The Book of Five Rings

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The Book of Five Rings (五輪書, Go Rin no Sho) is a text on kenjutsu and martial arts in general, written by the Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi between 1643 and 1645. The book title is from the godai (五大) of Buddhist esotericism (密教), and thus has five volumes: "Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Sky." Many translations have been made, and it has garnered broad attention in East Asia and throughout the world. For instance, some business leaders find its discussion of conflict to be relevant to their work. The modern-day Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū employs it as a manual of technique and philosophy. Musashi establishes a "no-nonsense" theme throughout the text. For instance, he repeatedly remarks that technical flourishes are excessive, and contrasts worrying about such things with the principle that all technique is simply a method of cutting down one's opponent. He also continually makes the point that the understandings expressed in the book are important for combat on any scale, whether a one-on...

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