The Book of Five Rings

To learn a Japanese martial art is to learn Zen, and although you can't do so simply by reading a book, it sure does help--especially if that book is the Book of Five Rings. One of Japan's great samurai sword masters put down in decisive, unfaltering terms the certain path to victory, and like Sun Tzu's Art of War, it is applicable not only on the battlefield but in all forms of competition. Always observant, creating confusion, striking at vulnerabilities--these are some of the basic principles. Going deeper, we find suki, the interval of vulnerability, of indecisiveness, of rest, the briefest but most vital moment to strike. In succinct detail, Miyamoto records ideal postures, blows and psychological tactics to put the enemy off guard and open the way for attack. Most important of all is Miyamoto's concept of rhythm, how all things are in harmony, and by working with the rhythm of a situation, we can turn it to our advantage with little effort. But like Zen, this requires one thing above all else, putting the book down and going out to practice. --Brian Bruya

View other editions of The Book of Five Rings.
View books by Musashi Miyamoto.

Old Wisdom with New Lessons - Rated
The Book of Five Rings (Go Rin No Sho) is a GREAT book, if you take time to properly absorb and understand ALL of its teachings. It's not a very long book and so would be easy to read a few times over so that you get a proper flavour of the important message being presented. Thomas Cleary is a prolific writer and well qualified to produce such a translation.

A better and easier to digest version (IMHO) of this small book is "Samurai Strategies: 42 Martial Secrets" by by Boye De Lafayette Mente, who very cleverly summarises this book into 42 easy to digest and understand and apply chapters.

The ideas in this book are NOT dangerous to anyone in the least, IF you balance and apply ALL of the lessons within it - that's the idea that the great undefeated warrior Musashi was trying to put across. The life saving principles he expounds here are designed to help us all have a better, easier and more fulfilled life, Martial Artist or not. His strategies can be applied and used by anyone.

"A knife is dangerous for anyone - you just have to learn how to use is safely & intelligently"

We are all so lucky & truly blessed that, nearly 400 years ago, someone called Lord Hosokawa had the foresight to ask the ageing Musashi to write down his secrets of success. Musashi himself was not only extremely talented but must have been a very intelligent man for his time to write such a treatise.

The comment (else ware) about this book not being for beginners is misleading I think, it isn't that hard to understand and extrapolate the true meaning and intentions that Musashi was trying to put across.

Don't be put off by ANY of the negative criticisms (in other reviews), it's only because they've missed the point or just quickly scanned & glossed over the book.

Although we are not entirely certain of Musashi's religious bent, Musashi bases his book [loosely] on the Zen Buddhist philosophies of the Five Elements - Earth, Water, Fire, Wind & Emptiness. One of his close associates was Takuan Soho, author of "The Unfettered Mind"

cryptic - Rated
this book is only helpful if you are trying to supplement an already extensive knowledge of martial arts, if your intensions are combat related. if you are trying to apply its strategy in a contemporary sense dont bother buying it, it was deliberately written to be obscure, and as such only worth reading if you are willing to invest an awful lot of time into it.

Tantalising - Rated
This tantalisingly brief book gives half of the teaching of an almost legendary Samurai duellist. Where is the other half? Lost. As the author reminds us again and again, the five scrolls are there to support the oral, technical teaching which he gave his students.

This is at once admirable and frustrating. As a fencing coach, I know that only a part of my work is to explain attitudes, tactics and techniques. The greater part is to teach, train and coach the individual student, building on what they find comes naturally and developing what they find difficult. At the same time, the original School of Two Swords, as he styles it, is long in the past and although we can capture the modern tradition, we cannot learn from the master.

The Book of Five Rings is about much more than swordplay, though. We are led again and again from a principle derived in individual combat to large scale military strategy. Likewise, each of the five spheres is aimed at developing the correct attitude, with technique merely being secondary.

The underlying theme of this book is 'winning by all means possible'. This, and the other principles of the Way of Two Swords, have many applications to other ways of engaging an opponent in today's environment.

Nonetheless, I finished this book with one regret - 'if only I could have met him'.

A Classic of Martial Strategy - Rated
Having won over sixty duels, many with only a wooden practice sword, Musashi's credibilty and authority on the subject of mortal combat cannot be questioned. The Book of Five Rings outlines his lifelong attitude to competition of any kind, and I for one gobbled it up. As an aspiring martial artist with a particular affilation for the sword, Musashi has long been a hero of mine, and although from a Western perspective we could bring into question the morality of his life, we can undoubtedly benefit from the wisdom he gleaned from his experiences and learn from him. I also think it is important not to get carried away by the current trend to try and see classic eastern works as definitive articles on modern business strategy. This excellent edition also includes a treatise by the head of the Yagyu family (famous for their swordsmanship) which is well worth a read. Top marks all round.

Holy Grail for Martial Artists - Rated
The Book of Five Rings has become something of a must have for martial artists,and indeed it is an indespensible guide for anyone interested in the pursuit and perfection of swordsmanship and tactics.As is Talhoffers'fifteenth century guide to European sword technique.It is often overlooked by practictioners of the martial arts that there are many forms closer to home.
The Book of Five Rings was written by an old exceptionally skilled and undefeated Japanese warrior who chose to go into seclusion,perhaps in order to pass on some of his ideas.
Many older martial men after a lifetime of bloodshed and conflict begin to ponder the meaning of life and this is apparant in the book ,even though he clearly states he did not use the teachings of Bhudda,or confucious.He doubtless was aware of them.
He gives us ideas of 'spirit' in a somewhat easoteric way,and even refers to the 'way' of heaven -and as he says "to read the book is simply not enough.".
While I have several tattered translations of this book and I would recommend it to any modern day martial artists,I would also recommend some of those largely unread classics of spirituality,Toaist or Doaist,whichever pronunciation you prefer,those classics such as; The Book of Chang Tzu or The Toa Te Ching by Loa Tzu.These Chinese works merged in various ways to produce Chan Bhuddism and migrated to Japan where they became known as Zen Bhuddism.It is often the way that we see things in isolation.