Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Yamamoto Tsunetomo, also read Yamamoto Jōchōwas a samurai of the Saga Domain in Hizen Province under his lord Nabeshima Mitsushige. For thirty years Yamamoto devoted his life to the service of his lord and clan. When Nabeshima died in 1700, Yamamoto did not choose to follow his master in death in junshi because the master had expressed a dislike of the practice in his life. Instead, Yamamoto followed his lord's wishes and refrained from junshi. After some disagreements with Nabeshima's...
NationalityJapanese
ProfessionSoldier
Date of Birth11 June 1659
CountryJapan
Human life is truly a short affair. It is better to live doing the things that you like.
To give a person an opinion one must first judge well whether that person is of the disposition to receive it or not.
A warrior is worthless unless he rises above others and stands strong in the midst of a storm.
Light matters should be dealt with seriously. Serious matters should be dealt with lightly.
There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. There will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. Live being true to the single purpose of the moment.
There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you will still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything.