Yagyu munenori biography samples

Under the Tokugawa Tent Government, the role of the secret Service was to oversee the direct vassals of the Tokugawa Family, police the castle at Edo, oversee the performance of lower-level government officers, watch over official ceremonies, attend the Shogun, and participate in the high court. The killing sword represents the use of force to quell disorder and eliminate violence.

The life-giving sword represents the preparedness to perceive impending problems and forestall them. Navigation Introduction Categories. Translator's Introduction - Thomas Cleary The life of Yagyu Munenori contrasts sharply with that of Miyamoto Musashieven though both men were professional warriors of the same age. Nowhere is grasped or rejected.

Nowhere for or against. Who thinks crimson and purple noble? The green mountains haven't a speck of dust. Spiritual powers, wondrous actions —. Hauling water, carrying wood. Layman Pang's main teacher, Mazu, was one of the most illustrious Chan masters of all time. He explained the normal mind, an expression he himself may have coined, in these terms: "If you want to understand the Way directly the normal mind is the Way.

What I mean by the normal mind is the mind without artificiality without subjective judgments, without grasping or rejection. The Free Mind. Master Zhongfeng said, "Embody the free-minded mind. When you let the mind go, it stops where it has gone. Therefore the first level of practice is to get it to come back each time, so that the mind does not stay anywhere.

When you strike a blow of the sword and your mind lingers where you struck, this teaching has you get it to return to you. At the advanced level, the message is to let your mind be free to go wherever it will. Having made it so it will not stop and linger anywhere even when set free, you release your mind. To embody the free-minded mind means that you are not free or independent as long as you use the mind that releases the mind to rope the mind and keep dragging it back.

The mind that does not stop and linger anywhere even when set free is called the free-minded mind. When you embody this free-minded mind, then independence is possible in actual practice. You are not independent as long as you are holding on to a halter. Even dogs and cats should be raised unleashed. Cats and dogs cannot be raised properly if they are tied up all the time.

People who read Confucian books dwell on the word seriousness as if it were the ultimate, spending their whole lives on seriousness, thus making their minds like leashed cats. There is seriousness in Buddhism too; scripture speaks of being single-minded and undistracted, which corresponds to seriousness. It means setting the mind on one thing and not letting it scatter elsewhere.

There are, of course, passages that say, "We seriously declare of the Buddha These are consistent with the meaning of seriousness. They are, however, in any case, expedient means for controlling mental distraction. A well-governed mind does not need expedients to control it. When we chant, "Great Sage, Immovable One," with our posture correct and our palms joined, in our minds we visualize the image of the Immovable One.

At this time, our three modes of action—physical, verbal, and mental —are balanced, and we are single-minded and undistracted. This is called the equality of the three mysteries. In other words, this has the same import as seriousness. Seriousness corresponds to a quality of the basic mind, yet it is a state of mind that lasts only so long as it is practiced.

When we relax our reverential gesture and stop chanting buddha-names, the image of Buddha in our minds also disappears. What then remains is the former distracted mind. This is not a thoroughly pacified mind. People who have successfully managed to pacify their minds once do not purify their thoughts, words, and deeds — they are unstained even as they mingle with the dust of the world.

Even if they are active all day, they are unmoved, just as the moon reflected in the water does not move even though millions of waves roll one after another. This is the realm of people who have attained Buddhism completely; I have recorded it here under the instruction of a teacher of that doctrine. Zhongfeng Mingben was one of a comparatively small number of distinguished Chan teachers of the Yuan dynasty when esoteric Buddhism was imported into China from Central Asia by Mongol overlords and many of the native Chan schools converted to Taoism.

Zhongfeng is particularly noted for the use of Chan sayings for concentration, but he emphasized that this is just an expedient and the real goal is normalcy in the Chan sense: "Chan is the teaching of the true ground of mind. If you are sure you want to comprehend the great matter of life and death, you should know that with a single thought of doubt or confusion you fall into the realm of demons.

