The Book of Five Rings
by Miyamoto Musashi
translated by James Clum
_
Introduction
兵法の道二天一流と号し数年鍛錬の事初めて書物に顕さんと思ふ、
I’ve been training in the Way of Strategy of Niten Ichi Ryu for many years, and I will now reveal its concepts in writing for the first time.
時寛永二十年十月上旬の頃九州肥後の地岩戸山に上り天を拝し観音を礼し仏前に向ひ、
The time is the first ten days of the 10th month of the 20th year of Kanei (1645) and I am ascending Mt.Iwato in Kyushu to worship Kannon and express my gratitude to Buddha.
生国播磨の武士新免武蔵守藤原玄信歳つもって六十、
I am a warrior of Harima Prefecture Shinmen Musashi Morifuji Genshin age 60.
我若年の昔より兵法の道に心をかけ十三にして初めて勝負を為す、
From the old days of my youth my heart has been set on the Way of Strategy since I began competing in contests at the age of 13.
其の間新当流有間喜兵衛と云ふ兵法者に打勝ち、
At that time I defeated a Shinto Ryu tactician Arima Kihei.
十六歳にして但馬国秋山と云ふ兵法者に打勝つ、
At sixteen I defeated Akiyama of the Tajima region.
二十一歳にして都に上り天下の兵法者に会ひ数度の勝負を決すといへども勝利を得ざると云ふことなし、
When I was just 21 I went up to the capitol and won several matches at a gathering of many notable tacticians.
其後国々所々に至り諸流の兵法者に行逢ひ六十余度まで勝負をなすといへ共一度も其利を失はず、
After that I went from place to place over time meeting a variety of tacticians of different styles and was never defeated in over sixty bouts.
其程歳十三より二十八九までの事なり、
That was between the ages of 13 to 28 or 29.
我三十を越て過去を思ひ見るに兵法に至極にして勝にはあらず、
By the time I reached 30 I felt that the reason I kept winning went beyond just tactics.
おのづから道の器用有て天理をはなれざる故か又は他法の兵法不足なる所にや、
Perhaps the explanation is the possession of natural ability, divine reason or the insufficiencies of other tactics.
其後尚も深き道理を得んと朝鍛夕錬して見れば自を兵法の道に合ふ事我五十歳の頃なり、
In any case, after that by training from morning to night I began to realize within myself the Way of Strategy which came together for me at around the age of 50.
夫より以来は尋ね入べき道なくして光陰ををくる、
In case one should inquire, I’ve never followed any particular Way over time.
兵法の理にまかせて諸芸諸能の道を学べば万事に於て我に師匠なし、
I matured in the logic of tactics becoming accomplished in several styles and more knowledgeable of everything in general on my path of mastery.
今此書を作ると云へ共仏法儒道の古語をもからず、軍記軍法の古きことをも用ひず、
This book is not being produced from excerpts from Buddhism , Confucianism or from old texts chronicling the use of military principles or strategy.
此一流の見たて実の心を顕す事天道と観世音を鏡として十月十日の夜寅の一天に筆をとって書初るもの也
I am revealing the true intention to be seen within the Ichi School by mirroring the God of Heaven and Kannon as I write the first calligraphy of this New Year on the 10 day of the 10th month at the hour of the Tiger (3-5 am).
The Book of Earth
夫兵法と云ふ事武家の法たり将たる者は取分け此法を行ひ卒たる者も此法を知るべき事なり、
Strategy one might say is a matter for samurai, commanders and those foot soldiers who might become aware of it.
今世の中に兵法の道慥に弁えたると云ふ武士なし、
Nowadays there are no warriors in the world that understand the Way of Strategy.
先づ道を顕はしてあるは仏法として人を助くる道、又儒道として文の道を糺し医者として諸病を治する道、
Previously the Way was explained by Buddhist as the Way of Salvation, and also in Confucianism as the Way of Scholarship; in addition, doctors used the Way to ascertain ways to cure various diseases.
或は歌道者として和歌の道を教へ或は数寄者弓法者、
Perhaps one might be a person of the Way by singing waka poems, being a person of refined taste, or by being a person who does archery.
其外諸芸諸能までも思いゝゝに稽古し、心々に好くもなり、
A person may practice whatever art or skill his heart desires to become accomplished.
