Not only must a warrior be strong with his bow, but he must have a heart full of pity for all living creatures.

A wise man who cultivates wisdom may sometimes drown in it.

I wouldn't say Musashi is ordinary. But he is. That's what's extraordinary about him. He is not content to rely on whatever natural gifts he may have. Knowing he is ordinary, he is constantly trying to improve himself. No one appreciates the agonizing effort he's had to make. Now that his years of training have yielded such spectacular results, everybody's talking about his 'God-given talent.' That's how men who don't try very hard comfort themselves.

It is easy to crush an enemy outside oneself but impossible to defeat an enemy within.

When a woman dislikes the man who is courting her, she parries him cleverly, like a willow in the wind.

I want to dedicate myself to training and discipline. I want to spend every moment of every day working to improve myself.

The bitter winds in February were sometimes called the First East Winds, but the longing for spring somehow made them seem more piercing.