Dokkodo

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The Dokkodo (??? Dōkkodō; "The Way to Be Followed Alone") was a work written by Miyamoto Musashi (?? ??) a week before he died in 1645. It is a short work, consisting of either 19 or 21 precepts; precepts 4 and 20 are omitted from the former version. It was largely composed on the occasion of Musashi giving away his possessions in preparation for death, and was dedicated to his favorite disciple, Terao Magonojo (to whom was also dedicated the earlier Go rin no sho), who took them to heart. It expresses a stringent honest and ascetic view of life.

[edit] The precepts

1. "Accept everything just the way it is."
2. "Do not seek pleasure for its own sake."
3. "Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling."
4. "Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world."
5. "Be detached from desire your whole life long."
6. "Do not regret what you have done."
7. "Never be jealous."
8. "Never let yourself be saddened by a separation."
9. "Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself or others."
10. "Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love."
11. "In all things have no preferences."
12. "Be indifferent to where you live."
13. "Do not pursue the taste of good food."
14. "Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need."
15. "Do not act following customary beliefs."
16. "Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful."
17. "Do not fear death."
18. "Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age."
19. "Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help." (Novelist Eiji Yoshikawa, in his novel Musashi, claims that this precept originated during Musashi's third duel against the Yoshioka clan, in which he found himself praying to a shrine's god to protect him when he launched his ambush, and violently breaking it off when he realized he shouldn't be praying.)
20. "You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour."
21. "Never stray from the Way."

First duel

"I have trained in the way of strategy since my youth, and at the age of thirteen I fought a duel for the first time. My opponent was called Arima Kihei, a sword adept of the Shinto ryu, and I defeated him. At the age of sixteen I defeated a powerful adept by the name of Akiyama, who came from the prefecture of Tajima. At the age of twenty-one I went up to Kyoto and fought duels with several adepts of the sword from famous schools, but I never lost." -Musashi Miyamoto, Go rin no sho

According to the introduction of The Book of Five Rings, Musashi states that his first successful duel was at the age of thirteen, against a lesser-skilled Samurai named Arima Kihei who fought using the Shintō-ryū style, founded by Tsukahara Bokuden (b. 1489, d. 1571). The main source of the duel is the Hyoho senshi denki ("Anecdotes about the Deceased Master"). Summarized, its account goes as follows:

In 1596, Musashi was 13, and Arima Kihei, who was travelling to hone his art, posted a public challenge in Hirafuku-mura. Musashi wrote his name on the challenge. A messenger came to Dorin's temple, where Musashi was staying, to inform Musashi that his duel had been accepted by Kihei. Dorin was shocked by this, and tried to beg off in Musashi's name, but when he asked Kihei to drop the duel, he was adamant that the only way Kihei's honor could be cleared was if Musashi apologized to him when the duel was scheduled. So when the time set for the duel arrived, the monk began apologizing for Musashi, who merely leaped into the ring with a piece of wood shaped like a sword, shouting a challenge to Kihei. Kihei attacked with a wakizashi, but Musashi threw Kihei, and while Kihei tried to get up, Musashi struck him between the eyes and then beat him to death.

The duel is odd for a number of reasons, not least of which is why Musashi was permitted to duel Arima, whether the apology was a ruse, and why Arima was there in the first place.

Travels and duels

In 1599, three years later, Musashi left his village, apparently at the age of 15 (according to the Tosakushi, "the registry of the Sakushu region", although the Tanji Hokin hikki says he was 16 years old in 1599)^[1]. His family possessions such as furniture, weapons, genealogy, and other records were left with his sister and her husband, one Hirao Yoemon.

He spent his time travelling and engaging in duels, such as with an adept called Akiyama from the Tajima province.

