Table Of Content

Cover Page: 1 Title Page Page: 2 Dedication Page: 3 Contents Page: 4 Foreword by Graham Sayer Page: 5 Introduction Page: 6 The Book of Five Rings Gorin-No-Sho 五輪書 Page: 22 Scroll 1: The Earth Scroll Chi-no-Maki 地の巻 Page: 23 Scroll 2: The Water Scroll Sui-no-Maki 水の巻 Page: 30 Scroll 3: The Fire Scroll Ka-no-Maki 火の巻 Page: 36 Scroll 4: The Wind Scroll Fū-no-Maki 風の巻 Page: 43 Scroll 5: The Ether Scroll Kū-no-Maki 空の巻 Page: 48 Mirror on the Way of Combat Heidōkyō 兵道鏡 Page: 49 Notes on Combat Strategy Heihō-Kakitsuke 兵法書付 Page: 56 Combat Strategy in 35 Articles Heihō Sanjūgo-Kajō 兵法三十五箇条 Page: 60 The Five-Direction Sword Pathways Gohō-No-Tachimichi 五方之太刀道 Page: 65 The Path Walked Alone Dokkōdō 独行道 Page: 66 Appendix: The Kokura Monument (Kokura-Hibun) Page: 67 References Page: 69 About Tuttle Page: 70 Copyright Page Page: 71 Back Cover Page: 72

Description:

Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) is the most famous Samurai who ever lived. His magnum opus, the Go-Rin-Sho or Book of Five Rings is a classic that is still read by tens of thousands of people each year--Japanese and foreigners alike.

Alex Bennett's groundbreaking new translation of The Book of Five Rings reveals the true meaning of this text for the first time. Like Sun Tzu's The Art of War, Musashi's book offers unique insights, not just for warriors, but for anyone wanting to apply the Zen Buddhist principle of awareness to achieve success in their endeavors. This book sheds new light on Japanese history and on the philosophical meaning of Bushido--the ancient "code of the Japanese warrior."

Unlike other translations that are based on incomplete and inaccurate versions of Musashi's work, Bennett's is the first to be based on a careful reconstruction of the long-lost original manuscript. Capturing the subtle nuances of the original Japanese classic, the result is a far more accurate and meaningful English version of The Book of Five Rings text.

Richly annotated and with an extensive introduction to Musashi's life, this version includes a collection of his other writings--translated into English for the first time. A respected scholar, as well as a skilled martial artist, Bennett's understanding of Musashi's life and work is unparalleled.

This book will be widely read by students of Japanese culture, history, military strategy, and martial arts. It sets a new standard against which all other translations will be measured.