The distinction Yagyu draws between teaching and training, and his emphasis on naturalness rather than coercion in real education represent a level of sophistication that, while characteristic of Buddhist psychology was never implemented on a wide scale in Japan. Although there is a great deal of literature on this subject in modern times, moreover, mechanical training and coercion remain the mainstays of official educational systems even in the most liberal societies today.

The use of the terms "seriousness" or "respectfulness" to mean single-mindedness is characteristic of neo-Confucianism, which developed in China under the influence of Chan Buddhism. In Yagyu's time, neo-Confucianism was established as the standard curriculum in secular education, and many Zen monks left religious orders to become lay Confucian scholars.

Yagyu's critique of Confucianism is classically Buddhist in its focus on practical method. The interpretation of ritual behavior in terms of intended psychological effect is also a Zen tradition, though this level of understanding is unknown to indoctrinated followers. The expression "equality of the three mysteries" derives from esoteric Shingon Buddhism, which emphasizes the attainment of buddhahood in this very yagyu munenori biography samples The three mysteries are thought, word, and deed, and their equality is with those of the cosmic Buddha Vairocana, the Illuminator, or Great Sun Buddha.

Informal Shingon Buddhism, this identity is expressed through symbolic rites, as illustrated here. In Zen Buddhism, this identity is realized through awakening to the universal ground of mind. This essentialist Zen approach is what Yagyu alludes to in his final statement here. His note that it was made under the direction of a teacher is a disclaimer of personal Zen mastery.

The point of this is perceiving abilities and intentions. Even if a hundred or a thousand manners of swordplay are taught and learned, including all sorts of positions of the body and the sword, the perception of abilities and intentions alone is to be considered discernment. Even if your opponent has a hundred postures and you have a hundred stances, the ultimate point is solely in the perception of abilities and intentions.

This is passed on secretly, so it is not written in the proper characters, but with code words having the same sound. Every possible move may have its countermove, but the ability to match a move at the right moment depends on direct perception and instant response, while the ability to outguess and outmaneuver an adversary depends on intuiting intention.

This same basic principle also applies to civil affairs, wherein perception of abilities and intentions is crucial to effective organization and management. Both the concept of perception as paramount and the practice of clearing the mind to achieve accurate perception are found in the ancient Chinese strategic classic The Master of Demon Valley:.

Even if you repudiate specific matters, see their subtleties and know their types. If you are searching into people and live in their midst, you can measure their abilities and see into their intentions, with never a failure to tally. Therefore knowledge begins from knowing yourself; after that you can know others. These expressions refer to the custom of using the terms existence and nonexistence in reference to yagyu munenori biographies samples and intentions.

When evident, they are existent; when concealed, they are nonexistent. This existence and nonexistence, hidden and manifest, refer to perceptions of abilities and intentions. They are in the hand that grips the sword. There are analyses of existence and nonexistence in Buddhism; here we use them analogously Ordinary people see the existent but not the nonexistent.

In perception of abilities and intentions we see both the existent and the nonexistent. The fact is that existence and nonexistence are both there. When there is existence, you strike the existent; when there is nonexistence, you strike the nonexistent. Moreover, you strike the nonexistent without waiting for its existence, and strike the existent without waiting for its nonexistence; hence it is said that the existent and nonexistent both exist.

In a commentary on the classic of Lao-tzu, there is something called "always existent, always nonexistent. When concealed, the existent becomes nonexistent; when revealed, the nonexistent becomes existent.

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To illustrate, when a duck is floating on top of water, it is "present," while when it dives under water, it is "absent. And even if we think something is nonexistent, when it is revealed, it exists. Therefore existence and nonexistence just mean concealment and manifestation; the substance is the same. Thus existence and nonexistence are always there.

Yagyu munenori biography samples: Yagyū Munenori (柳生 宗矩, – May

In Buddhism, they speak of fundamental nonexistence and fundamental existence. When people die, the existent is concealed; when people are born, the nonexistent is manifested. The substance is eternal. There are existence and nonexistence in the hand that grips the sword. This is a trade secret. This is called perception of ability and intention.

