21 Rules for Living from Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s Samurai Philosopher (1584-1645)

Browse Everbuster’s selection of self-help books, videos, podcasts and social media accounts on offer today, and you’re not short on prescriptions for how to live. Much of what a 24th generation master has to say sounds awfully similar, but may seem almost contradictory. Like so many areas of human effort, the best strategy is to look at classics first. And few people endured the test of time more than the 21 principles of the “path of isolation” written by 17th century swordsmen, or the “path of loneliness” as rules of living. Miyamoto Manabuit is said that who fought 62 duels and won them all.

Whatever the actual number was, Miyamoto clearly knew that most of his enemies weren’t – and that’s what most of us today probably aren’t either. It was at the end of his 60 years of life, you can learn more about it from the videos from The above wonders and The following einzelgängerthe most famous of all samurai is that he condensed his wisdom into the principles of dokkododo, which is:

1. Take everything as it is.
2. Don’t seek joy for itself.
3. Under no circumstances should you rely on partial emotions.
4. Think deeply about yourself and the world.
5. Separate yourself from your lifelong desires.
6. Don’t regret what you did.
7. Don’t be jealous.
8. Don’t let the separation go sad.
9. Res and complaints are not appropriate for yourself or for others.
10. Don’t let yourself guide you by your sense of desire or love.
11. There is no preference in all.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Don’t pursue the taste of delicious food.
14. Don’t hold any property you don’t need anymore.
15. Do not act according to conventional beliefs.
16. Don’t collect weapons beyond what’s useful or practice with them.
17. Don’t be afraid of death.
18. Do not attempt to own either the goods or territory for your old age.
19. Respect the Buddha and God without knowing their help.
20. You may abandon your body, but you must protect your honor.
21. Don’t get lost.

The reference to Buddha to Principle #19 may not be surprising given how rich this list is to the clearly Buddhist theme: abandonment of desire, liberation of attachment, acceptance of the inevitable. There are also contemporary texts and resonances with modern texts on the art of living produced by civilizations outside of Asia. Oráculo Manual Y Arte de Prudencia (or The art of secular wisdom), for example, it was first published just two years after the Dokkod principles.

Also, there may be a lot of commonalities between Miyamoto’s worldview and Stores’ worldview between his own scripts being laid out in the 15th or 16th centuries ago. Each one in its own way, EpictetusMarcus Aurelius and Seneca have reached the same form of understanding that Miyamoto did. We may devote our lives to fulfilling our tastes, but both stoic and samurai knew Wonder’s narrator’s pursuits stated it. Among Miyamoto’s outstanding contributions is his focus. In other words, “clear intentions, devotional attention, emotional control, perception, and a kind of mental emptiness and adaptability”: all the qualities that became the father of two last week certainly ensure that they start cultivating themselves.

Related content:

How to Become a Samurai: 17th Century Code for Life and War

What is stoicism? A brief introduction to ancient philosophy that will help you deal with our fierce modern times

How to be stoic in your daily life: Philosophy Professor Masimo Piglitch explains

The mischievous samurai describes his rough life in 19th century Japan

Based in Seoul Colin marshall Write and broadcasting stationTS about cities, languages, and culture. His projects include the Substack Newsletter Books about cities And the book The Stateless City: Walking through 21st century Los Angeles. Follow him on social networks previously known as Twitter @colinmarshall.