Masaaki Hatsumi Quotes
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Move with your feet, the hands will follow.
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Nature is your friend; it helps you to win. Your enemy will have unnatural movement, therefore you will be able to know what he is going to do before he does it.
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Remember that for every technique you think you can fall back on, there is a counter for it, or there are times when it cannot be used. When real battle comes, you must remember that some things will not be applicable. Don't think that any one technique is quintessential.
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Focus on the future for 50%, on the present for 40%, and on the past for 10%
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Separate yourself from the technique; separate yourself from yourself.
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If you do not let go of thinking about forms, you will not understand what I am showing.
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You are not punching them; it is your going into kamae that punches them.
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You must be on your toes constantly, yet be relaxed.
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Ninja should have the benevolence to protect men of justice since there are lots of good and respectable people in the world.
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Learning a technique is not an end in itself, it merely indicates where you need to start.
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Budo is simply the study of the best ways to kill.
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Forget your sadness, anger, grudges and hatred. Let them pass like smoke caught in a breeze. Do not indulge yourself in such feelings.
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Those who desire only techniques will never understand this art. It is everything beyond that
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Forget your sadness, anger, grudges, and hatred. Let them pass like smoke caught in the breeze. You should not deviate from the path of righteousness; you should lead a life worthy of a man. Don't be possessed by greed, luxury, or your ego. You should accept sorrows, sadness and hatred as they are, and consider them a chance for trial given to you by the powers... a blessing given by nature. Have both your mind and your time fully engaged in bud?, and have your mind deeply set on bujutsu.
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Breathe life into the weapon, don't take life away from it. Keep walking, because walking is life.
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You can only understand if you've had the technique done to you. It's like food. You can't describe the taste, but if you've tasted it, you know what it is. You have to personally experience it to understand.
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People who cannot respect others for their good qualities - people who only look at the bad in others - are no good themselves. By looking at only the bad points, you open yourself up, and in a real encounter, will most probably be killed.
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You are not just fighting one opponent. You are fighting the unknown.
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You must throw away your bad habits to get good.
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Don't have a fixed idea in your head (that you have to use this or that technique). Use everything you've learned until now.
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It is important to practice so your movement is the minimum necessary to complete its task.
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The simplest is always the most difficult.
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Your life is on the line, practice well.
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Humans have yet to dwell upon the consequences of their actions. People have yet to admit the bad that they do to nature, for example. Actually, most people spend their time finding fault in the action of others, rather than their own.
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There was a famous Zen master whom people would seek out to become enlightened. He was strict and would occupy people with things having nothing to do with seeking enlightenment. You see, that is the only way to achieve enlightenment; by not focusing on achieving it. Then, one day it will just come to you.
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From now on you must strive to cut out unnecessary movement. Waste in movement is wrong and will get you killed.
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What I want you to do is just take it as it is. Don't think too much. If you get involved with thinking about it, the whole thing gets lost or loses its purity. Don't think during practice - DO! The more you think, the further from the truth of budo you get: Budo is NOT an academic subject!
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Always observe your opponent carefully. You need to use the first seconds of every encounter to evaluate the length of their blade, the length of their arms, etc.
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When weak or injured always continue training as you should always be able to adapt in any condition.
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Any place we can breathe, we can do Ninjutsu.
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