A Japanese Philosopher, and Other Papers Upon the Chinese Philoso@phy in Japan

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892. Excerpt: ... truth of Shuslii till head and stomach ache. Were they to hear my threefold mystery their stomachs would pain them to the point of throwing up. But all who truly know understand that it is not an empty and senile word. BOOK II.--RIGHTEOUSNESS. THE STUDY OF MARTIAL FORTUNE. Returning from exercise some young men stopped one day, and the Old Man said to them: As your profession is thatof arms constant drill is necessary; but good fortune is morfr important than skill since without it skill avails not. Mori' Musashi no Kami was called the Demon of Musashi, soskillful and strong was he: but at Nagakute1 he was killed instantly by a bullet, and what benefit was there in his skill and courage? Skill rests on fortune; so study this most earnestly. Your instructors teach you arms but they know not the study of fortune. Such as I can teach you that! Then one replied: I do not understand this study of martial fortune. Surely it is beyond man's control. Could it be acquired by study all the world would learn! The Old Man shook his head: Yes, there is such study. Tell us of it then, the students said; and the Old Man went on: Consider, all of you! Whence is fortune? From Heaven! Even the world says, "Fortune is in Heaven." So then there is no resource save prayer to Heaven. Let us then ask: What does Heaven hate and what does Heaven love? It loves benevolence and hates malevolence. It loves truth and hates untruth. Its heart is this, that it forms all things and unceasingly hegets men. Even when in autumn and winter it seems the spirit of death it is not so, but the root, the spirit of birth is gaining strength. So-does the Book of Changes declare: "Birth is called-change,"2 and again: "The great virtue of Heaven and Earth is called birth."s That which in Heaven bege...