兵法の道には好く人まれなり、
It is rare however that one becomes good at the Way of Strategy.
先づ武士は文武二道と云ひて二つの道を嗜む事是道也、
Long ago it was said that the literary and military arts were two intersecting paths and that one should develop a taste for both ways.
縦ひ此道不器用なりとも武士たるものは己れ々々が分際程は兵法をば勤むべき事なり、
If a warrior follows this Way by himself, even though he might be lacking ability, he might move upward in his social status.
大形武士の思ふ心を忖るに武は只死ぬると云ふ事を覚ゆる程の儀なり、
Generally one might say that the feeling of a warrior’s heart is the summation that war is just death that is accepted in a ritualistic sense.
死する道に於ては武士ばかりに限らず、
The Way of death for a warrior comes on account of his own limitations.
出家にても女にても百姓以下に至る迄義理を思ひ恥を思ひ死するばきを思ひ切る事は其差別なきものなり、
Priests, women, common people and those of low status all may kill themselves because a sense of duty or out of shame, but this is a different matter entirely.
武士の兵法を行ふ道は何事に於ても人にすぐるゝ所を本とし、或は一身の切合に勝ち、或は数人の戦に勝ち、主君の為め、名を揚け身を立んと思ふ、
Through strategy the warrior travels the Way in whatever situation he might find himself in according to the time, by earnestly seeking victory, by beating several others in battle, or attempting to gain fame for the sake of one’s lord for a better life.
是れ兵法の徳を以てなり、又世の中に兵法の道を習ひても実の時の役には立つまじきと思ふ心あるべし、其儀に於ては何時にても役に立やう稽古し万事に至り役に立やうに教ふ事、是 兵法の実の道也
This becomes the benefit of strategy and even though it is studied everywhere, in actuality this can only be felt in the heart as one rises up in battle.
其儀に於ては何時にても役に立やう稽古し万事に至り役に立やうに教ふ事、
This is when it becomes useful to have practiced as hard as you could and learned as much as possible about these matters.
是 兵法の実の道也
This is the true Way of Strategy.
The Way of Strategy
漢土和朝までも此道を行ふものを兵法の達者と云ひ伝へたり、
In China and Japan the Way of Strategy is said to have been transmitted by those who became skilled at its practice.
武士として此法を学ばずと云ふ事あるべからず、
Should not these methods be learned by warriors?
近来兵法者と称して世を渡る者あり是剣術一通りの事なり、
Recently there is the situation of people crossing the world who are pretending to be strategists with only ordinary swordsmanship.
近年常陸国鹿島香取の社人ども明神の伝へとして流々を立て国々を廻り人に伝る事近き頃の儀なり、
Recently individuals from Kashima and Katori shrines in the Hitachi region have passed on what they see as miraculous transmissions from place to place over time and this has become a matter of ceremony.
古より十能六芸とある内に利方と云ひて芸にわたると云へ共既に利方と云へば剣術一通りに限るべからず、
For ages the ten abilities and six skills have been known for their specific advantages, but in addition to being arts, they are also beneficial practices that should not be limited to swordsmanship.
剣術一篇の利までにては剣術も知りがたし、勿論兵の法には叶べからず、
The advantage of swordsmanship as well as poetry is realized through their practice and must not be theorized from a discussion of military principles.
世の中を見るに諸芸を売物にしたて我身を売物のやうに思ひ、
I feel that the way that the world looks at artistic accomplishments is like a commodity that can be bought and sold.
諸道具に付ても売物にこしらゆる心、
Various tools are made from the heart and then are sold.
花実の二つにして花より実の少き所なり、
Between the two-flowers or reality, there are becoming fewer places where real substance is preferred to just adornment.
取分け此兵法の道に色をかざり花をさかせ術をてらひて或は一道場或は二道場など云て此道ををしへ、
On the path of scrutinizing strategy there is colorful embellishment to cause arts to appear as though they are blooming as one dojo or another is talked about.
又此道を習ふて利を得んと思ふ事所謂なま兵法大疵の本とは是なるべし、
I feel this training is only to obtain some advantage; it was once said that from the root of strategy comes the greatest defects and this very much true.
凡人の世を渡る事士農工商とて四つの道あり、
There are four ways that the ordinary person goes through life: as a warrior, a farmer, an artisan or merchant.