When you have hidden your hand, what you have there is concealed. When you turn your palm face up, what was not there is revealed. Even so, without personal instruction these words are hard to understand. When there is existence, you should see the existent and strike it. When there is nonexistence, you should see the nonexistent and strike it.

That is why we say that the existent and nonexistent both exist. If you misperceive the existence and nonexistence of abilities and intentions, you will not attain victory even if you use a hundred techniques to the fullest. Every sort of martial art is consummated in this one step. Existence, or presence, indicates externalization or actualization of ability and intent.

Nonexistence, or absence, indicates concealment or latency of ability and intent. To see yagyu munenori biography samples and strike it means to parry a move and counter; to see nonexistence and strike it means to foil a move before it is made. If attention to immediate action obscures alertness to potential plotting, it will be impossible to outmaneuver an adversary.

On the other hand, if fixation on foresight and preemption distracts attention from the present, this creates gaps in defense. Therefore this dynamic balance of awareness, at once attentive to the evident and the unseen, is crucial to all martial arts. It is taught secretly in the sense that verbal description alone does not convey the personal experience necessary for actual understanding and true realization.

This principle of martial arts is analogous to the Zen dictum, "The secret is in yourself. This is so by nature, not by artificial esoterism. The Moon in the Water and Its Reflection. There is a certain distance between an opponent and yourself at which you will not get hit by the opponent's sword. Martial arts are employed from outside this space.

To get close to an opponent by striding into this space, or slipping into it, is called the moon in the water, likened to the moon sending its reflection into a body of water. One should engage an opponent only after having figured out the standpoint of the moon in the water before facing off. The measurement of the spacing has to be passed on by word of mouth.

The principle of assessing a margin of safety is also essential to large-scale warfare. The Art of War says, "The ancients who were skilled in combat first became invincible, and in that condition awaited vulnerability on the part of enemies. Those skilled at defense hide in the deepest depths of the earth; those skilled at offense maneuver in the highest heights of the sky Those who are skilled in combat take a stand on an invincible ground without losing sight of opponents' vulnerabilities.

The Inscrutable Sword. The inscrutable sword is a matter of utmost importance. There is a way to wear it oneself as an inscrutable sword. When one carries it with oneself, the character for sword in inscrutable sword is written and understood as sword. Whether positioned to the right or the left, as long as the sword has not left the inscrutable state there is meaning in the use of the character for sword.

In reference to adversaries, the character ken for sword should be written and understood as the word ken for see. Since you are to see the position of inscrutable swords clearly in order to wade in slashing, the seeing is essential. Thus there is meaning in the character ken for seeing. The inscrutable sword is the sword in a passive or "quiet" state of reserve.

This implies both position and potential as well as covert intention. In code language, it is written and understood as "sword" in reference to one's own reserve capacity and strategy while written and understood as "seeing" in reference to the tactical need to perceive opponents' reserve capacity and strategy in order to see an opportune moment to launch an assault.

Explanation of the Characters. Spirit and Wonder —Meaning Inscrutable.

Yagyu munenori biography samples: Tajima no kami Munenori

The spirit is within, the wonder appears outwardly. This is called a divine wonder, or an inscrutable marvel. For example, because there is the spirit of tree in a tree, its flowers blossom fragrantly, its foliage turns green, its branches and leaves flourish—this is called the wonder. If you break wood down, you don't see anything you may call the spirit of tree, yet if there were no spirit, the flowers and foliage would not emerge.

This is also true of the human spirit; though you cannot open up the body to see something you may call the spirit, it is by virtue of the existence of the spirit within that you perform all sorts of actions. When you settle your spirit where your sword is inscrutable, all sorts of marvels appear in your hands and feet, causing flowers to blossom in battle.

The spirit is the master of the mind. The spirit resides within, employing the mind outside. This mind, moreover, employs energy. Employing energy in external activities on behalf of the spirit, if this mind lingers in one place, its function is deficient. So it is essential to make sure that the mind is not fixated on one point. For example, when the master of a house, staying at home, sends an employee out on an errand, if the employee stays where he goes and does not return, he will be missing for further duties.

