Meiji University

　

TitleMirror on the Way of Soldiery -A Translation of

an Early Treatise by Miyamoto Musash，Part 2-

Author(s) グラフ,デイビッド キンバル

Citation 明治大学国際日本学研究, 12(1): 219-233

URL http://hdl.handle.net/10291/21057

Rights

Issue Date 2020-03-31

Text version publisher

Type Departmental Bulletin Paper

DOI

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　https://m-repo.lib.meiji.ac.jp/

219

[Translation]

Mirror on the Way of Soldiery: A Translation of an Early Treatise by Miyamoto Musashi, Part 2

GROFF, David K.

Abstract

This is the second section of a translation of the earliest recorded writings by the swordsman and

painter Miyamoto Musashi. At the time when it was originally undertaken, no translation into

English was in publication, so the intention was to render the text accessible for the first time to

non-readers of Japanese. In the meantime, another translation has been published (Bennett, 2018):

the present translation was produced independently and is provided for comparison.

Keywords: budo. Enmei Ryu. kenjutsu. :vliyamoto Musashi. translation

Mirror on the Way of Soldiery:

A Translation of an Early Treatise by Miyamoto Musashi

Part 2

[This is the second part of a translation the first half of which was published in the Global

Japanese Studies Review in 2019 (Groff. 2019). Some of the introductory material from the first

part is repeated here to provide context.]

Perhaps Japan's most famous swordsman. tv'Iiyamoto Musashi (c. 1582-1645) later became

renowned also as a military strategist, painter, calligrapher. and even philosopher, but in the

early 17,t century he was still a twenty-something of modest fame (he had already had some

success in defeating the heads of the well-established Yoshioka clan in Kyoto). and the teacher

of a style of swordsmanship he had named "Enmei Ryu", which he was propagating in Nagoya.

220 頂明治大学団際且本学研究」第 12巻第 1号

A treatise written at the time for his students, called Mirror on the Way of Soldieが（兵道鏡）

functioned as a license for its holders (Uozumi, 2002. 2008: Akabane & Akabane, 2010; Monta,

2014; De Lange, 2014): two copies still exist.1 They contain ideas that are later developed in

such works as Thirty-five Articles on Strategy and the Five "Rings". However. the Jfirror is

substantially different from the later works as well: it focuses extensively on the specifics of

footwork and the exact places on the swords to work with. As such. it informs the later texts.

which largely speak of these topics in more general terms. While the specifics of ¥1usashi's

swordsmanship clearly evolved and changed over the years and Musashi's attitude toward the

application of his "strategy" expanded to include large-scale warfare and even a philosophy of

life (Groff, 2013). the writings of the younger Musashi provide a "mirror" onto both some of the

finer technical aspects of the combat techniques in the later texts, but also on the evolution of

¥1usashi's thinking as a whole.

When I originally undertook this translation no English rendition of these texts had been

published; in the interim another translation has made its way into print (in Alexander Bennett's

The Complete Musashi, 2018). The present translation was produced independently, and I hope

that as a complement and comparison to Professor Bennett's work, this interpretation will assist

those interested but unable to read the originals to form a better understanding of Musashi's

work as a whole. Also since the production of the first part of this translation, Akabane Tatsuo

has published an in-depth analysis of both the technical aspects of the Mirror on the Way of

Soldiery and another treatise from the Nagoya Enmei Ryu archives, a version of the Thirty

five Articles on Strategy referred to as Thirty five Articles on Enmei [Ry対 (2019),which have

also informed the treatment of the second half of the translation. The primary text includes the

following sections・

l When referring to the text. some authors. including Tokitsu (2004), have rendered this兵 as"strategy", and in my translation of Fiし•e Rings (2012) I translate兵法 as"strategy". However, in the latter text :vlusashi explicitly explains that what he is describing by this term there is not a narrow interpretation of swordsmanship or individual battlefield technique but a broadly applicable concept of strategy, whereas the younger Musashi's writing is limited to individual combat on the battlefield. Indeed, Bennett (2018) has translated it as "combat", which conveys the sense, but a little less literally —兵 by itself indicates an individual soldier

2 For discussion of the authenticity of these works, see Uozumi (2002) and Morita (2014)

Jfirror on t加 !rayof Soldiery: . .¥ Translation of an Early Treatise by :'lliramoto i¥'lusashi, Part 2 221