一つには農の道、農民は色々の農具を設け四季転変の心得暇なくして春秋をおくる事是農の道なり、
First, the Way of the farmer who prepares various tools, knows the changes of the seasons, and has free time in the spring; this becomes the Way of the farmer.
二つには商の道、酒を造るものは夫々の道具を求め其善悪の利を得て渡世と為す、何れも其身々々にかせぎ其利を以て世を渡る事是商の道なり、
Second, the Way of the merchant who produces wine and things for everyone, and then demands to get compensation by good or evil means to make a profit for himself off of the rest of us for a livelihood in this world; this becomes the Way of the merchant.
三つには士の道、武士に於ては様々の兵具を拵らえ、一々兵具の徳を弁へたらんこそ武士なるべけれ、兵具をも嗜まず其具々々の利をも覚えざる事武家のたしなみの浅きもの歟、
Third, is the Way of the warrior who is outfitted with various weapons, of which the virtue of each is something that every soldier has a fondness for because if not he would not come to realize the advantage of each; this becomes the Way of the samurai warrior.
四つには工の道、大工の道に於ては種々様々の道具を匠み拵らえ,其具々々を能つかひ覚え、矩を以て其差図を糺し、暇なく其わざをして世を渡るなり、
Fourth is the Way of the craftsman who like the carpenter is outfitted with various tools by which he is able to memorize the correct angles, carefully make his drawings and then have his leisure to work on his skills in order to earn a living.
是れ士農工商四つの道なり,
This becomes the Way of warriors, farmers, craftsmen and merchants.
今兵法を大工の道にたとへて云ひ顕はすなり、
Now one might say that this clarifies how the Way of the carpenter similar to strategy.
大工は大いにたくむと書くなれば兵法の道も大いなる匠みに依て大工に云なぞらへて書き顕はすなり、
A carpenter that plans and writes down what he is going to make for clarification that he depends on is using the Way of Strategy.
兵法を学ばんと思はゞ此書を思案して師は針,弟子は糸となって絶えず稽古あるべき事なり、
If a teacher could be compared to a needle and a student a thread, the learning book would be like strategy.
Introduction
兵法の道二天一流と号し数年鍛錬の事初めて書物に顕さんと思ふ、
I’ve been training in the Way of Strategy of Niten Ichi Ryu for many years, and I will now reveal its concepts in writing for the first time.
時寛永二十年十月上旬の頃九州肥後の地岩戸山に上り天を拝し観音を礼し仏前に向ひ、
The time is the first ten days of the 10th month of the 20th year of Kanei (1645) and I am ascending Mt.Iwato in Kyushu to worship Kannon and express my gratitude to Buddha.
生国播磨の武士新免武蔵守藤原玄信歳つもって六十、
I am a warrior of Harima Prefecture Shinmen Musashi Morifuji Genshin age 60.
我若年の昔より兵法の道に心をかけ十三にして初めて勝負を為す、
From the old days of my youth my heart has been set on the Way of Strategy since I began competing in contests at the age of 13.
其の間新当流有間喜兵衛と云ふ兵法者に打勝ち、
At that time I defeated a Shinto Ryu tactician Arima Kihei.
十六歳にして但馬国秋山と云ふ兵法者に打勝つ、
At sixteen I defeated Akiyama of the Tajima region.
二十一歳にして都に上り天下の兵法者に会ひ数度の勝負を決すといへども勝利を得ざると云ふことなし、
When I was just 21 I went up to the capitol and won several matches at a gathering of many notable tacticians.
其後国々所々に至り諸流の兵法者に行逢ひ六十余度まで勝負をなすといへ共一度も其利を失はず、
After that I went from place to place over time meeting a variety of tacticians of different styles and was never defeated in over sixty bouts.
其程歳十三より二十八九までの事なり、
That was between the ages of 13 to 28 or 29.
我三十を越て過去を思ひ見るに兵法に至極にして勝にはあらず、
By the time I reached 30 I felt that the reason I kept winning went beyond just tactics.
おのづから道の器用有て天理をはなれざる故か又は他法の兵法不足なる所にや、
Perhaps the explanation is the possession of natural ability, divine reason or the insufficiencies of other tactics.
