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The Book of Five Rings

by Miyamoto Musashi, Thomas Cleary (Translator)

4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 · rating details · 9,883 ratings · 376 reviews

Setting down his thoughts on swordplay, on winning, and on spirituality, legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi intended this modest work as a guide for his immediate disciples and future generations of samurai. He had little idea he was penning a masterpiece that would be eagerly devoured by people in all walks of life centuries after his death.

Along with The Art of War by

...more Setting down his thoughts on swordplay, on winning, and on spirituality, legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi intended this modest work as a guide for his immediate disciples and future generations of samurai. He had little idea he was penning a masterpiece that would be eagerly devoured by people in all walks of life centuries after his death.

Along with The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Book of Five Rings has long been regarded as an invaluable treatise on the strategy of winning. Musashi's timeless advice on defeating an adversary, throwing an opponent off-guard, creating confusion, and other techniques for overpowering an assailant was addressed to the readers of earlier times on the battlefield, and now serves the modern reader in the battle of life.

In this new rendering by the translator of Hagakure and The Unfettered Mind, William Scott Wilson adheres rigorously to the seventeenth-century Japanese text and clarifies points of ambiguity in earlier translations. In addition, he offers an extensive introduction and a translation of Musashi's rarely published The Way of Walking Alone. This gift-book edition also features original art by Musashi himself as well as new calligraphy by Japanese artist Shiro Tsujimura.

About the Author

Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) was a renowned swordsman and painter. A masterless samurai, he developed the two-sword style of fighting and emerged victorious in more than 60 sword fights in his travels throughout Japan. The author of The Book of Five Rings, he is also the subject of the novel Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa.

William Scott Wilson, the translator, was born in 1944 in Nashville, Tennessee, and grew up in Florida. He received B.A. degrees from Dartmouth College and the Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies, and an M.A. in Japanese literary studies from the University of Washington. His long-selling translations of Hagakure, The Unfettered Mind, The Roots of Wisdom:

Saikontan, and Taiko have become standards. Hagakure was featured prominently in the film Ghost Dog.

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Paperback, 192 pages

Published January 11th 2005 by Shambhala (first published 1645)

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Sep 03, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those books I've been "meaning to read" for years. There's a lot that could be said here, more than can be included in a "review".

How can one review a book that has stood the test of 5+ centuries? I think there is much of value here, I think there is much that can be learned and then misapplied by those not wise enough to understand application as well as process.

The book assumes that the one reading will have already spent much time in learning and study and plans to move on wit...more

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Sep 27, 2007 Vik rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

This book actually has two translations by Thomas Cleary of two books from Japanese martial artists. My thoughts on both and a short comparison are below.

The Book of Five Rings is a pretty good insight into a disciplined mind and professional samurai from 17th century Japan. A lot of it is practical advice and there is some spiritual Zen leaning in there too but I would not go as far to say it is required leadership reading material in the same way as The Art of War by Sun Tzu but no martial art...more

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Feb 23, 2013 John Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Original Bad Ass MoFo ... in a Zen kinda way.

Strategy
Tactics
Bad Assedness
Violence
YES!

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Aug 23, 2008 Robert rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy

This book, written by a famous Japanese duelist, tells one of his relatives how to win with the sword. It is divided into five "Rings" based on five "Elements". He concentrates on Strategy and does not talk about the best guard to take or other technicalities. Many people find this book to be immoral as it espouses winning at all costs in a deadly pursuit. I regard it more as a-moral. Musashi simply never considers the question. He is simply putting down his concept of Strategy. Perhaps the mora...more

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Jul 10, 2008 Matt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Samurai wannabes; Lanky, manga reading white dudes dating Japanese girls.

I remember liking a different translation when I first read this book about 5 years ago. So whether it's the translation or a different perspective on life, this was a bit of a disappointing read. Unless you are veeeeeeeerry into kendo, which I'm not, I don't know what there is to take away from this book other than it is an interesting look into the mind of a real historical figure who was a legend in his own time. Sort of like reading Yoda's light-saber instruction manual... if Yoda was real....more

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Mar 20, 2010 Architeuthis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: the-martial-way, philosophy, 1990s

I've always meant to go back and read another translation of Musashi's book. This one is, as you can tell by the title, geared towards martial artists, and this ties into the whole presentation.

