"Samurai should always wish to keep to the righteous path and try not to fall into the way of depravity, no matter what happens. Those samurai who keep on with the right path will achieve high honours with the aid of Buddha and the gods, while those who have fallen into a corrupt way will naturally meet with misfortune and be laughed at by the people of the world." (Musha Monogatari, 1654)
"As samurai, the following is the primary principle to keep in mind during daily life: in a time of order you should prepare for war and in a time of disorder you should seek peace." (Heika Jödan, cca 1670)
"Samurai should hone themselves by first disciplining their minds. Alongside mastery over the mind should be mastery over the body. 'Discipline' means preparation, and to be 'prepared in the body ' means that a samurai must have a good foundation with the weapons that they carry: the katana, the wakizashi and all other kinds of martial tools." (Heika Jödan, cca 1670)
"Swordsman-ship is not something you persevere in just to achieve victory over others. It is also an art through which you can face troubles and clarify issues of life and death. This is an attitude that samurai must always strive to maintain, and so you should master this art." (Issai Chozan, "The Mysterious Skills of the Old Cat" ["Neko No Myoujutsu"], 1727)
"The hands manipulate the sword, the mind manipulates the hands. Cultivate the mind and do not be deceived by tricks, feints, and schemes. They are the properties of the magician, not the samurai." (Saito Yakuro, cca 19th century)
"Once the will is resolved, one's spirit is strengthened. Even a peasant's will is hard to deny, but a samurai of resolute will can sway ten thousand men." (Yoshida Shoin)
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