In the same way, if your mind lingers on things and does not return to its original state, then your ability in martial arts will slip. For this reason, the matter of not fixating the mind on one point applies to everything, not only martial arts. There are two understandings, spirit and mind. As in certain other places in his handbook, the vocabulary and imagery Yagyu uses here is more akin to Chinese Taoist and martial arts traditions than Zen spirituality.

The classic Master of Demon Valley says. With this penetration, five energies are nurtured. The task is a matter of sheltering the spirit. This is called development. Development involves five energies, including will, thought, spirit, and character. Spirit is the unifying leader. Calmness and harmony nurture energy. When energy attains the right harmony, then will, thought, spirit, and character do not deteriorate, and these four facets of force and power all thereby survive and remain.

This is called spiritual development ending up in the body When your mind is scattered, your will deteriorates. Eliminating Sickness. Three Things: Sickness in Opponents. Yagyu does not elaborate on these items in his book, but commentary defines the three things as intending to strike, intending to prevail, and intending to parry. These three are points at which attention is apt to fail and sickness—fixation—is apt to emerge.

This happens, commentary explains, when one's composure is disrupted by one's own movements. From the point of view of offense, the aim of identifying these three things is to perceive the emergence of attention failure and fixation in opponents, thus seizing the opportunity to strike. Maintenance of Rhythm. These are to be transmitted by word of mouth.

The "first glance" refers to immediate assessment of the situation at first glance; "keeping rhythm" refers to unrelenting follow-through. These have to be transmitted verbally because the directions have to be given by an expert in the process of actual practice, where theoretical explanation is too indirect. Your stride should not be too quick or too slow.

Steps should be taken in an unruffled, casual manner. It is bad to go too far or not far enough; take the mean. When you go too quickly, it's because of being scared or flustered; when you go too slowly, it's because of being timid and frightened. The desired state is one in which you are not upset at all. Usually people will blink when something brushes by their open eyes, even a fan; this is normal, and blinking does not indicate being upset.

If you didn't blink at all even if someone swung at you repeatedly to startle you, that would actually mean you were upset. Consciously determining to hold back natural blinking indicates a far more disturbed mind than blinking does. The undisturbed mind is normal. If something comes at your eyes, you unconsciously blink. This is the state of not being upset.

What is essential is the psychological state in which you don't lose the normal mind. To try not to stir is to have stirred; movement is an unalterable principle. For a waterwheel, it is normal to turn; if it doesn't turn, that's abnormal. For people to blink is normal; not blinking indicates mental disturbance. It is good to take steps in a normal manner, without altering your normal frame of mind.

This is the state where neither your appearance nor your mind is upset. Intentional effort to suppress agitation expends energy, generates stiffness and tension, and projects fear. A Zen classic says, "If you try to stop movement, the stopping produces more movement. The purpose of naturalness is to remain relaxed yet in control in command of one's faculties, flexible and alert, not frozen, able to shift from passive to aggressive mode in an instant, all the while projecting an air of aloofness and insouciance to discourage and intimidate the opponent.

The Unifying Principle is a code word in martial arts. In the context of the art of war in general, it means being free in every possible way. The critical thing is what happens when you are hard pressed. The principle of one means you keep that clearly in mind, pay close attention, and make sure you do not get caught unprepared in a pinch.

The attention employed in face-to-face confrontation with swords when an opponent's stab nearly reaches you, or when a spear is thrust into the cubit margin of safety, is called the unifying principle. This is the attention employed at times such as when you are being attacked with your back to a wall and can't extricate yourself. It should be understood as a most critical and most difficult situation.

When you have no sword, the one-cubit margin of safety is quite impossible to maintain if you fix your eyes on one spot, let your mind linger on one place, and fail to keep up sustained watchfulness. Keeping things like this in mind is a secret, referred to as the unifying principle. Buddhist metaphysics represents all phenomena as based on one principle.

