Purity is something that cannot be attained except by piling effort upon effort. Yamamoto Tsunetomo More Quotes by Yamamoto Tsunetomo More Quotes From Yamamoto Tsunetomo By inconsistency and frivolity we stray from the Way and show ourselves to be beginners. In this we do much harm. Yamamoto Tsunetomo beginnerswarway The basic meaning of etiquette is to be quick at both the beginning and end and tranquil in the middle. Yamamoto Tsunetomo beginnings-and-endsmiddlewar One's appearance bespeaks dignity corresponding to the depth of his character. One's concentrated effort, serene attitude, taciturn air, courteous disposition, thoroughly polite bearing, gritted teeth with a piercing look - each of these reveals dignity. Such outward appearance, in short, comes from constant attentiveness and seriousness. Yamamoto Tsunetomo lookeffortattitudecharacter All of us want to live, and that is absolutely natural. However, we should learn from childhood on to choose our best way to die. If we don't do that, we end up spending our days like a dog, only in search of harbour, food and expressing a blind loyalty to his owner in return. That isn't enough to make our lives have a meaning. Yamamoto Tsunetomo bestchildhooddogfood Every day without fail one should consider himself as dead. There is a saying of the elders that goes, 'Step from under the eaves and you're a dead man. Leave the gate and the enemy is waiting.' This is not a matter of being careful. It is to consider oneself as dead beforehand. Yamamoto Tsunetomo dayyoumanwaiting Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day one should meditate on being carried away by surging waves, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease. Yamamoto Tsunetomo every-daydailydaydeath When meeting difficult situations, one should dash forward bravely and with joy. Yamamoto Tsunetomo meetingforwarddifficultjoy Whether people be of high or low birth, rich or poor, old or young, enlightened or confused, they are all alike in that they will one day die. Yamamoto Tsunetomo diedayrichpeople Death seems to be a long way off. Is this not shallow thinking? It is worthless and is only a joke within a dream. It will not do to think in such a way and be negligent. Insofar as death is always at one's door, one should make sufficient effort and act quickly. Yamamoto Tsunetomo effortlongdeaththinking 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. If one fully understands the present moment, there will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. Live being true to the single purpose of the moment. Yamamoto Tsunetomo life-is-amomentmanlife