其後尚も深き道理を得んと朝鍛夕錬して見れば自を兵法の道に合ふ事我五十歳の頃なり、
In any case, after that by training from morning to night I began to realize within myself the Way of Strategy which came together for me at around the age of 50.
夫より以来は尋ね入べき道なくして光陰ををくる、
In case one should inquire, I’ve never followed any particular Way over time.
兵法の理にまかせて諸芸諸能の道を学べば万事に於て我に師匠なし、
I matured in the logic of tactics becoming accomplished in several styles and more knowledgeable of everything in general on my path of mastery.
今此書を作ると云へ共仏法儒道の古語をもからず、軍記軍法の古きことをも用ひず、
This book is not being produced from excerpts from Buddhism , Confucianism or from old texts chronicling the use of military principles or strategy.
此一流の見たて実の心を顕す事天道と観世音を鏡として十月十日の夜寅の一天に筆をとって書初るもの也
I am revealing the true intention to be seen within the Ichi School by mirroring the God of Heaven and Kannon as I write the first calligraphy of this New Year on the 10 day of the 10th month at the hour of the Tiger (3-5 am).
The Book of Earth
夫兵法と云ふ事武家の法たり将たる者は取分け此法を行ひ卒たる者も此法を知るべき事なり、
Strategy one might say is a matter for samurai, commanders and those foot soldiers who might become aware of it.
今世の中に兵法の道慥に弁えたると云ふ武士なし、
Nowadays there are no warriors in the world that understand the Way of Strategy.
先づ道を顕はしてあるは仏法として人を助くる道、又儒道として文の道を糺し医者として諸病を治する道、
Previously the Way was explained by Buddhist as the Way of Salvation, and also in Confucianism as the Way of Scholarship; in addition, doctors used the Way to ascertain ways to cure various diseases.
或は歌道者として和歌の道を教へ或は数寄者弓法者、
Perhaps one might be a person of the Way by singing waka poems, being a person of refined taste, or by being a person who does archery.
其外諸芸諸能までも思いゝゝに稽古し、心々に好くもなり、
A person may practice whatever art or skill his heart desires to become accomplished.
兵法の道には好く人まれなり、
It is rare however that one becomes good at the Way of Strategy.
先づ武士は文武二道と云ひて二つの道を嗜む事是道也、
Long ago it was said that the literary and military arts were two intersecting paths and that one should develop a taste for both ways.
縦ひ此道不器用なりとも武士たるものは己れ々々が分際程は兵法をば勤むべき事なり、
If a warrior follows this Way by himself, even though he might be lacking ability, he might move upward in his social status.
大形武士の思ふ心を忖るに武は只死ぬると云ふ事を覚ゆる程の儀なり、
Generally one might say that the feeling of a warrior’s heart is the summation that war is just death that is accepted in a ritualistic sense.
死する道に於ては武士ばかりに限らず、
The Way of death for a warrior comes on account of his own limitations.
出家にても女にても百姓以下に至る迄義理を思ひ恥を思ひ死するばきを思ひ切る事は其差別なきものなり、
Priests, women, common people and those of low status all may kill themselves because a sense of duty or out of shame, but this is a different matter entirely.
武士の兵法を行ふ道は何事に於ても人にすぐるゝ所を本とし、或は一身の切合に勝ち、或は数人の戦に勝ち、主君の為め、名を揚け身を立んと思ふ、
Through strategy the warrior travels the Way in whatever situation he might find himself in according to the time, by earnestly seeking victory, by beating several others in battle, or attempting to gain fame for the sake of one’s lord for a better life.
是れ兵法の徳を以てなり、又世の中に兵法の道を習ひても実の時の役には立つまじきと思ふ心あるべし、其儀に於ては何時にても役に立やう稽古し万事に至り役に立やうに教ふ事、是 兵法の実の道也
This becomes the benefit of strategy and even though it is studied everywhere, in actuality this can only be felt in the heart as one rises up in battle.
其儀に於ては何時にても役に立やう稽古し万事に至り役に立やうに教ふ事、
This is when it becomes useful to have practiced as hard as you could and learned as much as possible about these matters.
是 兵法の実の道也
This is the true Way of Strategy.