This principle is variously called interdependent origination or emptiness, and realization of this underlying principle is considered essential to Zen. In the yagyu munenori biography samples of martial yagyu munenori biographies samples, the principle of interdependent origination means that every element of an interchange —the weaponry the terrain, the particulars of posture and movement, the state of mind of the participants —are all in a state of dynamic interplay, each affecting and affected by every other element involved.

Alertness to the flux of this total dynamic is called the unifying principle because it encompasses all aspects of the event at once. In metaphysics, the principle of interdependent origin is identified with emptiness in the sense that whatever is dependent on something else has no intrinsic substance or nature of its own. That is called emptiness in an objective sense; its subjective realization is not only intellectual understanding, but in the experience of open awareness that is not fixated on any object.

It is this open awareness, enabling the mind to take in the whole scene of the immediate moment without attention being caught anywhere, that is valued in the context of martial arts as the unifying principle. When both swords are the same size, attention is to be concentrated as with no sword. The weapons on both sides are one foot away from the body.

With a margin of one foot, you can slip and parry. It is dangerous to get closer than this distance. This Is the Ultimate. The First Sword. This is the ultimate is a manner of referring to what is supremely consummate. The first sword does not refer literally to a sword; the first sword is a code expression for seeing incipient movement on the part of an opponent.

The expression the critical first sword means that seeing what an opponent is trying to do is the first sword in the ultimate sense. Perception of an opponent's impulse and incipient action being understood as the first sword, the blow that strikes according to his action is to be understood as the second sword. Making this the basis, you use it in various ways.

Perceiving abilities and intentions, the moon in the water, the inscrutable sword, and sicknesses make four; with the working of hands and feet, altogether they make five. These are learned as five observations, one seeing. To perceive abilities and intentions is called one seeing. The other four are called observations because they are held in mind.

Perceiving with the eyes is called seeing, perceiving with the mind is called observation. This means contemplation in the mind. The reason we do not call this four observations and one seeing, speaking instead of five observations, is that we use five observations as an inclusive term, of which one — perceiving abilities and intentions—is called one seeing.

Perceiving abilities and intentions; the moon in the water; the inscrutable sword; sickness; body, hands, and feet—these are five items. Four of these are observed mentally, while the perception of abilities and intentions is seen with the eyes and is called one seeing. This emphasis on the importance of perception as the basis of effective action is applied to all endeavors, civil as well as military, in the ancient Chinese strategic classic Master of Demon Valley:.

Events have natural courses, people have yagyu munenori biographies samples and failures; it is imperative to examine movements signaling impending perils The mind's eye is knowledge, focus is practical action When you can stop opponents from adapting and unsettle their order, this is called great success Use tactics that divide power and disperse momentum in order to see the mind's eye of others.

Threaten their vulnerabilities and you can be sure about them Skillful focus of the mind's eye is like splitting open a ten-thousand-foot dam and letting the water gush out. The moon in the water is a matter of the choice of the physical setting of a duel. The inscrutable sword is a matter of the choice of your own location. Therefore, the ultimate point is solely to see whether or not there is ability and intention.

The other four are general. Getting rid of sickness is for the purpose of seeing abilities and intentions. Anecdotes He was a heavy smoker; he did not give up smoking despite repeated advice from Takuan. He was fond of dancing and Noh play, and sometimes dropped in at feudal lord houses to perform a dance. Jubei, his legitimate son, became blind in one eye because Munenori struck him by mistake during a sword-sparring session to instruct a fencing technique called Tsukikage no tachi Moonshadow sword.

After Munenori's death, when Iemitsu was in trouble, he would often say, 'How would Munenori deal with this problem if he were alive? This drama showed Munenori as a kind and warmhearted master swordsman, and a good instructor to Iemitsu.

Yagyu munenori biography samples: A Japanese text on

However, lately there is a tendency that Munenori has often been depicted as a bad guy in many stories partly because he served Hidetada. Boulder, CO: Shambala. ISBN Further reading [ edit ]. External links [ edit ]. Prominent people of the Sengoku and Azuchi—Momoyama periods. Ninjarogues and mercenaries. Monks and other religious figures. List of samurai from the Sengoku period.