Dokkōdō: 21 Teachings to

Live by from the Greatest of

Samurai

“The approach to combat and everyday life

should be the same.” — Miyamoto Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi was a Japanese swordsman, philosopher,

and Samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Japan, a
time of constant civil war and social turmoil.

Most of the details of his life are obscure, but it is well known
that he was raised as a Buddhist and went on to become one of
the greatest swordsmen the world has ever seen. He is regarded
as a Kensei, a sword saint of Japan.

In the last week leading up to his death, Musashi wrote a book

containing the philosophy of his life to leave for his favorite
student. He called it Dokkōdō (“The Path of
Aloneness”, or “The Way of Walking Alone”).
Contained within the book are 21 precepts on self-discipline and
perseverance. It’s as relevant now as it was 400 years ago.

The teachings of Miyamoto Musashi

1. Accept everything just the way it is.

The world is full of problems and things we cannot change.

There can be no lasting peace when we are attached to our own
ideas of the ways things should be.

“Whatever the present moment contains,

accept it as if you had chosen it… This will
miraculously transform your whole life.” —
Eckhart Tolle.

2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.

Pleasure without perspective is a dangerous thing, but the

pleasure that comes from living a meaningful life is much more
likely to last and is sweeter to savor.

“Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil.” —

Plato

3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial

feeling.
There are a million voices both inside and outside of us telling
us what to do, and often it’s hard to determine what desires are
sincerely our own. If you’re not sure what to do, wait and
become quiet. In stillness, silence speaks.

4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.

Humility is often said to be the greatest of all virtues. The more

we know, the more we realize how much we don’t know.
Remaining open and unattached to your own opinions is the
foundation of wisdom.

5. Be detached from desire your whole lifelong.

Desires will come and go like clouds across an open sky. Peace
and serenity lay behind the constant cravings to satisfy one
desire to the next. Desire is a thirst that can never be quenched.

“Whatever comes is the right thing.” —

Buddhist monk

6. Do not regret what you have done.

Life only moves forward, not back. When we dwell in regret, we

run counter to all of existence. To live with confidence and
acceptance is to live with momentum, forever pressing onwards
and upwards.

7. Never be jealous.
Indian mystics have likened jealously to being a poison in the
heart. When we are jealous, we adopt an ungrateful disposition
and focus on what is lacking in our lives. The truth is that life is
abundant and each breath we are granted is a blessing.

8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.

Everything in this life is transient and subject to decay and

death. By maintaining our awareness of the eternal present
moment, the reality of this universal truth will become clear and
bolster our spirits in times of distress and heartache.
Photo by Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash

9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for

oneself nor others.

The amount of mental and physical energy we expend

complaining can be used for greater things. When we complain
we are asserting and reinforcing a reality which we inherently
oppose.

10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.

This one is challenging as love is something most of us pine for.

Most feelings of lust and even love are purely conditional. They
often stem from more of a selfish desire than an impulse to
serve another. When pursuing a spiritual path or perfecting a
discipline, love and lust can be extremely distracting.
Sometimes it’s better to avoid something that might be harmful
altogether than to indulge occasionally.

“Complete abstinence is easer than perfect

moderation.“ — Saint Augustine

11. In all things have no preferences.

When we learn how to be still and watch our own thoughts, we

begin to see that so much of the duality that we see in the world
actually has its origins in our own minds. Good and bad are
largely relative terms. What is good today might be terrible
tomorrow.

The only difference between a flower and a

weed is a judgement. — Wayne W. Dyer

12. Be indifferent to where you live.

I’ve lived in many places and traveled all over the world and one
of the first things I realized is that there’s no escaping your
problems or yourself. We imagine ourselves in distant places
simply because we are not there.

“And remember, no matter where you go,

there you are.” — Confucius

13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.

The main purpose and function of food are to maintain the
body. According to some eastern philosophies, overindulgence
in food for the purpose of sense gratification creates an
unsteady mind and can lead one towards overidentification with
the body.

14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.

It’s a well-known and axiomatic truth: the things you own end

up owning you. Our consumerist culture would have you
believe that when you die, you can take everything with you.
But, obviously, this is not the case. Try to be satisfied with less
and more grateful for it.
Photo by Eli Francis on Unsplash

15. Do not act following customary beliefs.

Discover your own truths and realizations and don’t be so quick

to subscribe to ideals and beliefs which you have not tested to be
true. When we live a life that’s been externally dictated to us, we
become alienated from ourselves and our own potentiality.

16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond

what is useful.

Miyamoto Musashi was not a jack-of-all-trades. He was a

master of the sword. To master something takes time and great
dedication. It is easier to master one tool than to master 100.
First, develop and cultivate skills in your current practice —
whatever it is — before moving on out of boredom or
impatience.
“From one thing, know ten thousand things.”
― Miyamoto Musashi

17. Do not fear death.

This is a teaching that has been around since time immemorial.

“Why should I fear death? If I am, then death

is not.
If Death is, then I am not. Why should I fear
that which can only exist when I do not?” —
Epicurus

18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old
age.

If you spend your days planning and saving for your retirement
and fall ill tomorrow, how much life will you have missed? Your
present life becomes compromised by thinking about the future,
and your future life will become compromised by dwelling on
the past. To live life is to live in the present moment.

19. Respect Buddha and the Gods without counting on their

help.

For me, this one is closely tied with number four and the virtue
of humility. It is always good to acknowledge that there are
higher forces than ourselves and realities which are beyond our
grasp. Sometimes a little bit of faith goes a long way.

Photo by Patrick Connor Klopf on Unsplash

20. You may abandon your own body, but you must preserve
your honor.

For the Samurai, self-respect is everything. Honor is worth

dying for. This is saying that we should never comprise our
values and principles. This self-respect comes as a result of
living authentically, in accordance with that which you know to
be true.

21. Never stray from The Way.

Each of us walks a path that is uniquely our own. We may not

know where we will end up, but we all have an inner compass
that guides us. We may refer to it simply as the pursuit of
personal growth and knowledge, or something loftier like self-
realization and enlightenment. The point is to persevere, to not
give in to our baser desires and inclinations. This is the spirit of
the warrior.

“The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight,

and the only reason a warrior fights is to
win.”
― Miyamoto Musashi