Light matters should be dealt with seriously. Serious matters should be dealt with lightly.

It is better to have some unhappiness while one is still young, for if a person does not experience some bitterness, his disposition will not settle down.

I have found that the Way of the samurai is death. This means that when you are compelled to choose between life and death, you must quickly choose death.

There are few people who will make mistakes with fire after having once been burned.

There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. There will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. Live being true to the single purpose of the moment.

It is difficult for a fool's habits to change to selflessness.

To give a person an opinion one must first judge well whether that person is of the disposition to receive it or not.