Since i've graduated in December and won't start Masters/PhD till summer or fall
need something to keep my mental in check. Books are good. This is start of note
taking for books; perhaps all books read will be noted perhaps not. Depends on
the content and impact. If it takes too long, probably not :]
* Even if a man has no natural ability, he can be a 'warrior' by sticking
assiduosly to the way.
* Immature strategy is the cause of grief; concerned with coloring and showing
off their technique.
* Foreman carpenter allots his men according to their ability; foreman should
take into account the abilities and limitations of his men, circulating amoung
them and asking nothing unreasonable; he should know their morale and spirit
and encourage them when necessary.
Books \& thier purpose:
1. Ground: Know the smallest \& biggest things; shallowest \& deepest things; It
is difficult to realise the true way through just one thing.
2. Water: Spirit becomes like water; takes form of receptacle; trickle or wild;
make small things into big things; have one thing, know ten things.
3. Fire: Train day \& night to make quick decisions; training is normal part of
of life with spirit unchanging.
4. Wind: Tradition; diverging spirits \& its consequences later down the road.
5. Void: Appreciating way of nature, power of nature, rythem in any situation.
* Spirit of winning, regardless of weapon and size.
* From one thing know ten thousand things.
* Even though way of strategy does not contain other ways, if you know the way
broadly you will see it in everything.
* Weapons should be hardy not decorative; you should not have a favorite weapon;
do not copy others, use what you can handle properly; bad for commanders to
have likes \& dislikes.
* Know timings, applicable \& inapplicable timing, from among the large \& small
things, and the fast \& slow; can win simply by using timing enemy does not
expect.
***Do not think dishonestly. The Way is in training. Become acquainted with
every art. Know the Ways of all professions. Distinguish between gain and loss
in worldly matters. Develop intuitive judgement and understandingfor everything.
Perceive those things which cannot be seen. Pay attention even to trifles. Do
nothing which is of no use.***
* If you do not look at things at a large scale, difficult master strategy;
Superior man will bear himself correctly, govern country and foster people,
preserving the rulers discipline.
Water Book
* Spiritual bearing: determined yet calm; not tense but not reckless; do not let
body relax; whatever your size, do not be misled by reactions of your body.
* Cultivate wisdom: learn public justice, distinguish between good \& evil
* Stance: erect head; do not wrinkle forehead; composed features; slightly flare
nostrils; line of rear of neck straight; instil vigour in hairline, and
shoulders down through entire body; lower shoulders; put strength in legs;
brace abdomen; maintain combat stance in everyday life.
* Gaze: large \& broad -> perception \& sight; see things close and distanced;
look at both sides without moving eyes.
* Glue \& Lacquer: stick to the enemy; stick firmly with head body and legs.
* Height: don't cringe so that height does not lower; stretch everything.
* One against many: draw everything; assume wide-stretched left-right attitude;
chase the enemies from side to side; observe attacking order and meet in them
in order; do not wait.
* Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over
lesser men.
Fire Book
* Put enemies into bad footholds, next to obstacles; use virtues of the place.
* Ken no sen: keep calm and dash quickly, or advance strongly by reserved; walk
up to enemy strongly and when close move quicker than normal; attack with
constant crushing from first to last.
* Tai no sen: when attack remain undisturbed but feign weakness, when enemy
reaches move away suddenly then dash in strongly attacking when enemey is
relaxed; or attack more strongly.
* Tai tai no sen: when quick attacked, counter strongly and calmly aiming for
weak points; when attacked calmly, observe movements with your body floating,
join with their movements.
* Hold down a pillow: see in advance and suppress it; check their attack at 'at'
check their jump at 'ju' and their cut at 'cu'; stop their useful attacks
while allowing their useless attacks.
* Crossing at a ford: set sail even though friends are at the harbour, knowing
the route, knowing soundness of ship and favour of the day; if wind changes
a mile before destination then row the remaining distance.
* Know the times: know enemies disposition; recognize enemies intentions
* Tread down the sword: attack while enemy is shooting with bows or guns; win
while receiving attack; do not allow enemy to attack a second time.
* Collapse: everything collapses when rhythm becomes deranged; if you fail to
take advantage while enemies collapse, they may recover.