Mirror on the Way of Soldiery

[Contents]

1. On Mindset. Including Adjustments 4. On Assessing the Distancing of the

According to the Situation

2. On Setting the Gaze

3. On How to Hold the Sword(s)

The Names of the Sword [Techniques] -Basic

7. On the "Pointing Cut"

8. On the Changing Bearing

9. On the Bearing for Knocking Down

Simultaneous Strikes

10. On the In (Yin) Bearing, Including "Katsu-

Totsu"

Bearings for Winning

14. On the Bearing of Attacking with the

Initiative

15. On Returning the Cutting Tip of the Sword

16. On the Bearing for Striking the Leg(s)

The Deep [Teachings]

21. On the "True Bearing"

22. On "There Are / There Are >lot Two Swords・・

23. On How to Do the Thrown Sword Strike

24. On the Bearing for Multiple Opponents

25. On the "Jitte Capture"

(Groff, 2019)

Sword[s]

5. On the Use of the Feet

6. On Positioning the Body

11. On the Yo (Yang) Bearing. Including the

Feeling of Piercing

12. On Estimating [One of] Equal Status

13. On the "Determined Hit"

17. On the Bearing for Striking the Hands

18. On the Bearing for Slipping the Cutting Tip

19. On the Bearing of ・・Riding"

20. On "Sliding Feet"

26. On Drawing the Long and Short Swords.

Including Appropriate and Inappropriate

Sword

[Positioning]

27. On the Ultimate Single Sword

28. On the Bearing of Direct Transmission

The first section of this translation included the first two sections of the text, the introductory

matenal and "The Names of the Sword [Techniques] -Basic". The present translation consists of

the second two sections,'"Bearings for Winning" and "The Deep [Teachings]" along with variants

occurring in a second. revised version of the treatise. For this translation follows Uozumi's

(2002) version, but I have also referred to Akabane & Akabane・s (2012) and Akabane's (2019)

transcriptions for further clarification; any errors or misunderstandings, however, are mine

alone. Square brackets are used where I have inserted words or phrases that do not literally

appear m the original. but which seemed grammatically necessary, or otherwise important to

understand the meaning of the text. I have attempted to match the phrasing and syntax to that

of the original as closely as possible.

222 ［明治大学国際日本学研究J第 12巻第 1号

Continuation of the translation begins here:

Bearings3 for Winning勝味位

14. On the Bearing of Attacking with the Initiative

As for Attacking with the Initiative, there arc many kinds. When the opponent [holds his sword

in] the middle or lower position. taking up a position of the yin attitude.4 just like that jump in

and approach. giving the impression that you intend to strike, moving the long sword a little, run

in and engage: when the "pas臼 and"past" meet, if you make a little noise with your feet, the

opponent will surely become agitateざ andstrike. As much as the opponent retreats. your body

should advance together. When the opponent takes the upper position [vv-ith his sword] meet

[him] in the lowered position, step forward with your left foot, appearing as if you are about to

run forward and attack: if you make as if to attack his neck, the opponent will definitely become

flustered and attack.じsually.take the position with the tips of the swords meeting,7 and when

the "past" and "past" meet, float the rear foot, suddenly extend and attack -putting your body

3 As in parts of my 2012 translation of Go Rin no Sho, I have translated kurai (くらい・位）hereas

"bearing". Others have translated this term as variously "conduct" (Kohn. translating Tokitsu from

French). "dealing to" (Bennett 2018. p. l02). or simply omitted it entirely in most cases (Harris. 1974; Cleary.

1994; Bennett. 2018). Cleary (1994) uses ・'physical bearing" for minari身なり (p.39) and renders kurai in

tateki 110 kuraz多敵の位 as"a stand" (p. 69); Wilson (2001) uses ・・encountering" in the latter case. Most

translators. myself included. have omitted any translation of kurai for jikitsu 110 kura1直通の位 inthe

Water scroll of The Five Rings (Cleary's 1994 translation here renders "state"). but in retrospect with the

benefit of the explanation in the present text I think this. coo. should be "bearing.. _ My sense of the term

kurai as it used here is that it encompasses physical positioning as an outward expression of a mindset

or psychological/spiritual presence. and in my view it is the English word "bearing" which. although

perhaps slightly archaic. for most cases best captures this combined sense. "Attitude・・ can also indicate

both. but the mental component is by far the more prevalent sense. even when the physical sense is also

indicated. and the physical application of the term is extremely rare. The text here clearly indicates the

strong importance of the physical positioning aspect. I also considered "comportment•·. which conveys the same overall sense. but where possible I prefer to use Latin-or Greek-based vocabulary of this sort

to translate words of Chinese origin in Japanese. given the similarities in the historical place of such

vocabulary in the language; since kurai is a native Japanese term. I preferred the Germanic "bearing" to

convey what I imagine to be the "native sound" of the word m context.

4 Somewhat counter-intuitively. the "yin..『negative")attitude is one with the long sword in a raised or

upper position -since the blade has nowhere to go but down. Conversely the "yang" or "positive" position

describes a position with the blade lowered

5 In these early texts. following the terminology of his adoptive father Munisai"s Tori Ryu（当理流）， Musash1

uses the term "pas1・・ to refer to the tip of the sword, "present" to refer to the middle pan of the blade.

and "future" for the part near the hilt

6 Akabane (2019) makes a convincing argument for reading shichau niしちゃうに hereas referring to the

opponent. and indicating that the subject will attack "agitatedly"'or "flustercdly"_

7 指し合い切 sashi-ai-giri-see "On the'Pointing Cut'" in the first part of this translation (Groff. 2019)

Mirror on the Way of Soldiery: A Translation of an Early Treatise by Miyamoto'v1usashi. Part 2 223

in a striking position. raise the long sword about one shaku 8 and attacking his neck a little, you

should drive [the opponent] back. Either of the swords can take the initiative. Do what your

opponent will not anticipate, throw off his rhythm and take the initiative. Engaging swords with

the opponent even a little bit in a way that he expects is bad. There is oral instruction [on this].

15. On Returning the Cutting Tip of the Sword (Kissaki-gaeshi)9

As for the manner of (re)turning the tip of the sword. when your long sword rides up to the

opponent's ・・present"・ (middle striking area of his sword). bring the feet together. aim well at your

mark10. and turn [the tip]. When you come close to your opponent and you can sec your target

very clearly_ you should make this returning action tightly and very quickly. On the other hand,

when the opponent is a little far away. turn your hands quickly. pause. and then engage your legs

and body, holding back just your hands: you should cut where the [opponent's] hands come to

rest [after cutting]. [At times] when the opponent goes to strike. so as to return [the sword tip].

at the same time as the opponent's long sword [strikes]. withdraw your hand to the right, and

extending the long sword broadly. step in with the right foot. and float the left foot: attacking the

neck. return [the sword] as if to cleave the opponent's nose line vertically. When your strike is

evaded. withdrawing [your] body11. you should take a yang position.:2 The feeling of the deflection

is the same as before. This is imparted directly. not through [written] teachings.

16. On the Bearing for Striking the Leg(s)

In the ways of striking the legs, there are three varieties. When the opponent takes the lowered

position to the right rear, position your long sword above the lowered position, and rotatmg

towards your left shoulder, take the tip of the long sword to the opponent's "present"; without

stopping your steps, quickly approaching almost a little too much, you should strike the opponent

while pulling back your leg.13 You absolutely must not look at the place you will strike. the leg.

8 Approximately 30 centimeters 9 This expression. which occurs again and again. refers to a central feature of Musashi's techmque: cuttmg

in one direction. and then quickly turning the sword and cutting from the opposite direction. often from below

10 ほしを見あてて '.¥.1usashirefers to the intended striking point as the "star" (hosht) 11 身をのきて miwo nokite I have interpretedのきてnokitehere as a variant or corruption of抜きてnukite.

"pull out". 12 That is. a position with the long sword lowered 13 のき足に敵を打つべし nokiashi ni teki wo utsu beshi Probably indicating a change of footing that turns

the body to face the opposite way, facilitating the strike. possibly as seen in contemporary Enmei-Ryu practice (see Akabane & Akabane. 2010; Akabane. 2019).

224 『明治大学国際日本学研究』第 12巻第 1号

When you have struck the opponent. you should return your sword-tip as quickly as possible. If

you are close, you should strike. Parrying is the same as before. Or. when the opponent takes a

high upper position [with his sword], together with him take a raised position, with your body

facing downward, quickly put yourself into striking range, and as soon as you have struck

the leg, you should pull back and take a position in the yang (lowered) attitude. Or, when the

opponent from a raised middle position goes up over your long sword, engage your [whole] body,

turn the blade of your long sword up, bend your elbow, and position it at your right shoulder.

Turning the tip of the sword, strike the leg, [your] short sword deflecting the opponent's sword

above with a feeling of slapping. Taking a middle raised position, when you strike the leg while

pulling back. you should have the sense of returning the cutting tip of the sword. It is vital to

adjust to conditions.

17. On the Bearing for Striking the Hands

When the opponent, from a lowered middle position. takes up a stance with the sword thrust

forward, if you slip to the right of that line, lower the tip of your long sword and put the "past"

against the opponent's "present" (the tip of your sword against the middle of the opponent's), not

moving more than one shakuA away from that long sword, as quickly as possible, put strength

into your grip. lowering [your] hands, you should attack both his hands, returning the cutting

tip[s]. The smaller and stronger [this acti叫 thebetter. Or if you take your body to the left, lower

[your] hands. put your swords against your opponent's long sword in a cross, and without the

feeling of the long s,vord turning even a little. raise [it] up about one shaku, and you should strike

at the [opponent's] left-hand fingertips. Or, when the opponent's long sword is faster than usual,

take a second advance15 with the feeling of returning the cutting tip; you should strike where

[his technique] has come to rest. It is vital to be fast and without [leaving] openings.t~ There is

oral instruction [for this].

18. On the Bearing for Slipping the Cutting Tip

The essence of slipping the long sword is just in the shoulder and the grip. However, it is bad to

move the grip too much; you should return to the original position again -when slipping to the

14 Approximately 30 centimeters 15 二の越しをもって Nino koshi wo motte This expression, which recurs frequently in this and other of

Musashi's works, seems to refer to a two-beat rhythm of striking after the opponent's attack. 16 透なき suki-naki

拍 rroron the Way of Soldiery: A Translation of an Early Treatise by Miyamoto :vlusashi. Part 2 225

left. quickly; when slipping to the right. rolling upwards a little. When slipping to the left. put

your nght foot forward. and when slipping to the right. you should put your left foot forward.

After slipping [the attack). as in the Bearing for Striking the Hands before. quickly, before the

opponent has even finished swinging down his sword. you should strike. In this strike as well.

turning is bad. and there is oral instruction [on this).

19. On the Bearing of "Riding"

As for the feeling of "riding... do not "ride" with the long sword; neither should you ride with

the inside of the hands, the elbows. shoulders. hips, or legs; [rather,] when the opponent strikes

out with his long sword, with your whole body at once,:7 all together且fromthe tip of the long

sword to the tips of your feet, ride relaxedly. When the opponent's long sword moves, you should

raise up [your swords] quickly. When contesting, all the way to the striking area. even when the

swords miss each other. or even when because [the opponent] has evaded above, [he] does not

retreat. there is the feeling of "riding". As for the use of the feet. it is a little faster than when

walking normally, and when "riding" do so without any sluggishness [lit. "stagnation"]; closing in.19

stop in tight/0 [and] strike the hand(s). Further [explanation] is by oral instruction.

20. On Sliding Feet

As for sliding feet. when the opponent is unprepared翌suchas in the middle position. holding

[his sword] with both hands. if [you] draw back the long sword and extend the left foot forward a

little. bring your hands together. grasping extremely gently. settle your hips. face directly at the

opponent. [and] when the opponent makes to strike. again step forward a little with the left foot,

[and] jump the right foot in extensively: bending the left leg. block [his sword] away from below.

This should be done as strongly as possible. Do not allow yourself to be even a little late. This is

imparted directly, not through [written] teachings.

Oku奥 [The]Deep [Teachings]

17 五り本一度に Gotai ichido ni ・'The five limbs at one time" 18 にちかたに Nichi-katani. Morita (2014) interprets this as nzj"i kataにじかた 虹形 rainbow-form.i.e

stacked together without separation. like the colors in a rainbow 19つむると tsumuruto. I am reading this as tsumeru to詰めると

20 ひしととまり hishito tomari here I am interpreting as緊と止まり．

21 うかうかとしてukaukato shite, literally something likeぃunsettled"

226 『明冶大学国際日本学研究』第 12巻第 1号

21. On the "True Bearing"

When the opponent [uses] two swords, meet the tips at the "past", advance your left foot. bend

your right knee, swing [as in] the "Determined Strike", switch your feet to take the yang position,

and deflect [the opponent's sword] away, or taking the katsu-totsu position, extend the left foot;

you should [strike with] the katsu-totsu [techniq叫 Youshould do [the technique] strongly, and

so as not to leave even a little interval. It is essential to take the initiative. It vital to always see

the opponent's short sword, and you must be determined not to be even a little late. Moreover,

when closed in on from the flank, just like that perform katsu-totsu; advance the left foot -you

should strike multiply with the long sword, extending as much as possible. Much [of this] is

transmitted through oral instruction.

22. On U-Mu Ni Ken有無二剣 (Positiveand Negative [lit. "there is/is not"] Two Swords) 22

As for "positive and negative two swords", put the short sword high and with the cutting

tip towards the opponent'; as for the long sword, put it above your left knee. [and] when the

opponent comes to cut. with the long sword deflect [his] hands from below. and then you should

strike with the raised sword. [If] when retreating, the opponent does not take an upper position.

make as if to strike the hand of the lowered long sword. strike with the short sword. and while

the opponent is weakened by his distraction [by the short sword strike], block out the lowered

sword with both hands. parrying upwards. you should turn the edge(s) and cut [downwards]. Or

if [the opponent's] attention is absorbed by guarding his upper region from your short sword. you

should deflect his hands upward from below. as you have been taught. It is bad to be [too] close

to the opponent; as for the footwork of the stance. advancing the left foot. the right foot should be

seven or eight sun 23 to the side. When cutting in. keeping the left foot just where it is. you should

advance the right foot. and allow [that] power24 to do the cut. It is vital to adjust to conditions.

22 A technique with this name also appears in a list of techniques for Musashi's adoptive father Munisai's Tori Ryu (Uozumi, 2002): it seems likely that this is a similar or identical technique. Akabane also points out the possibility that the name is also a bit of wordplay: since Munisai's name is無二斎 ratherthan u-mu ni ken, the technique could also be read as u muni ken, or "there is Muni['s] sword [technique]" (2019). Given the nature of the technique, u-mu may also have the implication of "now you see it. now you don't".

23 About 20 centimeters. 24 Morita (2014) suggests that力 (power)here should in fact be刀， rendering"allow the short sword to do

the cut".

i¥-firror on the Way of Soldiery: A Translation of an Early Treatise by Miyamoto :Viusashi. Part 2 227

23. On How to Do the Shuriken [Thrown Sword呵Strike

As for how to do the shuriken strike. put your index finger on the back ridge of the short sword;

you should throw it as if cutting the opponent. If you think to "strike", it will be useless. Bend26

your wrist and relax your shoulder. You should do it as if you are thrusting with your fist at the

target you have sighted. At first you should do it close and gently, with the cutting tip standing

upright. As for assessing the distancing, when the opponent is at one ke炉 youshould lift the tip

of the S¥vord 28 five sun29 and strike. When at one-and-a-half ken, raise it one shaku, 30 and when at

two ken, you should raise it one shaku five sun31 to strike. To be higher than the target32 is not a

problem. Lower is bad: the more power is put into it, the farther low of the target it will go, and

it will hit with the tip facing down. It is bad to tense up; positioning the body when you strike,

you should face upwards and stick out your chest, and extend your foot, putting your weight

onto the back [leg) -the more weight you can put on it, the better. As for the breath, say "(w)

ei, (w)ei"33 once or twice as you feint throws; when you wind up, take a deep breath, and when

releasing you should do so with a breath saying "toh!" and let it fly. It's bad to strike saying "(w)

ezl"; it is essential to work this out.

