Masaaki Hatsumi Quotes

If you do not let go of thinking about forms, you will not understand what I am showing.

The simplest is always the most difficult.

When weak or injured always continue training as you should always be able to adapt in any condition.

Forget your sadness, anger, grudges and hatred. Let them pass like smoke caught in a breeze. Do not indulge yourself in such feelings.

You must throw away your bad habits to get good.

Those who desire only techniques will never understand this art. It is everything beyond that

Move with your feet, the hands will follow.

Your life is on the line, practice well.

There was a famous Zen master whom people would seek out to become enlightened. He was strict and would occupy people with things having nothing to do with seeking enlightenment. You see, that is the only way to achieve enlightenment; by not focusing on achieving it. Then, one day it will just come to you.

You must be on your toes constantly, yet be relaxed.

Budo is simply the study of the best ways to kill.

Always be able to kill your students

Focus on the future for 50%, on the present for 40%, and on the past for 10%

Any place we can breathe, we can do Ninjutsu.

It's important to make an effort under any circumstance - stagnant, sickness, being in an unstable lifestyle, even when society is insane. You should consider such periods as an omen before you move. When you are stuck on something, it is important to hold to your purpose but not press onward against the current. When you can't move at all, try to concentrate, continuing forward as if in a boat switching to a stronger motor. The keiko that is most important when you cannot move is kage no keiko [shadow training].

Learning a technique is not an end in itself, it merely indicates where you need to start.

Nature is your friend; it helps you to win. Your enemy will have unnatural movement, therefore you will be able to know what he is going to do before he does it.

The first priority to the ninja is to win without fighting.

Looking for the meaning of life, one man can discover the order of the universe. To discover the truth, to achieve. a higher spiritual state, that is the true meaning of ninja.

No more talk. I'm sick of people talking. Train.

What I want you to do is just take it as it is. Don't think too much. If you get involved with thinking about it, the whole thing gets lost or loses its purity. Don't think during practice - DO! The more you think, the further from the truth of budo you get: Budo is NOT an academic subject!