocking away, receiving, hitting, or suppressing the enemy’s sword, with only a small feeling of change in the thumb and forefinger, you must take the sword thinking to cut by whatever means.
Your hand when cutting a test object and your hand when cutting in battle, they are no different from the hand that cuts men.
In general, in swords and hands, I dislike being “stuck.” The stuck hand dies. The unstuck hand lives. You must be thoroughly familiar with this.
– Footwork:
The way to move the legs is to slightly raise the toes and strongly step on the heel.
Footwork, while according to the situation is large, small, slow, and fast, is the same as walking normally. In footwork, the jump-step, float-step, and firm-step are three steps I dislike.
To say what is important in this way, it is the “yin-yang step,” this is essential.
The yin-yang step does not move only one foot. When cutting, when pulling, and when receiving, I say “yin and yang,” stepping right, left, right, left. It is never stepping with one foot. This is something to go over thoroughly.
– The five stances:
The five stances are the upper-level, middle-level, and lower-level stances, the right-side stance, and the left-side stance; these are the five.
While the stances are split into five, all are for cutting men. Of stances, there are none outside these five. In any stance, you must think to cut and not think of being in a stance.
The large and small of a stance should follow its merits according to the situation.
The upper, middle, and lower are fundamental stances. Both sides are applied stances.
The left and right stances are for places where above or one side is blocked. There are differences in the left and right according to location.
To say what is important in this way, you must know well the middle-level, the ultimate stance. The middle-level is the fundamental stance.
Look at stances largely and middle-level is the general’s seat. Next to the general, are later the other four stances. You must go over this thoroughly.
– What I call the “sword’s path:”
To know the sword’s path is to know the sword’s route well and swing easily the swords you normally wear, even when swinging with two fingers.
If you try swing the sword quickly, you oppose the sword’s path and swinging will be difficult. The sword is well swung to the degree it is swung calmly.
If you try to swing quickly using it like a folding fan or short sword, the sword will be off course and difficult to swing. That is “small-sword chopping” and it cannot cut men with a sword.
Striking the sword downward, you raise along its easy upward path, swinging to the side, you return along its easily returned path, to swing strongly extending the elbow as much as possible, this is the sword’s path.
If you use and learn my warfare’s five forms, you will swing well determining the sword’s path. You must train this thoroughly.
– The five forms’ order. The first stance: middle-level.
When engaging the enemy, point the swords’ tips at the enemy’s face and when he comes to strike, ride his sword off to the right; or, strike in return with the sword’s tip when the enemy comes to attack, and your sword that struck downward, leave it as is, and when the enemy comes to strike again, cut his wrist from below; this is the first.
In general, these five forms, with only something written they are difficult to comprehend. This is why you take each of the five forms in hand and practice the sword’s path.
Through these five stances of swordsmanship you will know the way of my sword and you will know whatever sword the enemy strikes with.
These, the stances of two swords, no others outside the five, I wish to make known. You must train them.
– Form, the second in order:
The second sword is set at the upper-level, and when the enemy comes to strike you strike him all at once.
The sword missing the enemy, you leave it as is, and when the enemy attacks again you scoop upward from below and strike. Even striking once more, it is the same.
In these forms there are various moods and assorted rhythms, and when you train in my way with these forms you will somehow win knowing fully the sword’s five paths. They are something you must practice.
– Form, the third in order:
The third stance holds at the lower-level with a hanged feel, and when the enemy comes to strike, you strike the wrist from below.
When the enemy goes to strike down your sword that strikes the wrist or knocks his sword away, with a surpassing rhythm you cut across his upper arms after he has struck. In the lower-level stance, when the enemy strikes you cut him dead all at once.
The lower-level stance, making use of the sword’s path, is of use at times fast and slow. You must train taking the sword in hand.
– Form, the fourth in order:
The fourth stance, set at the left side, should strike the enemy’s wrist from below when he comes to strike.
Striking from below, when the enemy goes to knock yours down, feeling to strike the hand, immediately aware of his sword’s path you cut diagonally upward towards above your shoulder. This is the sword’s path.
Even when the enemy comes to strike again, to win aware of the sword’s path is the way. You must go over this thoroughly.
– Form, the fifth in order.
For the fifth (in order of sword) stance, you set at the right side, and responding to the condition of the enemy’s attack, from your sword’s lower side, you should swing upward into upper-level and cut straight from above.
This, too, is to for knowing the sword’s path well. Becoming used to swinging in these stances, you become able to freely wield even heavy swords.
These five forms, I do not record them in detail. The whole of my school and knowing the sword’s path, also learning generally of rhythm and discerning the enemy’s sword, first with these five you apply yourself constantly.
Even while battling the enemy, wholly mobilize your swords, and responding to the enemy’s mind with various rhythms somehow you will win. You must discern this thoroughly.
– The teaching of form and formlessness:
Form and formlessness means it is not ideal the sword take form. Though, placed in the five directions, it certainly becomes formed. While placed in whatever direction in response to the enemy’s manner or position and according to his state of being, the sword is held with the mind to cut the enemy easily.
Upper-level, if slightly lowered according to the situation, becomes middle-level, and middle-level, too, if raised according to the situation, becomes upper-level. Also lower-level, which becomes middle-level if swung slightly upward. Even the stances of both sides, according to the situation will become middle-level or lower-level if put a little towards the center. Thus is the advantage of form and formlessness.
Foremost, taking the sword means to cut the enemy by whatever means. If, you receive the enemy’s sword, strike it, hit it, stick to it, or make contact with it, though there are such things, you must understand that all are for cutting the enemy.
Because of thinking to receive, to strike, to hit, to stick to, or glance, the cut will be lacking. To think everything for cutting is essential. You must go over this thoroughly.
Enlarging the way of war, there are stances of a host’s formation. They are all for victory in battle.
To be stuck is wrong. You must work this out thoroughly.
– Striking the enemy, the strike of one rhythm:
Of rhythms of striking the enemy there is the one rhythm strike, when you are of a distance to hit the enemy and feel the enemy’s mind is unprepared, without moving the body or rousing the mind, it is the rhythm of striking directly as fast as possible.
The rhythm that strikes while the enemy has not yet thought to draw back his sword, receive or strike; this is the one rhythm.
Having learned this rhythm well, you must train to strike at off-beat rhythms quickly.
– The two kept rhythms:
The two kept rhythms are when you are about to strike and the enemy seems about to quickly pull back or quickly withdraw to receive, having feigned to strike, you strike when he relaxes having received, you strike when he relaxes having pulled back; these are the kept rhythms.
With only this writing, it is a strike likely difficult to acquire. Having received this teaching, you will suddenly understand.
– What I call the “strike without intent:”
When the enemy goes to strike and you mean to go to strike as well, making the body the striking body, making the mind the striking mind, without a “when” the hands strike strongly out of thin air; this, the strike without intent, is an important strike.
This strike is useful time and time again. Having learned it well, you must train its principle.
– What I call the “flowing water strike:”
The “flowing water strike” is when you have met the enemy and compete in combat, while he goes to quickly pull back, quickly slip away, or quickly withdraw to knock away your sword, you make your mind large, and somewhat slowly as if with hesitation you strike, the sword from behind your body, strongly and largely.
Having learned this strike, it is something reliable and good.
Discerning the enemy’s condition is essential.
– What I call “hitting connections:”
When you go to attack and when the enemy moves to stop the strike or step back and knock away your sword, making one strike you strike the head, the hands, and the legs. Striking whichever with one sword’s path, this is striking connections.
Having learned it well, this strike is useful at any time. You will understand it having exchanged blows many times over.
– What I call the “hit of flint fire:”
The hit of flint fire is, at the point of my sword and the enemy’s having met, not raising the sword slightly, striking as strongly as possible.
With strong legs, body, and hands, with these three points, you must strike it quickly.
This strike, not repeatedly practiced, will be difficult to strike. When well trained, it hits strongly.
– What I call the “autumn leaves strike:”
The autumn leaves strike means to striking down the enemy’s sword, to take away his sword.
When the enemy beforehand prepares his sword to strike, knock away, or receive, the meaning of your strike, with either the strike without intent or hit of flint fire, is to strongly strike the enemy’s sword with the intent to hit it immediately afterwards; if struck while the sword tip drops the enemy’s sword will certainly fall.
When this strike is trained, knocking down the enemy’s sword is simple. It must be practiced thoroughly.
– What I call the “body that replaces the sword:”
I also talk of the sword that replaces the body.
