Miyamoto Musashi | Achieving Mastery through Unwavering Focus

One of the most fabled samurai, Miyamoto Musashi is renowned for being the best swordsman in Japan, having won more than sixty battles without losing.

Musashi became into a ronin when he managed to avoid death during the Battle of Sekigahara.

He was not just a skilled swordsman but also a learned Buddhist, artist, and philosopher.

Musashi gave us twenty-one Dokkodo, or ideals, before he passed away.

These ageless guidelines might motivate us to live effectively even in the present.

Most, if not all, of these guidelines assist us in establishing "focus."

The ability to concentrate one's interest or activities on something is known as focus.

It goes without saying that Musashi's existence revolved around "focus," or what he referred to as "the way," a life of constant practice.

His works demonstrate that discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and a rejection of pleasure characterized his way of life.

All of these qualities were founded upon or reinforced by the capacity for "focus."

Musashi was primarily focused on honing his craft and seeking enlightenment via the Way of the Sword, especially during his periods of seclusion from society.

These three installments expound upon the twenty-one tenets found in Musashi's Dokkōdō.

The first seven principles were covered in the first section.

The next seven principles will form the basis of this second section, which will examine how to live a life of absolute focus.

8) Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.

There are various ways that separation might occur.

Someone may leave our lives briefly due to travel or relocation, or they may pass away and leave us permanently.

We may also lose touch with some things, such as cash or sentimental belongings.

The majority of us experience anguish when we are separated from our loves.

Since we feel that what has been stolen from us is a part of and belongs to us, we suffer a strong sense of loss when we become attached to the thing or person from which we have been separated.

Buddhism views this notion of possession as illusionary.

There is a widespread belief among Buddhists that anything that exists outside of our minds is not really ours, not even our bodies, since we have limited influence over them.

Being a Buddhist and ronin, Musashi was undoubtedly aware of the hardship associated with attachment to both people and things, as well as the illusion of possession.

Since his method involved isolation and practice, he was unable to grieve over the passing of any one thing because everything in life is subject to change, including people, possessions, and money. This is especially true for ronins who are constantly on the move.

An ongoing sorrow would have resulted from attachment to the people he met and the locations he visited.

Rather, as a ronin, he was forced to accept the transient nature of everything, including death as life's ultimate end.

The steadfast acceptance of death is the path of the warrior, according to Musashi's writings in the Book of Five Rings.

Death is the constant companion of a warrior: the deaths of those he kills, those who fight alongside him, those he fails to defend, and, of course, the possibility of getting killed himself.

Musashi must have understood better than anyone that everyone will eventually die.

We'll deal with life's transience more easily if we recognize and embrace its impermanence.

9) Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself or others.

People frequently spend absurd amounts of time griping and fussing about the state of the world.

It's quite simple to get into the resentment and complaint traps.

It seems like there is always something to be unhappy about for someone with a sharp mind and strong beliefs about the ideals of life.

However, it indicates that we are concentrating on others rather than ourselves when we are always feeling resentful of the environment.

It is harmful to spend time feeling resentful and grumbling about the world or one's own life if one is committed to a life of continuous practice.

We have no control over the planet.

People will occasionally behave in ways that are inconsistent with our ethics and morals.

Individuals will act naively, impolitely, and unappreciatively.

People will despise us, attempt to meddle in our affairs, treat us unfairly, and attempt to exploit us.

Besides, life isn't fair.

No one gets an equal portion of the pie.

We are not equally talented, attractive, or healthy.

Although changing this is a sincere aim that the human intellect has developed, it is nearly hard to accomplish because nature is constantly pushing against us.

Buddhists believe that we should not waste time trying to alter the world, and that we should especially avoid harboring resentment toward it as it is.

It is more smarter to put our attention on ourselves, live our lives to the fullest, and accept those who don't.

Alternatively said, "be tolerant with others and strict with yourself," as the Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius put it.

10) Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.

Focusing on ourselves, living life to the fullest, and accepting those who don't is a wiser course of action.

Furthermore, Buddhists reject the sacralization of passionate love.

Indeed, they know the risks associated with following its lead.

Love and lust can overtake us, just like any other emotion.

However, we are free to choose to interact with these emotions or not.