Perhaps I should give a little background: Musashi was a Japanese swordsman in the seventeenth century who fought in some ridiculous number of duels and won them all. He wrote a book of strategy called "The Book of the Five Rings" that is considered by many martial artists to be of a comparable worth wit...more I've always meant to go back and read another translation of Musashi's book. This one is, as you can tell by the title, geared towards martial artists, and this ties into the whole presentation.

Perhaps I should give a little background: Musashi was a Japanese swordsman in the seventeenth century who fought in some ridiculous number of duels and won them all. He wrote a book of strategy called "The Book of the Five Rings" that is considered by many martial artists to be of a comparable worth with "The Art of War." So, Musashi was a martial fighter, but fought in a very different context than the modern martial arts: he fought in duels to the death, and fought with a sword. I've heard from multiple sources that the chance of surviving a single samurai duel was roughly 1 out of three. This is because a high number of duels resulted in both samurai killing each other. So, surviving a bunjillion duels and then dying from a disease in his 60's is quite a feat.

What I liked about this was the practicality of the fighting philosophy. However, much of this knowledge is now intuitive to those who know anything about military tactics or martial arts: find high ground, be prepared for different types of terrains, etc. But, it gives one piece of advice that has helped me win (or sometimes just survive) in lots of sparring matches: always be on the offensive. It might sound counter-intuitive to someone who hasn't tried applying the philosophy; what if someone with a greater level of expertise is coming at you fast? But, this is actually the situation where this technique has served me the best.

For a while, we sparred every friday night at a youth center in a little dojo ran by a second degree blackbelt, and most of the time he would join in the sparring rotation. He was a battering ram. He didn't know how to NOT move forward while fighting. I could never beat him, but I was the only person who could score points on him because he wasn't used to people moving forward to meet him.

But, in martial arts philosophies like Aikido, the idea is to use your opponent's energy against them: redirect their force and use it to toss them away, or slam them down on the ground. Actual attacks are usually part of this kind of redirection.

I think that the idea of being on the offense has more to do with space though, and doesn't necessarily mean you aren't parrying attacks. Even Aikido fighters can catch opponents by surprise more effectively when quickly moving toward them. And, in a case like my example above (where you really aren't as good as your opponent), surprising your opponent might be your only chance to win.

Could also get you killed, though.

But this advice has served me well. Most of the other strategies are good, but few are surprising. And, because it is modified to apply specifically to the martial arts, it can't be adapted all that well into non-combat aspects of life. For those interested in the martial arts, it is a very good read. For the rest of you, I'd give it a pass. (less)

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May 02, 2008 Charlotte Sanders rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm interested to read this book. However, as regards this particular edition, although the commentary is useful, the introduction is annoying. I made it through the sections on bushido and heiho, and the historical discussion of Miyamoto Musashi and his times, but the section on Zen was intolerably vapid and cliched. I couldn't stand to finish it, which is saying a lot, since I usually have a high tolerance for dull and irritating introductory material.

Postscript: I recommend this book: it's hi...more

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Oct 13, 2007 John Wiswell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Philosophy readers, readers interested in Japanese culture, samurai fiction readers

This is a wonderfully short book, and the translation is pretty easy to read. I went through it three times in a week, to make certain I understand what Musashi was saying. The legend surrounding the man is intriguing, and anybody who has won over fifty swordfights - if they're going to put it this briefly, it's worth a shot. The most interesting parts are where Musashi's advice bleeds into his views on life, particularly in his advice on how to foster and rely on intuition. The final part, deal...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Marianna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved the illustrations. Just because something's an ebook, doesn't mean no thought should go into the design.

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Jul 03, 2010 Bryan added it · review of another edition

GREAT 17th CENTURAY SAMURAI SWORDSMAN'S ADVICE ON STRATEGY: Based on my readings, Musashi's motive in writing his Book of Five Rings had been to correct misrepresentations of his views on swordsmanship by his contemporaries. Having become a legend in his own time, Musashi's reputation was being exploited by ambitious rivals claiming to have adopted the master's martial techniques and philosophies. Thus Book of Five Rings was intended by its author to establish his point of view for correcting mi...more

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Mar 28, 2009 Xonrad rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone with a hardcore interest in exploring the warrior aesthetic

Unlike Sun Tzu, this is a very cryptic and almost a purist's philosophical text. Very introspective in nature.