In general, to talk of the body striking the enemy, the sword and body do not strike simultaneously. According to what the enemy does, your body looks to strike first or the sword strikes without care for the body.
Depending on the situation, though there are times the sword strikes though the body does not go before, generally the body strikes first and the sword strikes after. Going over this thoroughly, you must practice striking.
– What I call “striking and hitting:”
“Striking” and “hitting” are two.
The meaning of “strike,” with whichever strike, being deliberate, is striking reliably.
“Hitting” is mindful to the extent of going and hitting, and however strongly struck, even to the point of the enemy dying, this is hitting. “Striking” is striking with understanding. Go over this.
To hit the enemy’s arms or legs means, first, to hit. It is for striking strongly the moment after you have hit. A hit has the feeling of touching, and having learned this they become separate. You must figure this out.
– What I call the “body of the autumn monkey:”
The body of the autumn monkey means to not reach out with one’s hands.
To get in close to the enemy, quickly move your body in with no feeling of reaching out the hands before striking the enemy.
As the body will certainly lag behind when you think to reach out the hands, think to move the whole body in quickly. At the distance of fighting with the hands, it is easy for the body can also move in beforehand. You must go over this thoroughly.
– What I call the “body of lacquer and glue:”
Lacquer and glue is, when moving in, firmly sticking and not separating. When moving in on the enemy, you stick to his face, body, legs, and stick firmly.
While anyone can move in quickly with the head and legs, the body hangs back. Intimately stick your body to the enemy’s body, gluing yourself so there is no gap. You must go over this thoroughly.
– What I call “comparing height:”
Comparing height means, whenever moving in on the enemy and so your body does not shrink, to stretch the legs, straighten the back, stretch the neck, and move in strongly; when lining the face next to the enemy’s face, comparing height and thinking you have won the comparison, you heighten yourself and move in. This must be figured out thoroughly.
– What I call “applying stickiness:”
When the enemy attacks and you also attack with the sword, while the enemy receives you stick your sword to the enemy’s sword, and with a feeling of stickiness you move in.
“Sticking” means it is difficult to separate the swords, and but you should move in without too strong a feeling. When you are attached to the enemy’s sword and move in applying stickiness, it does not matter how slowly you move in.
“Sticking” and “tangling,” to stick is strong and to tangle is weak. These must be distinct.
– What I call “body slam:”
“Body slam” means plunging through the edge of the enemy and hitting the enemy with the body.
Slightly inclining the head and sticking out the left shoulder, you hit the enemy’s chest. Making your body as strong as possible, you must move in with sudden rhythm and the feeling to explode.
Having learned this way of moving in, it is powerful enough to knock back the enemy twelve or eighteen feet. It hits to the extent the enemy enters death.
It must be thoroughly trained.
– The “three counters:”
The “three counters” are when moving towards the enemy you receive his attacking sword; with your sword, as if to stab the enemy’s eye, you receive drawing the enemy’s sword away to your right side.
Also, the “thrust counter” is where, as if to stab the enemy’s right eye, you stab and receive with a feeling of putting the enemy’s attacking sword in his neck.
Also, when the enemy attacks, moving in with the short sword and not minding your receiving sword, as if to stab his face with your left hand [sword], you move in.
These are the “three counters.” Gripping the left hand, you should think to stab the face with your fist. This is something to train thoroughly.
– What I call “stabbing the face:”
In “stabbing the face,” being together with the enemy’s sword, in the gaps of his sword and the gaps of your sword, to always think to stab the enemy’s face with the sword’s point is essential.
If there is intent to stab the enemy’s face, his face and body will be startled. Make the enemy startled, and there will be many opportunities for victory. You must fully figure this out.
During battle, when the enemy feels his body startled you have already won. Therefore, you must not forget “stabbing the face.” In the practice of warfare, this advantage is something you must train.
– What I call “stabbing the heart:”
“Stabbing the heart,” in places where above and sides are obstructed during combat or when it is hard to cut whatever you do, means to stab the enemy; the meaning of deflecting the enemy’s attacking sword is to see the back of your sword straight with the enemy, draw back the sword so that the sword tip does not go off-center, and stab the enemy’s chest.
If you are exhausted or your sword does not cut, intend to only use this. You must understand this thoroughly.