The Way of Strategy
漢土和朝までも此道を行ふものを兵法の達者と云ひ伝へたり、
In China and Japan the Way of Strategy is said to have been transmitted by those who became skilled at its practice.
武士として此法を学ばずと云ふ事あるべからず、
Should not these methods be learned by warriors?
近来兵法者と称して世を渡る者あり是剣術一通りの事なり、
Recently there is the situation of people crossing the world who are pretending to be strategists with only ordinary swordsmanship.
近年常陸国鹿島香取の社人ども明神の伝へとして流々を立て国々を廻り人に伝る事近き頃の儀なり、
Recently individuals from Kashima and Katori shrines in the Hitachi region have passed on what they see as miraculous transmissions from place to place over time and this has become a matter of ceremony.
古より十能六芸とある内に利方と云ひて芸にわたると云へ共既に利方と云へば剣術一通りに限るべからず、
For ages the ten abilities and six skills have been known for their specific advantages, but in addition to being arts, they are also beneficial practices that should not be limited to swordsmanship.
剣術一篇の利までにては剣術も知りがたし、勿論兵の法には叶べからず、
The advantage of swordsmanship as well as poetry is realized through their practice and must not be theorized from a discussion of military principles.
世の中を見るに諸芸を売物にしたて我身を売物のやうに思ひ、
I feel that the way that the world looks at artistic accomplishments is like a commodity that can be bought and sold.
諸道具に付ても売物にこしらゆる心、
Various tools are made from the heart and then are sold.
花実の二つにして花より実の少き所なり、
Between the two-flowers or reality, there are becoming fewer places where real substance is preferred to just adornment.
取分け此兵法の道に色をかざり花をさかせ術をてらひて或は一道場或は二道場など云て此道ををしへ、
On the path of scrutinizing strategy there is colorful embellishment to cause arts to appear as though they are blooming as one dojo or another is talked about.
又此道を習ふて利を得んと思ふ事所謂なま兵法大疵の本とは是なるべし、
I feel this training is only to obtain some advantage; it was once said that from the root of strategy comes the greatest defects and this very much true.
凡人の世を渡る事士農工商とて四つの道あり、
There are four ways that the ordinary person goes through life: as a warrior, a farmer, an artisan or merchant.
一つには農の道、農民は色々の農具を設け四季転変の心得暇なくして春秋をおくる事是農の道なり、
First, the Way of the farmer who prepares various tools, knows the changes of the seasons, and has free time in the spring; this becomes the Way of the farmer.
二つには商の道、酒を造るものは夫々の道具を求め其善悪の利を得て渡世と為す、何れも其身々々にかせぎ其利を以て世を渡る事是商の道なり、
Second, the Way of the merchant who produces wine and things for everyone, and then demands to get compensation by good or evil means to make a profit for himself off of the rest of us for a livelihood in this world; this becomes the Way of the merchant.
三つには士の道、武士に於ては様々の兵具を拵らえ、一々兵具の徳を弁へたらんこそ武士なるべけれ、兵具をも嗜まず其具々々の利をも覚えざる事武家のたしなみの浅きもの歟、
Third, is the Way of the warrior who is outfitted with various weapons, of which the virtue of each is something that every soldier has a fondness for because if not he would not come to realize the advantage of each; this becomes the Way of the samurai warrior.
四つには工の道、大工の道に於ては種々様々の道具を匠み拵らえ,其具々々を能つかひ覚え、矩を以て其差図を糺し、暇なく其わざをして世を渡るなり、
Fourth is the Way of the craftsman who like the carpenter is outfitted with various tools by which he is able to memorize the correct angles, carefully make his drawings and then have his leisure to work on his skills in order to earn a living.
是れ士農工商四つの道なり,
This becomes the Way of warriors, farmers, craftsmen and merchants.
今兵法を大工の道にたとへて云ひ顕はすなり、
Now one might say that this clarifies how the Way of the carpenter similar to strategy.
大工は大いにたくむと書くなれば兵法の道も大いなる匠みに依て大工に云なぞらへて書き顕はすなり、
A carpenter that plans and writes down what he is going to make for clarification that he depends on is using the Way of Strategy.
兵法を学ばんと思はゞ此書を思案して師は針,弟子は糸となって絶えず稽古あるべき事なり、
If a teacher could be compared to a needle and a student a thread, the learning book would be like strategy.