In 1600, a war began between the Toyotomi and Tokugawa. Musashi apparently fought on the side of the Toyotomi's "Army of the West", as the Shinmen clan (to which his family owed allegiance) had allied with them. Specifically, he participated in the attempt to take Fushimi castle by assault in July 1600, in the defense of the besieged Gifu castle in August of the same year, and finally in the famed Battle of Sekigahara. Some doubt has been cast on this final battle, as the Hyoho senshi denki has Musashi saying he is "no lord's vassal" and refusing to fight with his father (in Lord Ukita's battalion) in the battle. Omitting the Battle of Sekigahara from the list of Musashi's battles would seem to contradict the Go rin no sho's statement that Musashi fought in six battles, however.

Regardless, the Army of the West lost decisively, and Shinmen Sokan fled to Kyushu province. It has been suggested that Musashi fled as well, and spent some time training on Mt. Hikosan.

After the Battle of Sekigahara, Musashi disappears from the records; the next mention of him has him arriving in Kyoto at the age of 20 (or 21), where he famously began a series of duels against the Yoshioka school.

Musashi's father had fought against an adept of the Yoshioka school in his youth, receiving the title of "Best in Japan" as mentioned earlier. The Yoshioka school (descended from either the Shinto ryu or the Kyo hachi ryu) was the foremost of the eight major schools of martial arts in Kyoto, the "Kyo ryu"/"schools of Kyoto". Legendarily, these eight schools were founded by eight monks taught by a nigh-mythical martial artist resident on the sacred mountain Kurama. At some point the Yoshioka family also began to make a name for itself not merely in the art of the sword but also in the textile business and for a dye peculiar to them. They gave up teaching swordsmanship in 1614 when they were in the Army of the West against Tokugawa Ieyasu, in the Battle of Osaka, which they lost. But in 1604, when Musashi began dueling them, they were still preeminent. There are various accounts of the duels- the Yoshioka family documents claim that there was only one, against Yoshioka Kenpo, which Musashi lost.

Musashi challenged Yoshioka Seijuro, master of the Yoshioka school, to a duel. Seijuro accepted, and they agreed to a duel outside Rendaji Temple on 8 March 1604. Musashi arrived late, greatly irritating Seijuro. They faced off, and Musashi struck a single blow, per their agreement. This blow struck Seijuro on the left shoulder, knocking him out, and crippling his left arm. He apparently passed on the headship of the school to his equally accomplished brother, Yoshioka Denshichiro, who promptly challenged Musashi to get revenge. The duel variously took place outside Kyoto or in a temple called Sanjusangen-do. Denshichiro wielded a staff reinforced with steel rings (or possibly with a ball-and-chain attached), while Musashi arrived late a second time. Musashi disarmed Denshichiro and defeated him. This second victory outraged the Yoshioka clan, whose head was now the 12 year old Yoshioka Matashichiro. They assembled a force of archers, riflemen, and swordsmen, and challenged Musashi to a duel outside Kyoto, near Ichijoji temple. Musashi broke his previous habit of arriving late, and came to the temple hours early. Hidden, Musashi assaulted the force, killing Matashichiro, and escaping while being attacked by dozens of their supporters. With the death of Matashichiro, that branch of the Yoshioka school was destroyed.

After Musashi left Kyoto, some sources recount that he travelled to Hozoin in Nara, to duel with and learn from the monks there, widely known as experts with lance weapons. There he settled down at Enkoji Temple in Banshu, where he taught the head monk (one Tada Hanzaburo's) brother. Hanzaburo's grandson would found the Ensu ryu based on the Enmei Ryu teachings and iaijutsu.

From 1605 to 1612 he traveled extensively all over Japan in Musha-Shugyo, a warrior pilgrimage during which he honed his skills with duels. He was said to have used bokken or bokuto in actual duels. Most of the duels from these times did not try to take the opponent's life unless both agreed, but in most duels it is known that Musashi did not care which weapon the other was using - such was his mastery of the way of strategy.