It is infinitely easier to comprehend and process (or at least begin to) with at least a basic understanding of the Kendo martial art before going into it... the psychological disciplines involved moreso than the actual swordsman techniques, though knowledge of both seems like an obvious requirement as some of the examples assume the reader knows how the mind & body flows through cer...more

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Mar 25, 2013 N rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Musashi's treatise on sword fighting was recommended as part of a somewhat eclectic reading list by one of the older teachers at my school. It is very clearly a book on sword fighting technique, but much of what the author teaches applies to other areas of life. Musashi stresses the importance of level-headedness, of searching out an enemy's weakness and exploiting it, of pressing the attack rather than waiting for your enemy to learn how to defeat you.

Musashi sees his advice as part of a sweepi...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Helmut Barro rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: japan

Siegen um jeden Preis

Philosophische Einsichten sind hier nicht zu finden; Großteils ist es ein Handbuch von Basistechniken für einen Schwertkämpfer. Ich finde darin nichts, was man außerhalb eines Kampfes im "echten Leben" wirklich einsetzen könnte - außer man ist einer dieser New-Age-Manager, die sich auf Sunzi und Musashi berufen, wenn sie rücksichtlos gegen Geschäftspartner vorgehen. Das ist aber vom Autor Musashi auch so beabsichtigt - nirgends behauptet er, dass es außer einem Handbuch sein...more Siegen um jeden Preis

Philosophische Einsichten sind hier nicht zu finden; Großteils ist es ein Handbuch von Basistechniken für einen Schwertkämpfer. Ich finde darin nichts, was man außerhalb eines Kampfes im "echten Leben" wirklich einsetzen könnte - außer man ist einer dieser New-Age-Manager, die sich auf Sunzi und Musashi berufen, wenn sie rücksichtlos gegen Geschäftspartner vorgehen. Das ist aber vom Autor Musashi auch so beabsichtigt - nirgends behauptet er, dass es außer einem Handbuch seiner Schwertschule metaphysische Bedeutung hätte, was er da schreibt, im Gegenteil, er ist diesbezüglich relativ deutlich. Dazu kommt allerdings stellenweise ein bisschen Zen, hauptsächlich wenn es um die Wahrnehmung des Gegners und der Situation geht.

Beachtenswert fand ich vor allem, wie Musashi immer wieder betont, dass es in erster Linie darum geht, den Gegner zu töten - möglichst schnell, möglichst effektiv, mit vollem Körpereinsatz; Musashi ist gewiss nicht der "edle Samurai", der wartet, bis sein Gegner bereit ist, sondern haut ihm schonmal im Nahkampf die Faust ins Gesicht. In den fiktionalen Beschreibungen Musashis (wie Yoshikawas Musashi oder Inoues Vagabond) wird dieser Aspekt seines Charakters auch immer betont - Siegen um jeden Preis.

Als Fazit bleibt für mich, dass es nur lesenswerte Lektüre für am Schwertkampf Interessierte ist, oder wer etwas über die Person Musashi aus erster Hand erfahren möchte - für alle anderen ist der prosaische Stil und der ebensolche Inhalt nicht sehr reizvoll.

Die mir vorliegende Ausgabe des Nikol-Verlags ist kleinformatig und wirkt, entgegen der Werbung des Verlags, wenig "edel"; bei dem Preis kann man aber nicht viel mehr verlangen. Die Übersetzung wirkt stellenweise etwas kantig und altertümelnd und ist inkonsistent, was die Übertragung von Fachbegriffen ist (mal bleiben sie japanisch stehen und werden in einer Fußnote erläutert, mal werden deutsche Pendants gesetzt).
Ein Nachwort sowie einige (leider recht belanglose) Abbildungen runden das ganze ab. Was zu beachten ist. (less)

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Oct 21, 2012 *Giulia* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: must-reads, classici, guerra, saggi, spade-e-spadaccini, biografie, giappone, favorites, aforismi

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Semplicemente bellissimo.

p.45
Purtroppo la conoscenza superficiale di una materia è spesso più nociva dell'ignoranza assoluta!

p.52
Una piccola deviazione iniziale diventa col tempo una divergenza incolmabile.

p.59
Tutta la vita di un samurai è soggetta alle leggi dell'armonia con i suoi tempi e le sue cadenze, quando agisce bene e vince o quando sbaglia e perde. Nel commercio c'è il ritmo di quando si guadagna e il ritmo di quando si fallisce. Bisogna saper cogliere con esattezza il ritmo del succes...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Cristián rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

El libro en sí es puro taoísmo, pero estas nociones fueron las que me gustaron un montón!

"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 the rhythm of any situation, you will be able to hit the enemy naturally and strike naturally. All this is the Way of the Void. "

It will seem difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first. Bows...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Donovan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: martial-arts

OK, this is not a novel. It is a training manual for the budding swordsman written my the greatest Japanese swordsman in their history - Miyamoto Musashi. There are so many levels to this man's teachings that it is difficult to summarise. His life in itself is amazing and the subject of many written works. For me, there are two key elements to this work:
1. How to be a swords man. The practical aspects required for you to be able to handle a sword and to attain a level where you can spar with som...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Adil rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read a translation by Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Rosemary Brant. This book puzzled me in that at first glance I seem to have learned nothing else from it than how to hold a sword and attack and enemy, and obvious things like never let your enemy have a chance to recover. I'm definitely missing something, either due to the translation or my inability to read between the lines. I guess I'm supposed to reflect on it and come back to it until I "get it" if there's any wisdom in here. The book is full...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Kristi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reading-challenge-2012

Despite Musashi's many admonitions to "investigate this thoroughly," I fear that I have not done so enough to truly understand or appreciate the profundity of The Book of Five Rings; however, it was interesting to read this work about swordsmanship and strategy and to think about the ways that it has been applied to business and perhaps other aspects of Japanese life. I'm not going to deny the fact that it was hard to see beyond the direct references to sword fighting and martial arts at times--...more

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Aug 21, 2009 Jeph rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pay no attention to my rating, as this is not a judgement on Musashi's book, but rather the audio version of the book. For me, Musashi's Book of Five Rings is a book that, after listening to it, I learned that I could only truly understand his writings by reading it and then, rereading it.

The Book of Five Rings is similar to Sun Tsu's Art of War, in that it was a book written in a different time for a different situation, but even so, it is timeless in it's applications to life, business, martia...more

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Feb 10, 2009 Peter rock added it · review of another edition

excellent book to order if you are planning on playing a chess game against me and by chess i mean.....war do not ever wage war against me unless you have taken years to study, restudy, and apply this to your daily life. take the lessons miyamoto mushashi to the daily job of living and years from now you will pay me the going rate for my services for my teaching or you will meet my former students.....my allies and my teachers! before you you declare war on peter rock campbell consider the ramif...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Patrick McCoy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, japan

I have been won over by the convenience of ebooks, however, I expect that there will always be reasons to buy a book as an artifact. Case in point, is the beautiful Watkins Publishing version of Miyamoto Musashi's The Five Rings (2012) translated by David K. Groff. This wonderfully designed book is made from high quality materials and is adorned throughout by paintings, photographs, maps, scrolls, elaborate print designs including kanji, and includes intricate border designs on the pages through...more

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Jan 06, 2010 Jacob added it · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys samurais or strategy

Recommended to Jacob by: My brother

I enjoyed The Book of Five Rings greatly and have found that the various translations of the book seem relatively consistent in terms of the core meaning and philosophy. I enjoyed Musashi's take on harmony and combat as he suggests the use of a "waksashi", this being the pivotal aspect of his life as a Ronin. I agree that in most cases the introductions throughout the various translations can be a bit annoying but to be completely honest it is best just to skip them and move on to actual work of...more

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May 04, 2011 S.N.Arly Arly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: martial-arts, philosophy

This is a work in translation. The original was written sometime in the 1600's, yet it could have easily been written this year. There are many translations of Musashi's work, some reinterpreted for other arenas such as business. This version keeps the focus on strategy for the student of the Way of the warrior. It is applicable to martial artists who utilize weapons as well as those who do not. I will recommend it to advanced students, because on the whole it is a bit much for beginners.

As a f...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Benjamin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: martial-arts, japan, nonfiction, philosophy, 2013-read

It's been a while since I read this and it was worth another go through. There are a couple different groups of readers I can think of that would find this book helpful. First, martial arts enthusiasts, who, for instance like reading ancient war manuals such as Sun Tzu's Art of War or German long sword manuals. Second, samurai movie enthusiasts or Japanophiles, who like to study, in detail, well known samurai film directors who have treat this book as a guide to action sequences. Thirdly, CEO's...more It's been a while since I read this and it was worth another go through. There are a couple different groups of readers I can think of that would find this book helpful. First, martial arts enthusiasts, who, for instance like reading ancient war manuals such as Sun Tzu's Art of War or German long sword manuals. Second, samurai movie enthusiasts or Japanophiles, who like to study, in detail, well known samurai film directors who have treat this book as a guide to action sequences. Thirdly, CEO's or Mafia Don's who may be looking for philosophical advantages in planning their next move. I could see Tony Soprano reading this and feeling sophisticated.

