If your heart is not here, you will not see even if you look [Vagabond #QuoteNote 41]

Here is the quote I would like to introduce today!

What does it mean?

“If your heart is not here, you will not see even if you look” means that if your attention or interest is not focused on the subject, you will not see it even if it is right in front of you.

Interpreted more abstractly, it can be understood as a message that “it is not about the past or the future, but focusing on this very moment right now that is everything.”

Who said it

Miyamoto Musashi

What kind of person?

Miyamoto Musashi was a master swordsman, strategist, and artist who was active from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo period. It is said that he fought over 60 duels to the death in his lifetime and never lost once. He is also known as the founder of the two-sword style of swordsmanship, “Niten Ichi-ryu.”

Miyamoto Musashi is a fascinating figure who continues to influence many people today through his strength, his way of life, and the works he left behind. His life has been depicted in various forms, including novels, manga, and dramas.

Life

• Birth: There is a theory that he was born in Harima Province (present-day Hyogo Prefecture) in 1584, and another that he was born in Mimasaka Province (present-day Okayama Prefecture).

• Warrior training: He fought his first battle at the age of 13, and thereafter traveled to various places, engaging in numerous duels to the death with master swordsmen.

• Duel at Ganryujima: In 1612, he fought and won a duel against the master swordsman Sasaki Kojiro at Ganryujima in Buzen Kokura (present-day Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture). This duel is extremely famous.

• Service to a daimyo: In his later years, he served Honda Tadatoki, the lord of the Himeji Domain in Harima, and Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the lord of the Higo Kumamoto Domain.

• Writing of The Book of Five Rings: In 1645, he wrote “The Book of Five Rings,” which summarized his own strategy, in Kumamoto. He died that same year at the age of 62.

Character profile

• Undefeated swordsman: He is known as a swordsman with the legendary strength of being undefeated throughout his life.

• He established the unique swordsmanship style “Niten Ichi-ryu,” which uses both a long and short sword.

• Strategist: He pursued not only martial prowess but also deep strategies and philosophies regarding combat. His thoughts are summarized in “The Book of Five Rings.”

• Artist: He demonstrated talent not only in swordsmanship but also in fields like ink wash painting and calligraphy, leaving behind many works.

• Solitary seeker: He is often depicted as a solitary figure who spent his entire life pursuing the pinnacle of martial arts.

Anecdotes regarding Miyamoto Musashi

• The anecdote is famous that in the duel at Ganryu Island, he carved a ship's oar to make a wooden sword and defeated Kojiro.

• It is also said that in many duels, he used a tactic of arriving late to irritate his opponent.

• There are also anecdotes remaining that he faced large numbers of opponents without fear and emerged victorious.

What is 'happiness'?

If we interpret 'If the mind is not here, one sees but does not perceive' literally, it can be understood as meaning that if your attention or interest is not focused on the subject, you will not see it even if it is right in front of you.

However, if interpreted more abstractly, it can be understood as a message that 'it is most important to focus on this very moment, not the past or the future.'

Humans are, for better or worse, very imaginative creatures. If you let your guard down even a little, your brain becomes obsessed with thinking about 'regrets for the past'—like 'I should have done that differently...' regarding events that already happened and cannot be redone—or 'fears for the future'—like 'I don't want things to turn out in a way I didn't intend...' regarding an uncertain future.

The 'here' in 'If the mind is not here, one sees but does not perceive' refers precisely to 'this very moment, not the past or the future,' and it says that those who are not focused on this very moment 'see but do not perceive.'

Since Miyamoto Musashi was a master swordsman, 'not perceiving' in a life-or-death duel is fatal. If you cannot see, naturally you cannot read the opponent's sword path, and you will be cut down and defeated.

However, since we are not samurai or master swordsmen, we do not engage in life-or-death duels. But couldn't it be said that everyone lives a 'life-or-death duel' called life?

Although there are differences in innate characteristics, talents, and cultivated knowledge, time is 24 hours a day for everyone. Whether or not you are making your life better ultimately depends on 'how much you are focusing on what you should be doing in this very moment.'

After all, life is nothing but a series of 'this very moment'.

This is my own personal theory, but I believe the definition of 'happiness = richness of life' is composed of two factors.

• Whether or not you are living in this very moment

• Whether or not you are in a state where you have choices and can choose for yourself

'If the mind is not here, one sees but does not perceive' is, I believe, a famous quote that highlights 'whether or not you are living in this very moment' from a different angle.

Great success in various works

Miyamoto Musashi was born in 1584, so he lived nearly 500 years ago. However, even today, he appears and plays an active role in various works such as novels and manga.

Vagabond

This is a highly popular manga by Takehiko Inoue, based on Eiji Yoshikawa's novel 'Miyamoto Musashi.' It depicts Musashi's life from his youth to the duel at Ganryu Island, captivating many readers with its overwhelming artistry and human drama.

Baki-Dou

In 'Baki-Dou,' Miyamoto Musashi possesses not only the strength and swordsmanship of a master swordsman from the Sengoku period but also a unique combat sense and philosophy not found in modern martial artists. In the story, he faces various martial artists and demonstrates his overwhelming power.

YAIBA

In 'YAIBA,' Miyamoto Musashi is a character that directly reflects the exaggerated, and to put it kindly, clever, or to put it unkindly, cunning and cowardly aspects of 'Miyamoto Musashi' often found in novels and storytelling. While he was quite single-minded and tough in his youth, over many years, he has become a character skilled in strategy, such as turning an enemy's personality against them or setting traps.

Summary

The quote I introduced this time is as follows!

It is a maxim with a profound impression befitting a master swordsman like Miyamoto Musashi.

By the way, the original phrase is a bit longer: 'If the mind is not present, one looks but does not see, and listens but does not hear.' If one were to make it even more tedious and long, one could imagine phrases like 'one touches but does not feel, smells but does not perceive, and eats but does not taste' following it. However, those words are not the essence of this quote.

The essence of 'If the mind is not present, one looks but does not see' is not about not being able to see or hear, but rather the 'If the mind is not present' part. The message that 'if your mind is not here—in this very moment—it is no good' is the most important part.

📢 Announcement

Thank you for reading until the end. 'Likes' and 'Follows' are very welcome! It encourages my activities on Note!

Click here for my self-introduction and main topics! ▼

Click here for the list of Quote Notes! ▼

I also dream of publishing a book someday! ▼