A BOOK OF FIVE RINGS or "Go Rin No Sho" by Miyamoto Musashi with more sense made for more correct understanding
I have recently read "A book of Five Rings" or "Go Rin No Sho" written by Miyamato Musashi in Japanese - both an original old Japanese version and a modern Japanese version, which is a kind of translation, and also in English (internet available version). My reading with intensive cares made me to find some fatally incorrect translations in the English version. I wondered why these fatally incorrect translations were made and found that the translator used his common senses while Musashi was not a common person. This is a big discovery showing how Musashi was unique in this marshal art or 'strategy' (兵法).
Here we go.
In THE GROUND BOOK
1) Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to the Way of Strategy . Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death. Not only warriors but priests, women, peasants and lowlier folk have been known to die readily in the cause of duty or out of shame, there is no different thing. The warrior studying the Way of strategy shall be based on being stronger than other men. (the original English version shows the just opposite meaning - Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death. Although not only warriors but priests, women, peasants and lowlier folk have been known to die readily in the cause of duty or out of shame, this is a different thing. The warrior is different in that studying the Way of strategy is based on overcoming men. ) By victory gained in crossing swords with individuals, or in joining battles with large numbers, we can attain power and fame for ourselves or our lord. This is due to the virtue of the Way of strategy.
My comment: "The Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death" is a well known concept. Time changed after the death of Musashi and so did the concept of the warrior. It became very conceptual or philosophical and changed to "Resolute acceptance of death" is the representative and the most important concept of the Japanese warriors - which still remains at the present modern time. The above incorrect (almost opposite meaning) translation is due to this.
2) Third is the Fire book. This book is about fighting. The character of fire is brilliant, changing from small to big; from big to small, so about battles is written in the Fire book. The Way of battles is the same for man to man fights and for ten thousand a side battles. You must appreciate that spirit can become big or small. What is big is easy to perceive: what is small is difficult to perceive. In short, it is difficult for large numbers of men to change position, so their movements can be easily predicted. An individual can easily change his mind, so his movements are difficult to predict. You must appreciate this. This book describes the things of quick changes for a short period. In strategy it is necessary to treat training as part of day and night normal life with your spirit unchanging. (the original English version shows the opposite meaning - The essence of this book is that you must train day and night in order to make quick decisions. In strategy it is necessary to treat training as part of normal life with your spirit unchanging.) Thus winning and losing in a battle is described in the Fire book.
My comment: Musahi did not say clearly but his thought was that it is important to keep unchanging mind to quickly changing situations. Common sense leads to "quick change of mind is required to adapt to quickly changing situations."
3) Fifthly, the book of the Void. By void I mean that which has no interior and no entrance. Attaining principle means departing from principle. In the Way of strategy you naturally appreciate the freedom and power, knowing rhythm in any situation, you will be able to hit the enemy naturally and strike naturally. All this is the Way of the Void. I intend to show how to enter naturally the true Way of true in the book of the Void.
(the original English version - By void I mean that which has no beginning and no end. Attaining this principle means not attaining the principle. The Way of strategy is the Way of nature. When you appreciate the power of nature, knowing rhythm of any situation, you will be able to hit the enemy naturally and strike naturally. All this is the Way of the Void. I intend to show how to follow the true Way according to nature in the book of the Void.)
My comment: Musashi did not say anything about Nature here, he uses Nature as "naturally" or "automatically" . In this way the above makes sense and convey his message more correctly.
4) If you hold two words, one with each hand, it is difficult to wield them freely with left and right hands, so my method is to train handling a sword in one hand. (the original English version - If you hold a sword with both hands, it is difficult to wield it freely to left and right, so my method is to carry the sword in one hand. ) This does not apply to large weapons such as a spear or halberd, but a sword or a companion sword should be hold in one single hand. It is encumbering to hold a sword in both hands when you are on horseback, when running on uneven roads, on swampy ground, muddy rice fields, stony ground, or in a crowd of people. To hold a long sword in both hands is not the true Way, for if you carry a bow or spear or other weapon in your left hand you have only one hand free for the long sword. However, when it is difficult to cut an enemy down with one hand, then you must use both hands, which is no time consuming thing. It is not difficult to wield a sword in one hand; the Way to learn this is to train with two long swords, one in each hand. It will seem difficult at first as the sword is too heavy to wield, but everything is difficult at first. Bows are difficult to draw, halberds are difficult to wield; as you become accustomed to the bow or halberd so your pull or wielding will become stronger. When you become used to wielding swords, you will gain the power of the Way and wield swords well.
My comment: The meaning of the above is that the purpose of using two swords is to become able to wield one sward with one hand, not using two swords itself - actually written as "It is not difficult to wield a sword in one hand; the Way to learn this is to train with two long swords, one in each hand." )
5) One of the virtues of the bow is that you can see the arrows in flight and correct your aim accordingly, whereas gunshot cannot be seen, which is disadvantage. You must appreciate the importance of this.
Just as a horse must have endurance and no defects, so it is with weapons. Horses should not walk too strongly, and swords and companion swords should not cut too strongly. Spears and halberds must not stand up to too heavy use: bows and guns must not be too strong to harm the enemies. (the original English version - Horses should walk strongly, and swords and companion swords should cut strongly. Spears and halberds must stand up to heavy use: bows and guns must be sturdy. Weapons should be hardy rather than decorative.)
You should not have a favorite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can handle properly. It is bad for commanders and troopers to have likes and dislikes. These are things you must learn thoroughly.
My comment: In the original English version the translator uses his common sense while Musahsi showed his unique opinion on weapons as a professional warrior.
sptt
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