To stay grounded and focused on our path, it would be wiser to retain our ability to reason rather than allowing romanticism to lead us blindly.

Enchanted by lust and love, people often make incredibly foolish judgments that range from choices that damage their work or violate personal boundaries to acts of violence and even murder.

11) In all things have no preferences.

The issue with preferences is that they lead to dependency on how the outside world is doing.

We feel content when we find something we like.

However, we get what we don't like, and we feel let down.

Because we are powerless over the things that the environment throws at us, having preferences will allow external events to dictate how we feel.

Whether the conditions are ideal or not will determine our composure.

This is a somewhat subpar approach to living.

Musashi came across a wide variety of individuals, things, and circumstances, yet he had to maintain his composure to stay on course.

Strong inclinations would have been detrimental to his work.

Therefore, it's a good idea to control our inclinations and accept whatever fate deals us and make the most of it.

We can never go wrong in this fashion, and as a result, the outcome has no bearing on the caliber of our attention.

12) Be indifferent to where you live.

As a ronin, Musashi traveled throughout Japan and resided in a variety of locations, including caverns and castles.

But his way always remained the focal point of his existence, no matter where he resided.

These days, a person's living environment is highly valued.

They have strong feelings about their residences, the community in which they reside, and the types of furniture they own.

However, if we get overly dependent on a set of living circumstances, we will become fearful when they are in danger.

Of course, leaving our home is not a luxury when conditions are really dangerous.

But most of the time, people search for a new place to live because they are just unhappy with their existing situation.

Some people feel that moving will solve their immediate boredom and discontent with their existing residence.

Unfortunately, the feeling of satisfaction that comes with relocating is fleeting.

We always bring ourselves with us wherever we go.

Contentment and discontent originate internally, not externally.

In the end, if we're happy with who we are, it doesn't matter where we live.

No matter how basic and tiny our dwellings are, if we are happy with them, we will have one less thing to worry about and be more likely to remain committed to our goals.

13) Do not pursue the taste of good food.

A satisfying meal is how many, if not most, people delight in tongue-pleasing pleasure.

Some people like to win and dine for extended periods of time, indulging in numerous drinks and courses.

Foodies, however, take note: there are drawbacks to this tendency.

The pursuit of delicious food is discouraged by Miyamoto Musashi.

Although his precise motivations are unknown, we can gain a sense of them by reading what other philosophers have to say about it.

For instance, food was a worry for the ancient Stoics.

They pushed for a simple diet.

Zeno of Citium, the founder of stoicism, noticed that individuals lose appreciation for simple foods when they grow accustomed to eating elaborate, pricey meals.

We will simply yearn for more ostentatious and exciting ways to sate our cravings when they are overstimulated.

Overindulgence in food can easily develop into gluttony, which can cause health issues.

It is often accepted that a glutton values and likes food, however this may not always be the case.

Those who are voracious eaters and drinkers typically don't take the time to appreciate the food that is placed in front of them while they eat.

Rather, they obsessively overindulge in food in an attempt to momentarily ease the agony of cravings.

Alternatively, we could learn to eat "mindfully," in moderation, and resist desires by training ourselves to resist them.

We won't be as dependent on flavor and our appetites will be sated, which will reduce the likelihood that we would overeat.

Nutrition is ultimately the goal of eating as we require fuel to survive and grow.

14) Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.

It appears that Musashi was aware of the advantages of living simply at an early age.

Having possessions did not fit with his existence as a ronin.

Traveling throughout Japan, lodging in various locations, engaging in combat, honing his craft, and having goods would have just added to his burden.

He merely required the essentials to survive and practice, including his two swords.

Some people have a tendency to hoard things because they believe that having more material belongings will make them happier.

For the most part, this just piques people's curiosity and may hold true for a short while.

The more we own, the more burden we eventually bear, and eventually we stop being the masters of our stuff rather than the other way around.

Anxiety is brought on by clinging to our possessions and striving for more; it is the dread of losing what we already have and the fear of not achieving our goals.

But there's no point in seeking all these material stuff when we may reach higher levels of satisfaction and have a higher purpose.

Following material stuff doesn't make sense in Buddhism, since contentment can be found in silence without the need for entertainment like music or television.

In the end, it all boils down to being able to move light, much like a ronin, so that we may concentrate on the important things.