– What I call “katsu-totsu:”
Katsu-totsu means, when you strike with both and corner the enemy and he appears once more about to strike in return, you strike raising from below to stab the enemy as a counter; both having quick rhythm, you strike with katsu-totsu, stabbing upward on “katsu” and striking on “totsu.”
This rhythm, no matter when during a fight, is wholly useful. The execution of katsu-totsu, with the feeling of stabbing the sword point upward and thinking to “stab the enemy,” is to strike and raise all at once; it is something you practice often and must go over.
– What I call the “slap-counter:”
The “slap-counter” means, when exchanging blows with the enemy and the rhythm becomes “to-tan-to-tan,” to slap against the enemy’s strike with your sword and strike.
The slap’s feeling is not so an intense slapping nor is it receiving. In response to the enemy’s sword you slap his attacking sword, and more quickly than the slap you strike the enemy. To take initiative with the slap and take initiative with the strike is essential.
When the slapping rhythm matches up properly, however strongly the enemy strikes, if there is a small slapping feeling the tip of your sword will not fall. You must learn this well and go over it.
– The “situation of many enemies:”
The “situation of many enemies” is when you battle many men by yourself.
Having drawn your sword and short sword, you take stance spreading apart your swords widely to your left and right side.
Even if enemies come from all directions, chase them around towards one direction. Discerning the order of the coming enemies, quickly meet those advancing to the front, and perceiving the enemies’ coming attacks having widened your focus, simultaneously swing alternately both right and left sword, cutting the enemy in front with the going-sword and cutting the enemy coming from the sides with the returning-sword.
Waiting after having swung alternately is wrong. Quickly reforming the stance of both sides, strongly cut into and chase down where the enemies come from, and immediately again, throw yourself towards the direction the enemies come from, being of the mind to cut them down.
As much as you can, earnestly attack the enemies feeling like chasing them into a line of connected fish, and when you see them piled up, immediately, not allowing any space, strongly cleave into them.
Have closed in on an enemy, if you tenaciously chase him around progress will be difficult. Also, when you think of the direction the enemy comes from as coming-direction, there being a waiting feeling, progress will be difficult.
To take your enemies’ rhythm and know the point of their collapse is victory.
From time to time gather many partners and learn to chase, and when you have grasped its sensation you will be relaxed against one, ten, or even twenty enemies. You must practice often and go over this.
– Advantages of crossing swords:
With these advantages of crossing swords, you will understand advantages of victory with the sword in the way of war.
I do not write them down in detail. With practice, you will know victory.
Generally, it is the sword that expresses the true way of war. Oral Tradition
– What I call the “strike of one:”
Through the meaning of this “strike of one,” you will certainly grasp victory. Warfare is difficult to understand if not studied well.
When this matter is well trained, your warfare will being free and you win as you will. You must practice constantly.
– What I call the “position of direct transmission:”
Direct transmission means to receive and pass on the true way of Niten-ichi-ryū. To train constantly and make this way of war part of yourself is essential. Oral Tradition
The above writing records in this scroll the general swordsmanship of my school.
To learn to win against men with the sword in warfare, first, through the five forms, know the five direction’s stances and learn the sword’s path; then, the body being supple your mind and ability appears, and knowing the way’s rhythm your sword hands naturally become skilled, and as like the mind both the body and feet become untied you win against one, you win against two, and being able to discern the good and bad in warfare, you know their mind no matter who you battle with and walk the path of a thousand miles step by step.
To realize thinking calmly and practicing these methods as the samurai’s duty, to practice this writing’s contents section by section, to grasp the truth of the way bit by bit by battling enemies, to endeavor constantly without a hurried mind, to gradually become accustomed and learn its virtue, today winning against yesterday’s self, tomorrow winning against the less skilled, and later thinking to win against skilled opponents, doing just as is written you must think so as to not go at all down other ways. However, no matter how many enemies you defeat, if you go against what you have learned it will not be the true way.
When this truth comes to mind, you will be able to understand the meaning of winning against even twenty enemies as one. Then, through the wisdom of swordsmanship, you will be enlightened in the warfare of many and one.
One thousand days of practice to forge, ten thousand days of practice to polish. You must go over this thoroughly.
Enjoy!
Like... if you can make it so that the opponent feels threatened with proxy pylons or banshee rush or with mutas getting all up in his shit, you can force disadvantageous action.
