Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when oneโs body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of oneโs master. And every day without fail one should consider himself as dead
Yamamoto TsunetomoWhen one is writing a letter, he should think that the recipient will make it into a hanging scroll.
Yamamoto TsunetomoIf you are slain in battle, you should be resolved to have your corpse facing the enemy.
Yamamoto TsunetomoIf a retainer will just think about what he is to do for the day at hand, he will be able to do anything. If it is a single day's work, one should be able to put up with it. Tomorrow, too is but a single day.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo