4 Centuries Ago, a Japanese Samurai Wrote 20 Rules for Living a Good Life

There are no two equal lives. They are all different. However, a Japanese Buddhist says that if we want to have fulfilled and happy lives, we should follow these 20 rules.

Miyamoto Musashi was born in 1584, and he made a list of the rules he followed throughout his life several weeks before he passed away. He was a renowned warrior, and an expert swordsman and people still study his teachings.

But, his rules of life are exceptional and truly inspiring. Miyamoto Musashi’s “The Way of Walking Alone,” says that we should follow the next rules.

20 Rules for Living a Good Life

1. Accept Life

If you want to have good mental health, you need to accept your life as it is. In our lives, we all have anxiety, stress, as well as despair, and that is normal. You need to learn that accepting the things in life that seem the most difficult is what will make you a stronger person.

2. Do Not Be Obsessed To Reach Pleasure

It is in our nature to chase pleasure in life. We have cravings for success, promotions, raises, and erotic pleasure. According to Musashi, we need to live life in the present, and we should not chase pleasure. Instead, we should enjoy it when we get it naturally.

3. Act on an Impulsive Emotion Isn’t a Good Idea

Even though we frequently hear that we should follow our hearts, Musashi says that this is not a good idea. Following a feeling that seems to have appeared out of nowhere, seems like it can lead to bad resolutions.  We should follow what we know, not what our impulse says.

4. No Self-Obsession

People tend to be self-obsessed. Nowadays, we are concentrated on our virtual life, we try to take the perfect selfie, and we want to achieve perfection.

So, this way, we totally forget about the things that are truly important in life. We need to try not to be overly self-obsessed.

5. Do Not Permit Jealousy to Have An Impact On Your Life

We all get jealous from time to time, but do you know that is a powerful form of hatred? Musashi said that if we allow ourselves to get stuck in a world of jealousy, it would destroy us. He advises us to be grateful for what we have, and never be jealous of what other people have.

6. Lower Your Desires

Just as reaching pleasure, desire is what makes us strive for things we may never get in our lives. Musashi suggests that we should not want more than what we have, but we should wait for things to come to us.

7. No Regrets

We need to learn that the past is something we cannot change, and we should accept this fact. Musashi’s belief was that everything in life happens for a particular reason. We need to remember that the past stays in the past, and we cannot do anything about it.

8. Forget About Sad Separations

If we spend our time thinking about a sad separation from our family or friends, we cannot live good lives. Musashi believed that if we were not able to bring those people with us, there is no point in being constantly sad.

9. No Complaints

Although we tend to find comfort in complaining, Musashi taught us that we need to let things go with the flow. If we complain about things that are not right, we let them interfere with our life.

10. Lust Should Not Have Power Over Our Lives

We are erotic creatures by nature, and many people spend time thinking about lust. According to Musashi, we should lead lives by desiring love and long relationships.

11. Open Options

We should not lead lives with a closed mind. We need to keep our options open to let the best things enter our lives.

12. Do Not Be a Slave

We need to remember that there are more important things in life than luxury and possessions. We should appreciate love, life, and health more than anything in the world.

13. Do Not Obsess Over Food

As humans, we like our food to be tasty, and we want to find pleasure in eating. But, Musashi said that we should eat foods that would fill our bellies, and these foods do not need to be tasty to satisfy us.

14. Minimalism as a Way of Life

Think about the things you do not need anymore, and get rid of them. We should not hold on to unnecessary things. Remove everything you do not need, and live a simpler and purer life.

15. Do Not Follow the Crowd

We should not believe everything we are told. We need to have our own opinion and create our own ideas.

16. Admire Gods, But Do Not Rely Just On Their Power

Even though we should respect God, we should not rely on their guidance. We need to create our own path we should follow.

17. Do Not Be Afraid of Death

If we are afraid of death, we cannot live a good life. We need to live in the present time, and we should not be afraid of the outcome every action may have.

18. No Weapons

Musashi was famous, and he had a sword, but he thought that weapons should not be used unless necessary. His belief was that attacking someone for no reason was a sin, and self-defense was all right.

19. Do Not Go Through Life Trying to Be Rich When You Retire

A lot of people try to save money and things for the time when they retire. However, Musashi’s belief was that possessions are not what we need to be happy. Once again, his advice is to live in the present time.

20. Defend Your Honor

This Japanese Samurai believed that we should be true to ourselves, lead honorable lives, and follow our own beliefs.

We hope that you find this article inspiring. Some may find his ideas nonsense, but if he lived a happy and successful life by following these rules, should we question him?

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