In 5th of the 9th month of 1607, a document purports to be a transmission by Miyamoto Munisai of his teachings, suggesting Munisai lived at least to this date. In this year, Musashi departed Nara for Edo, in the meanwhile dueling (and killing) a kusari gama practitioner named Shishido Baiken. In Edo, Musashi defeated Muso Gonnosuke, who would found an influential staff school, the Shinto Muso Ryu.

Musashi is said to have fought over 60 duels and was never defeated, although this is a conservative estimate, most likely not accounting deaths by his hand in major battles. Japanese historians seem to believe that he could not have won all of them alone, without some assistance from his students; although this is unlikely because of the sheer mastery Musashi had above his students, particularly noting that most students found his techniques difficult, even as he states in his own books.

In 1611, Musashi began practicing zazen at the Myoshinji Temple, where he met Nagaoka Sado, vassal to Lord Hosokawa Tadaoki; Tadaoki was a powerful lord who had received the fief of northern Kyushu after the Battle of Sekigahara. Munisai had moved to northern Kyushu and became Tadaoki's teacher, leading to the possibility that Munisai introduced the two. Nagaoka proposed a duel with a certain adept named Sasaki Kojiro. Tokitsu believes that the duel was politically motivated, a matter of consolidating Tadaoki's control over his fief.

Duel with Sasaki Kojiro

Main article: Sasaki Kojiro

In April 14, 1612 aged approximately 28, Musashi had his most famous duel with Sasaki Kojiro who wielded a nodachi (a type of long two-handed sword). Musashi came late to the appointed place the remote island Funajimu, north of Kyushu, and unkempt. The duel was short and Musashi killed his opponent with a bokken that he had made from an oar (this may be related to the Okinawan weapon known as the shureido eaku^{[citation needed]}) to be longer than the nodachi, an impressive feat by the standards of any samurai or swordsman.

Musashi's late arrival is controversial. Sasaki's outraged supporters thought it was dishonorable and disrespectful while many others thought it was a fair way to unnerve his opponent. Another theory is that Musashi timed the hour of his arrival to match the turning of the tide. The tide carried him to the island then it turned by the time the fight ended. After his victory, Musashi immediately jumped back in his boat and his flight from Sasaki's vengeful allies was thus helped by the turning tide.

He briefly established a fencing school that same year.

The Way of Strategy

Throughout the book, Go Rin No Sho, the idea which Musashi pushes is that the "Way of the Strategist" is similar to how a carpenter and his tools are mutually inclusive, e.g. - A carpenter can do nothing without his tools, and vice versa. This too, he compares to skill, and tactical ability in the field of battle.

Initially, Musashi notes that throughout China and Japan, there are many "sword fencers" who walk around claiming they are Strategists, but are in fact, not - this may be due to the fact that Musashi had defeated some such Strategists, such as Arima Kihei.

The idea is that by reading his writings, you can become a true strategist from ability and tactical skill that Musashi had learned in his lifetime. He pushes that Strategy and Virtue are something which can be earned by knowing the ways of life, the professions that are around, to perhaps learn the skills and knowledge of people and the skills of their particular professions.

However, Musashi seems to state that the value of Strategy seems to be homogeneous. He notes that:

The attendants of the Kashima Kantori shrines of the province Hitachi received instruction from the gods, and made schools based on this teaching, travelling from country to country instructing men. This is the recent meaning of strategy.

As well as noting that Strategy is destined to die;

Of course, men who study in this way think they are training the body and spirit, but it is an obstacle to the true Way, and its bad influence remains for ever. Thus the true Way of strategy is becoming decadent and dying out.

As a form, strategy was said to be one of "Ten Abilities and Seven Arts" that a Warrior should have, but Musashi disagrees that one person can gain Strategy by being confined to one particular style, which seems particularly fitting as he admits " I practice many arts and abilities - all things with no teacher" - this perhaps being one of the reasons he was so highly-regarded a swordsman.

