Some passages for consideration, mainly on the idea of freeing the mind during combat, but note also the
commonsensical remarks on beating an armed opponent. This is one of the classic sword texts, and was the basis
for the style favoured by the shoguns. Quotations are from Yagyu Munenori, William Scott Wilson (tr), The
Life-Giving Sword, Kodansha International Ltd, 2003.
You should understand that this is the Way of the martial arts. The heart of �extending knowledge� is the discipline of exhaustively
learning a hundred methods with the sword and thoroughly mastering the postures, methods of using the eyes, and the other techniques.
When you have run the length of various practices and none of those practices remain in your mind, that very lack of mind itself is the heart of �all
things.� When you have exhaustively learned the various practices and techniques and made great efforts in disciplined training, there will be
action in your arms, legs, and body but none in your mind; you will have distanced yourself from training, but will not be in opposition to it,
and you will have freedom in whatever techniques you perform. You yourself will be unaware of where your mind is, and neither demons
nor heresies will be able to find it. Training is done for the purpose of reaching this state. With successful training, training falls away. This is the secret
principle toward which all Ways progress. [p 75]
To think only of winning is sickness. To think only of using the martial arts is sickness. To think only of demonstrating the result of one�s training
is sickness, as is thinking only of making an attack or waiting for one. To think in a fixated way only of expelling such sickness is also sickness. Whatever
remains absolutely in the mind should be considered sickness. As these various sicknesses are all present in the mind, you must put your mind in order
and expel them. [p 89]
A monk asked an ancient worthy, �What is the Way?� The worthy replied, �Your ordinary mind, that is the Way.�
This anecdote contains a principle that runs through all disciplines. When an explanation of the Way is requested, the answer is �your ordinary mind.� This is truly profound. Expelling all the sicknesses of the mind, engendering the ordinary mind, and yet abiding amidst sickness... this is the state of being without sickness.
Apply this to the world of the arts. When practicing archery, if your mind is occupied by thoughts of shooting the bow, your aim will be disordered and wandering. When using the sword, if your mind is occupied with thoughts of plying the sword, its tip will not likely be regulated. When practicing calligraphy, if your mind is occupied by thoughts of writing, the brush will be unsettled. When playing the koto, if your mind is filled with thoughts of plucking the strings, the melody will be confused.
When the man shooting the bow forgets about the mind that is shooting the bow and releases the string with the ordinary mind he has when doing nothing, the bow will be tranquil. When plying a sword, riding a horse, writing something, or playing the koto, take up the ordinary mind that does none of these or anything at all. Then no matter what you do, you will do it with ease.
No matter which discipline you follow, if you have in your breast one absolute course, it will not be the real Way. The man who has nothing at all in his breast is a real �Man of the Way.� Having nothing in his breast, when he does something it is done with ease, no matter what arises.
Because a mirror is always clear and has no form within it at all, the form of whatever stands before it will be clearly reflected. The breast of a Man of the Way is like a mirror: it does nothing and is perfectly clear. Thus, he has No-Mind, and in all things lacks nothing. This is the ordinary mind. A man who accomplishes everything with this ordinary mind is said to be a master.
In doing any number of things, you hold the mind that does it correctly, and do not scatter that mind distractedly. But in doing that one thing with a single purpose, you will do it inconsistently. Just when you think you�ve done something well once, you do it again, but poorly. Or, if you do something well twice and do it poorly the third time, you may congratulate yourself for doing well two out of three times; but then once again you do poorly and nothing is settled. This is because you do it with a mind occupied with doing something well.
When you have continuously made great efforts and have accumulated discipline without really noticing, you will have left aside the thought
of doing things well, and will have attained the real of No-Mind/No-Thought. And this, without really thinking about it and no matter
what you do. Your actions will be like the machinations of a wooden puppet. At such a time, you will not be self-conscious and your
mind will not be occupied with what you are doing. Thus, in ten out of ten times, your body, hands, and feet will make no mistakes. But if
your mind slips in even slightly, you will miss your aim. When you have No-Mind, you will hit the mark every time. [pp 91-3]
If your opponent does not want his sword taken, you should not insist on trying to take it. No-Sword is also in not taking the sword when your opponent has this attitude. A man who is consumed by the thought of not having his sword taken is going to forget the aim of cutting his opponent. And when he thinks only of not having his sword taken, he will probably not cut you.
Not being cut is in itself a victory. Considering it an art to take a man�s sword is not the principle here. The practice is one that a man puts to use when he himself has no sword and does not want to be cut.
What is called No-Sword is not the art of taking a man�s sword; it is being able to use all implements freely. When you have no sword and want to take your opponent�s to use as your own, anything that comes into your hands should be of use. Even if you have only a fan, you should be able to defeat your opponent�s sword. No-Sword is precisely this attitude.
When you have no sword but carry a bamboo staff, and your opponent unsheathes a long sword and attacks, you should be able to handle the bamboo staff and take his sword. But even if you do not take his sword, you should be able to restrain him without being cut. This in itself is a victory...
[I]f your opponent is clearly trying to cut you, his sword should be taken. From the very beginning, however, the fundamental meaning is not the taking of a sword. It is the clear understanding of distance.
There is a certain space between you and your opponent, and you should know the distance that will keep his sword from striking you. If you have a good grasp of this distance, you will not fear the strike of your opponent�s sword; and when you realize that he is going to strike, you can move according to your judgment of that strike...
A sword is long, your hands are short, and you will be unable to draw close to your opponent without entering a range in which you might be cut. Can you exercise enough judgment to match your hands against the opponent�s sword? If so, can you anticipate moving beneath the hilt of the opponent�s sword when the blade passes your body, and taking hold of his sword in this manner?
The circumstances are crucial and you must not become entangled with the opponent indiscriminately...
Body stances, sword positions, the lay of the location, distance, movement, inner workings, sticking close to your opponent, attack,
deception... [pp 119-21]
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