The problem was how to imbue his life with meaning.įor Musashi, meaning comes from being a samurai. He well knew that to live was more than merely to survive. This quote from the book encompasses its meaning: It makes a lot of sense for how I see the world and my life. This can feel like an abstract concept to understand, but after reading the book I get what it means. Continuous learning and self-discipline will get us where we want, only if we follow the Path. We are all walking our own path, and it is our actions that lead us to the place we want to reach. One of the most prominent ideas mentioned throughout the book is the Path and the Way. Without further ado, let's get into what I learned reading Musashi. I think of this as an ideal to strive for, and not as something that can be grasped. What it means to me is reaching a state of mental clarity and calmness. I know, 'enlightenment', that's one of those words that can have thousands of connotations.

In essence, this book relates the journey of a man who dedicates his life to self-improvement and self-discipline, and how he reaches enlightenment. Some works remain written by the real Miyamoto Musashi, the most famous of which is The Book of Five Rings. I'm not sure how much of the book is real or fiction, but I don't think it matters. It's an interesting novel because some of the events related in the book are documented to have happened in real life. It relates the journey of Miyamoto Musashi, a real-life samurai from the 1600s who decided to follow the Way of the Sword. Musashi is a japanese novel written in 1953 by Eiji Yoshikawa.

Musashi Book One by Eiji Yoshikawa