Musashi's metaphor for Strategy is that of the Nut and the flower, similar to western philosophy of "The chicken or the egg", the "nut" being the student, the "flower" being the technique. He also notes that most places seem to be mostly concerned with their technique and its beauty. Musashi writes, "In this kind of Way of strategy, both those teaching and those learning the way are concerned with coloring and showing off their technique, trying to hasten the bloom of the flower" (as opposed to the actual harmony between strategy and Skill.)

With those who are concerned with becoming masters of strategy, Musashi points out that as a carpenter becomes better with his tools and is able to craft things with more expert measure, so too can a warrior, or strategist become more skilled in his technique. However, just as a carpenter needs to be able to use his tools according to plans, so too must a strategist be able to adapt his style or technique to the required strategy of the battle he is currently engaged in.

This description also draws parallels between the weapons of a trooper (or soldier) and the tools of a carpenter; The idea of "the right tool for the right job" seems to be implied a lot throughout the book, Go Rin No Sho. Musashi also puts into motion the idea that when a Carpenter is skilled enough in aspects of his job, and creates them with expert measure, then he can become a foreman.

Although it is not expressly mentioned, it may be seen that Musashi indicated that when you have learned the areas in which your craft requires, be it carpentry, farming, fine art or battle, and are able to apply them to any given situation, then you will be experienced enough to show others the wisdom of your ways, be it as a foreman of craftsmen, or as a general of an army.

From further reading into the book, the idea of "Weapons within strategy," as well as Musashi referring to the power of the Writer, may seem that the Strategy which Musashi refers to does not exclusively reside within the domain of weaponry and duels, but within the realm of war and battles with many men:

Just as one man can beat ten, so a hundred men can beat a thousand, and a thousand can beat ten thousand. In my strategy, one man is the same as ten thousand, so this strategy is the complete warrior's craft.

Of Ni-Ten Ichi Ryu

Within the book, Musashi mentions that the use of Two swords within strategy is mutually beneficial between those who utilise this skill. The idea of using two hands for a sword is an idea which Musashi disagrees with, in that there is not fluidity in movement when using two hands - "If you hold a sword with both hands, it is difficult to wield it freely to left and right, so my method is to carry the sword in one hand", as well as the idea of using a sword with two hands on a horse, and/or riding on unstable terrain , such as muddy swamps, rice fields, or within crowds of people.

In order to learn the strategy of Ni-Ten Ichi Ryu, Musashi employs that by training with two long swords, one in each hand, you will be able to overcome the cumbersome nature of using a sword in both hands. Although difficult, Musashi agrees that there are times in which the Longsword must be used with two hands, but if your skill is good enough, you should not need it. The idea of using two long swords is that you are starting with something to which you are unaccustomed, and that you will find difficult, but will adapt to after much use.

After using two long swords proficiently enough, Musashi then states that your mastery of a Longsword, and a "Companion Sword", most likely a wakizashi, will be much increased - "When you become used to wielding the long sword, you will gain the power of the Way and wield the sword well.".

In short, it could be seen that from the excerpts from Go Rin No Sho, the real strategy behind Ni-Ten No Ichi Ryu, is that there is no real iron-clad method, path, or type of weaponry that is specific to the style of Ni-Ten No Ichi Ryu:

You can win with a long weapon, and yet you can also win with a short weapon. In short, the Way of the Ichi school is the spirit of winning, whatever the weapon and whatever its size.

Of the Long Sword

The strategy of the long sword is different than other strategies, in that is much more straightforward. In the strategy of the longsword, it seems that Musashi's ideal was, that by mastering gripping the sword with two fingers, it could become a platform used for moving onto the mastery of Ni-Ten Ichi Ryu, as well as being able to use two broadswords, or more masterfully use a companion sword.

However, just because the grip is to be light, it does not mean that the attack or slash from the sword will be weak. Like with any other technique in the Ni-Ten Ichi Ryu, he notes:

"If you try to wield the long sword quickly you will mistake the Way. To wield the long sword well you must wield it calmly. If you try to wield it quickly, like a folding fan or a short sword, you will err by using "short sword chopping". You cannot cut down a man with a long sword using this method."

