As a samurai, I must strengthen my character; as a human being I must perfect my spirit — Yamaoka Tesshu
A samurai should always be prepared for death - whether his own or someone else's. — Stan Sakai
Mental bearing (calmness), not skill, is the sign of a matured samurai. A Samurai therefore should neither be pompous nor arrogant. — Tsukahara Bokuden
The Samurai is the first to suffer anxiety for human society, and he is the last to seek personal pleasure. — Morihei Ueshiba
A samurai, even when he has not eaten, uses his toothpick. — Japanese Proverbs
My mentality is like a Samurai: They used to every day work on their technique to make themselves almost perfect. Because perfection is impossible, but every day, you get closer to perfection. — Georges St-Pierre
Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death. — Miyamoto Musashi
...most warriors only perform tricks. The way of the warrior is filled with soul and feeling — Miyamoto Musashi
Any great warrior is also a scholar, and a poet, and an artist. — Steven Seagal
Bushido is realised in the presence of death. In the case of having to choose between life and death you should choose death. There is no other reasoning. — Yamamoto Tsunetomo
A warrior carries his shield for the sake of the entire line. — Plutarch
A warrior is worthless unless he rises above others and stands strong in the midst of a storm. — Yamamoto Tsunetomo
The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom. — Sun Tzu
The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus. — Bruce Lee
Intelligence is the flower of discrimination. There are many examples of the flower blooming but not bearing fruit. Bushido is in being crazy to die. Fifty or more could not kill one such a man. — Nabeshima Naoshige
Short Samurai Quotes
I have a high art, I hurt with cruelty those who would damage me. — Archilochus
Get beyond love and grief: exist for the good of Man. — Miyamoto Musashi
Civilize the mind but make savage the body. — Mao Zedong
Honour may not win power, but it wins respect. And respect earns power. — Ishida Mitsunari
Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay its price. — Sun Tzu
It is the very mind itself that leads the mind astray - of the mind, do not be mindless — Takuan Soho
My mentality is that of a samurai. I would rather commit seppuku than fail. — Elon Musk
The no-mind not-thinks no-thoughts about no-things. — Buddha
See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body. — Yagyu Munenori
Master the divine techniques of the Art of Peace and no enemy will dare to challenge you. — Morihei Ueshiba
Samurai Image Quotes
The Way Of The Samurai Quotes
Without Knowledge, Skill cannot be focused. Without Skill, Strength cannot be brought to bear and without Strength, Knowledge may not be applied. — Alexander The Great
To practice Zen or the Martial Arts, you must live intensely, wholeheartedly, without reserve - as if you might die in the next instant — Taisen Deshimaru
You must concentrate upon and consecrate yourself wholly to each day, as though a fire were raging in your hair. — Taisen Deshimaru
I dislike death, however, there are some things I dislike more than death. Therefore, there are times when I will not avoid danger. — Mencius
Some Warriors look fierce, but are mild. Some seem timid, but are vicious. Look beyond appearances; position yourself for the advantage. — Ming-Dao Deng
This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai: if by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. his whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling. — Yamamoto Tsunetomo
The undisturbed mind is like the calm body water reflecting the brilliance of the moon. Empty the mind and you will realize the undisturbed mind. — Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi
The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes to either/or, there is only the quick choice of death. It is not particularly difficult. Be determined and advance. — Nabeshima Naoshige
SHUCHU RYOKU - Focus all your energy to one point. — Gozo Shioda
Young artists wish for inspired moments. And you find them; you take them; eager artists are bandits. Theatrical moments arrive, and...you grab. Good! You know it will draw attention to you. But you aim to be more than bandits, no? So, okay...now be Samurai. — Jerzy Grotowski
Engage in combat fully determined to die and you will be alive; wish to survive in the battle and you will surely meet death. — Uesugi Kenshin
I look at the Samurai because they were the artists of their time. What I think struck me when I read Bushido is compassion. 'If there's no one there to help, go out and find someone to help.' That hit me, because I try to lead my life like that. — Tom Cruise
Before I go off and direct a movie, I always look at four films. They tend to be The Seven Samurai, Lawrence Of Arabia, It's A Wonderful Life and The Searchers. — Steven Spielberg
I used to think that to become free you had to practice like a samurai warrior, but now I understand that you have to practice like a devoted mother of a newborn child. It takes the same energy but has a completely different quality. It's compassion and presence rather than having to defeat the enemy in battle. — Jack Kornfield
The uncomfort zone is very important for us... To feel uncomfortable is important to strengthen your spirit. Like the samurai says, if you feel comfortable you must search for the discomfort, don't look only for the easy way. — Lyoto Machida
THE ART OF PEACE does not rely on weapons or brute force to succeed; instead, we put ourselves in tune with the universe, maintain peace in our own realms, nurture life, and prevent death and destruction. The true meaning of the term samurai is one who serves and adheres to the power of love. — Morihei Ueshiba
A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams. — Nabeshima Naoshige
The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one and it would not be a wasted life. — Ken Watanabe
a samurai is a total human being, whereas a man who is completely absorbed in his technical skill has degenerated into a ‘function’, one cog in a machine. — Yukio Mishima
My philosophy is the same as a Samurai: To hit without getting hit. — Lyoto Machida
The Samurai always has to rise and move on, because new challenges will come. — Lyoto Machida
If you learn to lead your life strategically and strongly, you can overcome the opposition. But running away, you never overcome anything. The pathway to enlightenment is for the warrior, the samurai. — Frederick Lenz
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. — Yamamoto Tsunetomo
We should think of a photographer as a Samurai who makes rituals, moves and gestures in order to develop his techniques and his instinct. — Alex Majoli
I love tattoos. And mine symbolise who I really am. I have a Samurai on my left arm. At a subconscious level, I connect to this warrior and model myself on his discipline, skills and honour. There is also a tribal tattoo and a Chinese symbol of faith. I have seen a lot of people getting tattoos just because it's a trend. — Virat Kohli
Never quit, you have to resist to the utmost. 'Til you drop, like a Samurai — Carlson Gracie
As for the decorum at the time of a campaign, one must be mindful that he is a samurai. A person who loves beautification where it is unnecessary is fit for punishment. — Kato Kiyomasa
In Conclusion
Which quotation resonated with you best? Did you enjoy our collection of samurai quotes? Or may be you have a slogan about samurai to suggest. Let us know using our contact form.
Citation
Feel free to cite and use any of the quotes in this collection of samurai quotations. For popular citation styles(APA, Chicago, MLA), please use this citation page.
