The Book of Five Rings: Miyamoto Musashi Review

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The Book of Five Rings: Miyamoto Musashi ReviewI am a long time student of the Musashi text and I simply had to reply to the Nguyen review. I am Japanese. I live in Kansai area in Japan and have been a student and teacher of the sword and English most of my life. I travel to America often and have many American friends. I am always curious of how Americans view Japanese culture and often read American translations of Japanese works. I am 38 years old and a life long martial artist.
First of all, the text on the front of the book is exactly as it should be. I don't understand why someone who obviously has no understanding of Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana and how they enter work would start off his highly critical review with something that shows everyone that he doesn't know anything about the written language.
Secondly, the idea that because someone is a "blackbelt" martial arts instructor "reveals" an avaricious interest in sales speaks more of the person who would infer such things than to every black belt martial arts instructor in the world. I am a black belt martial arts instructor, as many thousands of you are, and I have no intrinsic interest in sales what so ever.
In reading the book I never once got the feeling that Tarver was trying to compare himself to Musashi. In fact he says in the opening that even after a life time of study he is still "amazed at the astounding insight and pure genius of Musashi." I personally am amazed at how someone like Nguyen can make such fantastic leaps in logic and even infer personality traits like vanity when the author clearly said that he was a dedicated student of Musashi.
Anyone who tries to study a famous person like Musashi will find tons of information from scholarly sources that contain a fair amount of speculation. Try it yourself, you will see. Anyone who says that they know exactly how Musashi's early life played out and how it influenced his life long study of the sword is lying or foolish. As far as Confucian, Zen Buddhism, and "other Asian philosophical influences" Musashi's book was for his "blackbelt martial arts" students, not for religious instruction. If one wants to learn about religion there are a lot of other books available. Musashi himself said that he did not use religious ideas in writing his book. As a student and teacher of sword I want a translation that deals with sword in hand not religious ideas. Zen is addressed very thoroughly in the text because Zen is necessary for understanding the sword. As a Buddhist, I am very satisfied with the way Tarver addresses this subject. Any true martial arts student, of any length of time, knows that martial arts do develop "a state of mind that will create a successful warrior capable of victory in any conflict". To argue that there is some magic way that Musashi was trying to do this is foolish. Musashi said, in every translation I have ever read, that enlightenment comes from daily practice of MARTIAL ARTS. Once enlightenment comes, said Musashi, it influences every aspect of the mind and brings about the very frame of mind that can make a student capable of victory in any conflict. Musashi used the example of a mountain and how you are at the foot of the mountain on either side- I find it hard to believe that Nguyen even read this book and can still make such obviously misleading statements. Nguyen's only claim to any expertise is that he is Asian. I am Japanese and I am very proud to be Asian, but I am not a racist. I believe that anyone who studies Musashi with an open mind can understand it. Nguyen seems to think that most Western readers will not be able to. Every thing that is needed to understand the teaching of Musashi is here and available to anyone who have the capacity to absorb it. Maybe this person's complaints come from his own inability to grasp the real teachings of Musashi, the "blackbelt martial arts teacher."
In the book of emptiness Tarver does and excellent job of explaining a very deep concept. Again Nguyen seems to infer that because he is Vietnamese he has some intrinsic understanding of mushin - the philosophy of the empty mind. Stillness is NOT the proper term, empty is. Only a person who has experienced this can understand it and Nugyen obviously has not. He says that he prefers a translation that comes from a purely academic point of view because he only has an academic understanding himself. Those of you who have reached enlightenment in this area will understand and identify with everything Tarver explains here. Those of you who are not will have a more difficult time with it, but if you follow the path you will come to understanding. Don't sell yourself short by settling for a purely academic translation. The experience and lifetime of study Tarver engaged in to understand these principles are clearly evident to others who understand them. I think anyone who would want to "Illustrate" Musashi is clearly dealing with material that is over his head and wants it explained in pictures. I am sure that there were quite a few "perplexed expressions" on the face of such a reader.
I can honestly tell you that Tarver provides the most through, deep, and clearly experienced translations of Musashi's classic work that I have ever read. I do encourage you to read as many different translations as you can, but in the end I am sure you will find this one the best, if not now then after you are capable of understanding it. I did read Wilson's version and it was very good also, but I found it somewhat shallow.The Book of Five Rings: Miyamoto Musashi Overview

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