The book of the Void, from Miyamoto Mushashi’s Go Rin No Sho

According to oriental way of thinking life is a circle. There are many examples to that, the closer to us being that of our karate obi, belt. It starts white, signifying innocence, as progress through training is achieved, it becomes darker and darker to become black. As practice continues the obi, traditionally not being replaced as it is the case with the karategi, is frayed and becomes again white thus closing the circle, however reaching another dimension of white that of emptiness of the mind. The mind of a beginner is full of thoughts, that of a master is empty; empty your mind, a common phrase in martial arts.

Emptiness or Void is described in the fifth chapter of Miyamoto Musashi’s Gorin no sho, a classical martial arts book. The entire text of this chapter, translated by Victor Harris (The Overlook Press, Woodstock, New York), is provided below:

 THE BOOK OF THE VOID

The Ni To Ichi Way of strategy is recorded in this Book of the Void.

What is called the spirit of the Void is where there is nothing. It is not included in man’s knowledge. Of course the Void is nothingness. By knowing things that exist, you can know that which not exist. That is the Void.

In the Way of Strategy, also, those who study as warriors think whatever they cannot understand in their craft is the Void. This is not the true void.

To attain the Way of strategy as warrior you must study fully other martial arts and not deviate even a little from the Way of the Warrior. With your spirit settled, accumulate practice day by day, and hour by hour. Polish the twofold sprit heart and mind, and sharpen the twofold gaze perception and sight. When your spirit is not in the least clouded, when the clouds of bewilderment clear away, there is the true void.

Until you realise the true Way, whether in Buddhism or in common sense, you may think that things are correct and in order. However if we look at things objectively, from the 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 the void as the Way, you will see the Way as void.

In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness.

Twelfth day of the fifth month, second year of the Soho (1645)

SHINMEN MUSHASHI