* Become the enemy: think of yourself in enemies position; nothing to worry
about if you know yourself and your enemy.
* Release four hands: enemy \& you contending with same spirit, abandon yours
and win with al alternative resource; win with technique they do not expect.
* Move the shade: when you don't know enemies position, indicate that youre
about to attack, to discover their resources.
* Hold down a shadow: when enemy shows attacking spirit, if you strongly
suppress then their spirit will alter, defeat them then.
* To pass on: time can be passed on; when enemy is agitated and you are calm
they will become relaxed, when you see your spirit has passed on you can
defeat them with strong void spirit.
* Loss of balance: attack without warning, they will lose their balance, without
allowing them space for breath you can win.
* To frighten: shout to frighten, or threaten with flank.
* Injure the corners: difficult to move strong things by pushing, so injure the
corners; if corners are overthrown their entire spirit will be too.
* Throw into confusion: easy victory when enemy is caught up in a rhythm which
confuses the spirit; make them think 'here? slow? fast? like that?'
* Three shouts: before, during, after; voice shows energy; loud beginning of
fight, low-pitched during, after shout in wake of victory; shout to get into
the rhythm.
* Mingle: attack strong point, when they are beaten back separate and attack
another strong point on periphery of their force; winding mountain path.
* Crush: crush while regarding them as being weak; crush lightly and they may
recover.
* Mountain-sea change: bad to repeat same thing when fighting enemy; twice is
okay but not a third time; if one attack fails then low chance it will win
next time; if enemy thinks of mountain, attack like sea.
* Penetrate the depths: once enemy is crushed, remain spirited, if the enemy
remains spirited then it is difficult to crush them.
* Renew: when no possible resolution possible; abandon effort and think of the
situation in a fresh spirit, win in a new rhythm.
* Rats head ox's neck: when you've become occupied with small points, make a
sudden change into a large spirit.
* Commander knows the troops: think of enemy as your own troops, can move them
at will then; you are the general and enemy are your troops.
* Let go the hilt: winning without a sword, also holding the sword but not
winning.
* Body of a rock: you will not be moved; master the way of strategy, ten
thousand things cannot touch you; train body well.
Wind Book
* Do not rely on distance without the benefit of strategy; becomes difficult to
deal with enemies close range, weapon becomes an encumberance; great and small
go together.
* Do not rely on strength of weapon, if you are then you will try to cut
unreasonably strongly and will not be able to cut at all; do not rely only
on strength.
* To only aim for enemies unguarded moment is only defensive, and so bad. If
there are many then it's not possible to jump inside.
* Win by chasing them around in confusing manner, causing them to become
unbalanced; if evading too much and jumping around too much then too many
enemies will corner you.
* Do not fix your eyes on single places; try to see naturally; fix your eyes
menas to gaze at a mans heart; you will neglect important things if your eyes
are fixed.
* Always walk as you do in the street, never close control of your feet; match
the enemies rhythm, move fast or slow; adjust body not too much and not too
little.
* Speed is not the answer, hurriedness is bad, slowness is bad; skillful people
never get out of time, always be deliberate, never appear busy; a fast busy
spirit is undesirable; when enemy is hurrying recklessly, keep calmness.
* When teaching, train in techniques that are easily understood first, slowly
add deep principle, points which are harder to comprehend according to the
pupils progress.
Void Book
* Spirit of void is where there is nothing; by knowing things that exist, you
know of things that do not exist, that is the void.
* Things that you do not understand is not the void but bewilderment.
* Accumulate practice day by day, hour by hour; polish both spirit heart and
mind; sharpen gaze perception and sight; when spirit is not clouded, when
the clouds of bewilderment clear away, that is the true void.
* If you look at things objectively, from viewpoint of laws of the world, we
see various doctrines departing from the true way. Know well this spirit, and
with forthrightness as the foundation and the true spirit as the way, enact
strategy broadly, correctly and openly; then you will come to think of things
in a wide sense and, taking void as the way, you will see the way as void.
* In void is virtue, and no evil; wisdom has existance, principle has existance,
the way has existance, spirit is nothingness.