There were many great minds through history, all offer their own version of enlightenment and path to being content, therefore happy. Musashi is one of them, but i would advice to diversify the sources, I take the bits that works for me and do not get attached to person, but the thought. I do not say you do the opposite, i just wanted to say what worked better for me.
Wisdom can be achieved by sitting alone in your room with no distractions or going for a walk in the woods and clearing your mind by anyone in the world--regardless of race, gender, nationality, or method. Even babies have the sprout of wisdom (which just needs to be developed and grown). The problem is most people don't know where to start or the difference between virtues and vices, or how to discern between the two--which is the definition of wisdom/zhi. Musashi was raised in a Confucian world, where the cardinal virtues would be ingrained into him at a young age. His basic teaching is that by clearing his mind (of what??? Vices), the virtues would naturally reveal themselves. This is the basic teaching of the Neo-Confucian/Taoist Wang Yangming whose works inspired the Samurai and were very popular in Japan, and he lived approx 100 years before Musashi. Wang Yangming attributed his teachings to the Confucian Disciple Mengzi (Four Sprouts of Virtue--Wisdom, Empathy, Courage, and Respect). Never put a Teacher on a Pedestal--every culture and time has had Wise men and they usually teach the same methods if you can reach the higher states of virtue, the Pattern (Li) becomes clear. Mencius claimed he learned from Confucius and the patterns found in the I-Ching (start with #23 Return).
Amazing video. Please have a look at Vedantic teachings, more specifically Mandukya Upanishad. One of the most prominent westerner teachers on the subject of no-mind would be Ram Dass who talks about the subject from a spiritual perspective encompassing the same concept as Miyamoto Musashi. It will take you into a journey of self realization and into deeper states of consciousness. The oldest teachings on the subject of No-Mind actually steamed from the Indian Vendantic philosophy dating back to thousands of years. You could also have a look at Swami Rama teachings in the US from the late 1980s. My prayers for your peace and success.
Thank you for leaving such informative comment! I will definitely check out the teachings of Ram Dass and Swami Rama. The concept of No-mind indeed can be found in different spiritual traditions, including Indian Vedanta, as well as Taoism, Zen Buddhism etc. I appreciate your prayers for peace and success.
Excellent comment. In the vedantic tradition you mentioned, I can recommend the avadhuta gita and ashtavakra gita. Most profoundly meditative books I've come across. Sri nissargadatta's I Am That is also on my short list of favorites
2:19 the archery duel was a very interesting story. I have never heard this about Musashi. By any chance do you have a link to a source I could get more details about it?
@@TheMisterGuyIn the greater scale of things, Musashi was around not all that long ago. While most of his duels are romanticised, he absolutely historically took part in them and there is documentation of them. As likely as it is that this is just a made up story, it is equally as likely that it is not. I would also like to know the source for the archery duel as I would love to read more about it.
@@MrRazot "While most of his duels are romanticised, he absolutely historically took part in them and there is documentation of them." There's a difference between sword duels and archery contests, though. Besides that, this story has all the markers of a made up or repurposed myth. For example, the only named entity in the story is the famous hero. We don't know the town, the year, or the archery master. The contest also turns out in a weird way; Musashi goes off script and shoots some random bird, which everybody just accepts as victory with no ego or sense that the archery target is the only acceptable target. In short, the story is trying to advertise the concept of using focus to raise your skill/performance level. It attaches itself to a recognized hero figure who is expected to win "somehow", puts that hero at a disadvantage, and shows the advertised concept helping him to overcome the odds and win in the end. "As likely as it is that this is just a made up story, it is equally as likely that it is not." No it isn't. Musashi wasn't a legendary marksman or archer. He was a legendary sword fighter, and he was probably good with other melee weapons. So like I said, this story is extremely suspicious in terms of being historically accurate.
@@TheMisterGuyI mean I completely agree with you, but I don’t understand why asking for the source triggers you, lol Video author clearly knows something we don’t or is making it up. Making the dive is 100% for exciting and fun than “just a story bro”. tl;dr K
@@MrRazot "I don’t understand why asking for the source triggers you" It doesn't, and you're free to do so. All I've been saying is that I believe the story is invented. If you like to trace things like this back, that's interesting too.
Americans love the Taoist concept of 'The Way"---thinking it accepts Non-Action and Non-Duality (no good or evil), which is very far from the Truth. Like most Esoteric works--it has to be understood practically (you have to experience it and there is work involved--you don't just go to "pure-minded" without a "cleansing process" and knowing the difference between right and wrong (virtues and vices). The most famous Taoist work "Dao De Jing" written by Laozi makes a distinction between the "Sage" and the ignorant Masses. The title itself--Path to Virtue (Path to God/Tao) shows that work is involved--as how can you be vitreous without helping others, or not know the difference between good and evil (most evil comes about from those who claim to be trying to help the greater good). So Non-Action leads to Action--but that is because when you calm the mind and reach a state of serenity, you can then discern between good (serenity) and evil (pains, emotions, fears, anxieties, etc), which of course, is the virtue of Wisdom (Zhi in Chinese). Having found this--you can then naturally apply it to others (as their pains become your pains--and of course, this disrupts your serenity), and this is where the virtue of empathy (ren) comes into play. These two states are inner states--and connected to non-action. However, to help others this requires righteous action on your part and in many cases requires you be brave (have courage)--to not do so will automatically cause you a sense of shame if you don't act (Chinese virtue of Justice/Righteousness--Yi). By doing these good works and removing evil from within your own self, your life will just be a continuous Path where you naturally become a Good person and discover the real Tao--and see the Pattern and Purpose of Life and come to respect the Tao (the Virtue Li)--then you will have found true happiness (Eudaimonia). Same system exists in Stoicism and in the West (Four Cardinal Virtues found in Greek and Western religions--including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam--but just like the East, most never reach the End and see the connection. Non-Action will Always lead to Action automatically if done correctly and all the steps are in place (the teaching of Neo-Confucian Wang Yangming---one does not need to learn virtue from a book, one needs to practice it). The Pure Hearted Shall Find God/Tao (and yes, the Beatitudes are rightfully seen as Steps).