24. On the Bearing for },foltiple Opponents

25 There is also a separate weapon known as a shuriken. a smaller weapon specifically for throwing, but

here Musashi seems clearly to be talking about a technique for throwing one of the swords ordinarily used in combat. In fact, a popular story features Musashi defeating the kusarigama expert Baiken by

doing just that

26 すくませて sukumasete,could also mean "tighten" 27 ー間ikkenIt is somewhat difficult to know exactly what measure Musashi is referring to here, as one ken

had been established variously as 6 shaku S sun (prescribed by Oda Nobunaga, which length remained

use in Kyoto and western Japan, known in reference to tatami size as a kyoma京間） orabout 1.97

meters: the measurement used by Toyotomi Hideyoshi of 6 shaku 3 sun, about 1.9 meters. and the one

established in the Edo Era (6 shaku l bu, or about 1.8 meters. also known in reference to tatami as an edoma江戸間 inKyoto and west Japan called an inaka加la田舎間 "countrysidema") (Koji ruien; Inagaki.

1984; Suzuki, 1993). Since Musashi wrote the Mirror around 1605, when the Tokugawa government was

still in its relative infancy, it seems very possible that the last definition had not become well-established yet. However, even the first and longest measure seems unreasonably close for the technique being

described, and since prior to the Tokugawa period there was very little consistency in measures, the

reference could be to yet a different distance called a ken. 28 太刀tachiis used here, but I believe the short sword (katana刀） ismeant.

29 About 15 centimeters 30 About 30 centimeters

31 About 45 centimeters 32 It is not entirely clear if this refers to the thrower or the tip of the sword. but in the context it seems to

be the latter. 33 The archaic hiraganaゑ (weh)is used here along withい (z}but this is likely just an old orthographic

convention.

228 『明治大学国際日本学研究』第 12巻第 1号

When there are many opponents. make your body face them directly, advance your left foot

a little. setting your eyes so that you can see all of the opponents at once: you should run in

and strike in the direction where the opponent attacks strongly and unhesitatingly. As for the

position to take. the short sword should be to the left and to the rear. and the long sword sh叫 d

be to your right and to the rear: convexly position both hands extended, sticking out your chest

and leg(s): take a position with the tips of your long and short swords about to cross behind you.

When you think you can definitely hit an opponent. advance your right foot and swing your long

and short swords out into the line of the opponent's eyes. swinging so that the hand holding the

long sword will end up above. and just like that return the swing: then step forward with the

left foot -you should return to something like the original position. When you swing. you should

thrust your chest forward as much as possible. It is possible to be hit by someone who is at your

left side. It is vital to adjust to conditions. To swing the long sword too many times is bad; it is

essential to seize the initiative. Much [of this] is transmitted through oral instruction.

25. On the'Jitte Capture"34

!This is] in order to capture someone who has holed himself up. First, the way of entering the

doorway. Changing places, feel out both sides of the doorway with spears. Positioning the two

swords in a lowered middle position, hang a piece of clothing on the scabbard of the short sword,

hold it up with the short sword. advance the left foot. and take a stance like that. Then when

you go inside. have the person on your left hold a spear. and with the spear, they should sweep

back the opponent's face. When the opponent turns his face and his attention is disrupted. take

a raised middle position with the two swords. then catch and throw off the cloth. grab the naked

blade together with the short sword. and putting your hand on the back ridge of the long sword.

push [him] back. Put the point of [your] long sword to [his] chest. pull his wakizashi out together

with your茫 andthrow both of them away. With your left hand. take the opponent's right wrist

so that he cannot move it. put the long sword under his arm from below. and attacking his

upper arm and chest. flip him down onto his face; step on both his wrist and the handle of his

34 This is probably the most difficult section to make sense of from a technical perspective. A jitte（十手）

would usually refer to a cross-shaped weapon used in medieval Japan to non-lethally disarm a sword-wielding person. However. no such weapon is employed here. and'.1.-Iusashi uses the kanji実手 or"true hand" (a term also used for one of the techniques in his father ¥-Iunisai・s Tori Ryu); this may refer to the barehanded aspects of the technique. and it also may be a bit of a play on words -the technique described is one of nonlethal restraint. as would be associated with the other jitte, and the holding together of the short sword and scabbard may be in the shape of a cross. like the other.