Like with most disciplines in martial arts, Musashi notes that the movement of the sword after the cut is made must not be superfluous; instead of quickly returning to a stance or position, one should allow the sword to come to the end of its path from the force used. In this manner, the technique will become freely flowing, as opposed to abrupt; this principle is also taught in Tai Chi Ch'uan.

Religion

Even from an early age, Musashi separated his religion from his involvement in swordsmanship. Excerpts such as the one below demonstrate a philosophy that is thought to have stayed with him throughout his life:

"The Way of the warrior does not include other Ways, such as Confucianism, Buddhism, certain traditions, artistic accomplishments [,] [-and] or dancing. But even though these are not part of the Way, if you know the Way broadly you will see it in everything. Men must polish their particular Way." ^{[citation needed]}

The idea that Musashi hated Shinto is a somewhat inaccurate translation, since he only notes differences in its style of swordsmanship (which he refers to as "strategy") when speaking on Shinto, and their "alien" practices, is believed by many to be completely false. The argument that Musashi was biased against Shintoists finds much of its basis in the fact that he duelled with a great many followers of that religion. However, since Shintoism is the native religion of Japan and adherents of that religion were in the majority at that time, the prevalence of Shintoists as opponents hardly seems unreasonable. According to other sources, Musashi was really an atheist but he never expressed it in public when Japanese society was extremely uptight about atheism. Most historians have tried to delete atheism from popular celebrities' biographies, and includes Musashi's.

Musashi as an artist

In his later years, Musashi claimed in his Go Rin no Sho that "When I apply the principle of strategy to the ways of different arts and crafts, I no longer have need for a teacher in any domain." He proved this by creating recognized masterpieces of calligraphy and classic ink painting. His paintings are characterized by skilled use of ink washes and an economy of brush stroke. He especially mastered the "broken ink" school of landscapes, applying it to other subjects, such as his "Koboku meikakuzu" ("Kingfisher Perched on a Withered Branch"; part of a triptych whose other two members were "Hotei Walking" and "Sparrow on Bamboo"), his "Hotei Watching a Cockfight", and his "Rozanzu" ("Wild Geese Among Reeds").

Partial bibliography

1. The 35 Articles of Swordsmanship
2. Dokkodo (The Path of Self-Reliance)
3. Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings; a reference to the Five Rings of Zen Buddhism)

Myth and legends

• It was said that Musashi always "grasped his swords tightly" by many people reading information about him. However, he categorically states that your grip must not be too tight as it restricts your movement with a sword.
• It has also been said that Musashi used nothing but a wakizashi and a katana. This is untrue; one of Musashi's signature peculiarities was that he would prefer a wooden sword (bokken) over a katana in duels. In fact, the Book of Five Rings talks much about how the warrior should not have a favorite weapon, the true way is to be acquainted with all weapons.
• Legends state that Musashi never bathed, for fear of being caught without his swords. Since he was a frequent visitor in the courts of nobles, and the dojos of renowned masters, this is unlikely.
• It has been suggested by some historians that Musashi created the two swords style after seeing a European duel in the Nagasaki area. European fencing at the time would have used a long sword with a short one - rapiers and daggers. From certain documents, however, it seems that he naturally pulled out his wakizashi during a duel because he felt he needed it. He won and after the fight he began to refine his technique.

Musashi in fiction

For more details on this topic, see Miyamoto Musashi in fiction.

There have been thirty-six films made about Musashi, including six with the title of "Miyamoto Musashi" and a television series about his life. Even in Musashi's time there were fictional texts resembling comic books. It is therefore quite difficult to separate fact from fiction when discussing Musashi; this is especially true on the internet. Eiji Yoshikawa's novelization has greatly influenced successive fictional depictions and is often mistaken for a factual account of Musashi's life.