The book is divided into five elemental parts: water, wind, fire, earth, and void. Most of these have paragraphs focused on a certain strategical concept that should be studied. Here is a typical example:

The Mountain-Sea Change

"The 'mountain-sea' spirit means that it is bad to repeat the same thing several times when fighting the enemy. There my be no help but to do something twice, but do not try it a third time. If you once make an attack and fail, there is little chance of success if you use the same approach again. If you attempt a technique which you have previously tried unsuccessfully and fail yet again, then you must change your attacking method. If the enemy thinks of the mountains, attack like the sea; and if he thinks of the sea, attack like the mountains. You must research this deeply."

Almost every technique has a clever metaphorical title such as "To Penetrate the Depths" or "Rat's Head, Ox's Neck". It reminds me of my gung-fu years down in Washington and all the names for the strikes and maneuvers we learned. Almost every paragraph ends in an admonishment like "You must study this well." or "You must learn this." This also reminds me of Sifu Lane or Sifu Fogg after every drill or technique plucked from a move set. I have a sneaking suspicion that the fundamentals of martial arts training has not changed much since 1645 when Musashi wrote this manual.

Anyway, a fun little book. I will keep an eye out for other translations. Many of the statements in this book hinge on the meaning of single words and Japanese is known for its use of quadruple entendre. Overall, this edition was a nice reintroduction to the classic(less)

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Oct 16, 2008 Mikekite rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you don't know how to use a sword, don't bother. This book is often tauted by business leaders as a strategy book, in much the same way that Sun Tzu's book 'The Art of War' is tauted. The comparison is impractical. Sun-Tzu was far more a philosopher than Musashi. I took Iaido for 3 years before I could read this book. It IS good for strategy, but you don't get the metaphors without learning the sword first.

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Feb 19, 2009 Greg rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-and-biography, professional-development, personal-development

I first read Miyamoto Musashi's The Book of Five Rings many years ago, while I was a Ph.D. candidate in California. I was intrigued by how his nine principles seemd to apply to life in general and leaders in particular, in addition to his intended audience of swordsmen. While it is not as in depth as Sun Tzu's The Art of War, he certainly added to my understanding.

His nine principles, from the translation I prefer, are as follows:

1. Do not think dishonestly
2. The Way is in training
3. Become acq...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Joshua rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: military, history-ish

In a word, excellent.

As a precursor to the Book of Five Rings one should be aware of the Japanese mind. The Buddhist principle of emptiness is also helpful, albeit not necessary. In the Book of Five Rings Musashi gives the pupil the understanding of how to win in battle.

Musashi lived in the hieght of the Japanese Reniassance. There were wars thus the need for warriors. But, there was vast amounts of culture, arts, drama, even tea ceremonies. There are allusions to all these aspects of culture,...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Jose Vera rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Este es un tratado que, para ser provechoso, ha de ser leido una y otra vez.

Miyamoto Musashi es considerado como el más grande de los samurai. Nunca fue vencido y las experiencias de sus años como Ronin las plasmo en estos 5 anillos.

El primer punto importante a tener en cuenta es que en todo momento la actitud es combativa, agresiva y buscando la victoria; adaptandose al terreno, el clima, al propio enemigo.

Musashi no escribe un "manual para la Victoria"; lo que el presenta son las observaciones...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Jenifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Written by a professional samurai from 17th century Japan, This is definitely a first-hand account of someone who knew what he was about. In fighting and in philosophy, he was most assuredly a master. In writing and eloquence, not so much. This is one guy who could have really used a ghost-writer. Getting his thoughts across seemed to be a major hurdle, one which he most often surmounts with one of the following phrases.

...."This should be investigated thoroughly". "You must do sufficient resear...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Reido rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's hard to believe that a translation of 17th century scroll of self reflection, could hold such depth. Miyamoto Musashi and Yagyu Munehnori hold such an uncanny sense of knowledge. So much so that it makes me think the individuals that these men surrounded themselves with must have been prolific swordsman or great wisemen. The ideas and ideology of these two men, have such relevance with this time period, it's scary to think they created this without the use of the internet.

What is really int...more

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Miyamoto Musashi, also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke, or by his Buddhist name Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman famed for his duels and distinctive style. Musashi, as he is often simply known, became legendary through his outstanding swordsmanship in numerous duels, even from a very young age. He is the founder of the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū or Niten-ryū style of swordsmanship and...more

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