35 Wakizas如 islater used to mean the short sword. which tv1usashi up until now has generally referred to as katana, but this wakizashi seems to possibly refer to another auxiliary blade. perhaps more like a dagger

Mirror on the Way of Soldiery: A Translation of an Early Treatise by Miyamoto Musashi, Part 2 229

long sword with your foot, and as soon as you have done that, you should quickly bind him with

a rope. Until you have him tied up, the spear should continue to wave in his face. There is oral

mstruction [for this].

26. On Drawing the Long and Shon Swords

Sword [Positioning]

Including Appropriate and Inappropriate

As for how to draw the long and short swords: at the distance of a half ken or one ken, 36 you

should just [draw and] cut with the wakizashi. When you are at a farther interval, draw the short

sword and quickly transfer it to the left hand, place your [right] hand on the tachi. as in the yang

position, remain calm. and if the opponent goes to strike, before you draw. you should deflect

[his] hands just like that. When the opponent does not advance to attack, you sh叫 ddraw your

swords and prepare; when you have a small wakizashi, if it is easy to draw, draw it before the

long sword and take a raised position with it. This will make it difficult for the opponent to come

close; meanwhile you can draw the long sword unhurriedly.

Then, as for appropriate [positions for the] sword: appropriate sword [positions] against the

"determined strike" are left [rear] angled, and raised cross block. For the yin bearing, the

appropriate [counter] sword [positions] are the lowered or middle positions with both hands

thrust forward. For katsu-totsu the appropriate sword [positions] are the middle position with one

hand thrust forward, or an upper position with one hand to the left. For the yang bearing, the

appropriate sword [position] is an upper position with both hands. All of these positions to strike

from you should understand and use to attack.

As for inappropriate sword[positions]: against the "determined strike", right [rear] angled, and

one hand upper positions. The inappropriate sword [positions] for [countering] the yin bearing

are left [rear] angled, right [rear] angled, and one hand upper [positions]. The inappropriate sword

[positions] for katsu-totsu are left sha (angled) and right-side one-handed high upper positions; a

one-hand lowered position is also somewhat inappropriate. For [opposing] the yang bearing, left

and right sha, one-handed upper. and one-handed lower positions -these are unsuitable. For

the Attitudes for Winning, [the sword positions] are adjusted to suit how the opponent holds

his sword. In dealing with [techniques] such as turning the cutting tip (kissaki-gaeshi), there are

many [positions] that are a little unsuitable. There is oral instruction [for this].

36 See note 23 above; however, the distance of 1.9 meters for a ken seems more appropriate here.

230 ［明治大学国際日本学研究，！第 12巻第 1号

27. On the Ultimate Single Sword

As for the "ultimate single sword". this is for when you only draw one sword. When the opponent

is skillful. and you can't see any way you can seem to win. position the long sword behind you

to the side. Take a wide berth. Step forward with your right foot, and when the opponent comes

into range, swing once or twice, retreat, and when the opponent is advancing, find an opening

-with your feet just like that, strike the [opponent's] "past" (the tip of his sword) as strongly as

possible, and Quickly draw your wakizashi: as he attempts to parry, with the strongest of intent

in your mind, you should take and cut [his] hand/arm [with the wakizashzl This should be [done]

in close -the nearer the better. When there is nothing [else] you can do to take the initiative. in

order to win, this is the deepest essence. [This is understood by] oral instruction.

2S. On the Bearing of Direct Transmission

As for what is called the Bearing of Direct Transmission. it is the soul of swordsmanship.37 The

previously enumerated sword [techniques]. all of them. are like a person's body. There is nothmg

outside of this. :¥'or is there anything to be added. Of course, depending on the occasion. there

are things which won't work even a little, and tricky things that can't be carried out. As in the

example. [however.] when there is something made up of eyes. ears, a nose, tongue. arms, legs,

and so on. if you leave out one of these, it becomes unsightly. Furthermore, even if you learn all

of the sword [techniques] elaborated here [so that you can execute them] smoothly and freely,

if you don't have the spirit of the Bearing of Direct Transmission. you are no better than a

crazy drunk with no credentials. Take up any sword [position or techniq叫． seehow to take the

initiative, and see the target of your opponent"s strikes. At that time, discern the appropriate

or inappropriate sword [position], assess the interval. at one thought decide the location of your

target. and without erring even a little -no more than the whole earth could evade a strike, this

sword [strike] absolutely will not be evaded: cast off [any] feeling of fear: here indeed is the place

for the one strike of Direct Transmission -you sh叫 dstrike with all your might. Or when you

enter in to grab the opponent without error, smoothly advancing on him. with the intention of

quickly engaging him and cutting, you should advance on him as deeply as possible. The sword

without the spirit of Direct Transmission is called a "dead sword". You sh叫 dlook to discern this

