tion>
MUSASHI’S
BOOK
OF
FIVE
RINGS
MUSASHI’S
BOOK
OF
FIVE
RINGS
The Definitive Interpretation
of Miyamoto Musashi’s
Classic Book of Strategy
STEPHEN F. KAUFMAN, HANSHI 10th DAN
TUTTLE PUBLISHING
Tokyo • Rutland, Vermont • Singapore
Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial offices at 364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, Vermont 05759 U.S.A. and 61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12, Singapore 534167.
Copyright © 1994 Stephen F. Kaufman Hanshi
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kaufman, Steve, 1939–
Musashi’s book of five rings : the definitive interpretation of Miyamoto
Musashi’s classic book of strategy / Stephen F. Kaufman.
Kaufman, Steve, 1939– Martial Artist’s book of five rings.
Miyamoto, Musashi, 1584–1645. Gorin no sho. English.
p. cm.
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0636-9 (ebook)
Previous title : Martial artist’s book of five rings. 1994.
Miyamoto, Musashi, 1584–1645. Gorin no sho.
Military art and science—Early works to 1800.
Swordplay—Japan—Early works to 1800.
| U101 .K38 2004 | 2003054039 |
Distributed by:
| North America, Latin America & Europe | Asia Pacific |
| Tuttle Publishing | Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd. |
| 364 Innovation Drive | 61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12 |
| North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436 U.S.A. | Singapore 534167 |
| Tel: 1 (802) 773-8930 | Tel: (65) 6280-1330 |
| Fax: 1 (802) 773-6993 | Fax: (65) 6280-6290 |
| [email protected] | [email protected] |
| www.tuttlepublishing.com | www.periplus.com |
| Japan | Indonesia |
| Tuttle Publishing | PT Java Books Indonesia |
| Yaekari Building, 3rd Floor | Kawasan Industri Pulogadung |
| 5-4-12 Osaki | JI. Rawa Gelam IV No. 9 |
| Shinagawa-ku | Jakarta 13930 |
| Tokyo 141-0032 | Tel: (62) 21 4682-1088 |
| Tel: (81) 03 5437-0171 | Fax: (62) 20 461-0207 |
| Fax: (81) 03 5437-0755 | [email protected] |
| [email protected] |
15 14 13 12 11 10 18 17 16 15 14 13
Text design by Jill Winitzer
Printed in the United States of America
TUTTLE PUBLISHING ® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
This book is dedicated to my father
Jack Kaufman
a warrior in his own right
and to the legacy of
Miyamoto Musashi
CONTENTS
| Preface | ix |
| About the Translation | xi |
| Introduction | xv |
| THE BOOK OF EARTH | 1 |
| THE BOOK OF WATER | 23 |
| THE BOOK OF FIRE | 53 |
| THE BOOK OF WIND | 81 |
| THE BOOK OF NO -THING | 101 |
PREFACE
Musashi is well known to most martialists. He is considered the Kensei, sword-saint of Japan. While his teachings are essentially centered around swordsmanship, his teachings fall without question into the domain of study for practitioners of all the martial arts, including karate, judo, Western fencing and other killing forms as well, but, only if they are used to take life in combat.
The Book of Five Rings is Miyamoto Musashi’s teaching on
