There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. There will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. Live being true to the single purpose of the moment.

---

Light matters should be dealt with seriously. Serious matters should be dealt with lightly.

---

Everyone lets the present moment slip by, then looks for it as though he thought it were somewhere else.

---

The deepest love is often hidden.

---

As everything in this world is but a sham, Death is the only sincerity.

---

It is a wretched thing that the young men of today are so contriving and so proud of their material posessions. Men with contriving hearts are lacking in duty. Lacking in duty, they will have no self-respect.

---

It is a principle of the art of war that one should simply lay down his life and strike. If one's opponent also does the same, it is a even match. Defeating one's opponent is then a matter of faith and destiny.

---

To give a person an opinion one must first judge well whether that person is of the disposition to receive it or not.

---

I have found that the Way of the samurai is death. This means that when you are compelled to choose between life and death, you must quickly choose death.

---

Nothing is impossible in this world. Firm determination, it is said, can move heaven and earth. Things appear far beyond one's power, because one cannot set his heart on any arduous project due to want of strong will.

---