37 兵法 Elsewherein :Vlusashi's writings I have translated this as "strate幻 "(Groff.2012). because in later writings he specifically decries the narrow understanding of the term to mean swordsmanship and discusses it in terms of broadly applicable principles; however. here the younger Musashi seems to be using it in the narrower sense

Mirror on the Way of Soldiery: A Translation of an Early Treatise by Miyamoto Musashi. Part 2 231

well. Driving [the oppone叫 backwhile retreating is still driving back. As for "deep" [teaching],

there is no deeper [teaching]. and [also] called the "entrance'" [teachings]. there is nothing more

basic. When the Great Teacheぎ wentto build a monastery deep on Mt. Koya, thinking to enter

deep into the mountains, he ended up in a "shallow" [place]. At the "innermost" temple. if you

seek to go in deeper. and go and look. you will find that the nearby town looks closer again. To

put it another way, if you keep trying to go further into the middle of town, [eventually] you'll

end up deep in the mountains

The depths are not in the "deep". The entrance is not at the beginning. Even I, with my great

understanding of swordsmanship固haveno miraculous ability to find it, [and] there has never

been anyone to surpass me before, nor will there ever be after. [This is] transmitted outside of

[written or spoken] tcachings.40

The foregoing 6. 7. 7. and 8 articles. around the beginning of winter of the 9士 yearof Keicho. in

order to transmit in a simple and clear way the secret techniques. [I wrote in] a bright mirror

of a book. naming [it] Mirror on the Way of Soldiery, and telling in it all of the subtle techniques:

it is conferred on [my] licensed disciples. so that this old and matchless swordsmanship may go

on eternally, and so that it should not disappear. its matchless secrets have been ¥Vritten down.

Even if there is some other license certificate. if the holder does not have this secret scroll. the

license should not be considered valid. If these articles are not studied, you will not be able to

achieve victory in combat. With the understanding that [these teachings] are not to be revealed.

even to those closest to you. for [your"1] great seriousness and dedication [to the teachings], [I]

award this scroll to you. [These teachings] should be kept secret, ever secret.

Enmei Ryu "Number One Under Heaven"42 Miyamoto Musashi［叫 kami

Fujiwara Yoshikaru43

[to) Sir Ochiai Chuemon

38 KO.kai. also known as Kobo Daishi -"The Great Teacher of Spreading the Dharma" 39 See note 33 above. 40 教外別伝 kyo-gebetsu-den. This is a Zen expression implying that the truth is something that cannot be

understood using words and logic 41 Ochiai ChO.emon. the recipient of the scroll 42 天下ー Tenka-ichi:This is a title that was awarded to Musashi's father Munisai by 43 義軽 Thekanji in question appear in the original scrolls in a very decomposed form (kuzushijz) and have

been interpreted variously as義経義秤， and義恒， allread "Y oshitsune". However, the primary print version used for this translation (Uozumi, 2002) renders the former, which is strongly corroborated by analysis in Morita (2014)

232 『明治大学国際日本学研究』第 12巻第 1号

lO'h Y car of Keich6.44 Final Month, an Auspicious Day

The second copy of the text includes two additional sections -at the beginning of "The N,mes ()J

thP Su•ord [Techniques}" a section titled "011 the'Forward Eight'''is added: under "Bearings如

Winmnf.,'", there is an additional item in the]り•tlz place entitled "On the Mindset q•「 Thrusting".

The,e addenda, along zcitlz other variations. u・zll be addressed in a jれturearticle. Akabane's

(2019) discussion of two other alleged.しfusashitexts. mriations of the Thirty-five.<¥rticles on

Stratcf()・ referred to as Enrnei Ryu Thirty-five . ..¥rticles40 and Enmei Ryu Strate応'Thirtyfivc

Articles. 16 is also of great interest, and 1/ thesP texts can be authenticated they should also hP

translated. as they could shed further l攻hton lvlusashi ・s historical legacy.

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