"Speed is not part of the true Way of strategy. Speed implies that things seem fast or slow, according to whether or not they are in rhythm. Whatever the Way, the master of strategy does not appear fast."

"Really skilful people never get out of time, and are always deliberate, and never appear busy. From this example, the principle can be seen."

"When your opponent is hurrying recklessly, you must act contrarily and keep calm. You must not be influenced by the opponent. Train diligently to attain this spirit."

"The Ni To Ichi Way of strategy is recorded in this the Book of the Void."

"What is called the spirit of the void is where there is nothing. It is not included in man's knowledge. Of course the void is nothingness. By knowing things that exist, you can know that which does not exist. That is the void."

"People in this world look at things mistakenly, and think that what they do not understand must be the void. This is not the true void. It is bewilderment."

"To attain the Way of strategy as a warrior you must study fully other martial arts and not deviate even a little from the Way of the warrior. With your spirit settled, accumulate practice day by day, and hour by hour. Polish the twofold spirit heart and mind, and sharpen the twofold gaze perception and sight. When your spirit is not in the least clouded, when the clouds of bewilderment clear away, there is the true void."

"Until you realise the true Way, whether in Buddhism or in common sense, you may think that things are correct and in order. However, if we look at things objectively, from the viewpoint of laws of the world, we see various doctrines departing from the true Way. Know well this spirit, and with forthrightness as the foundation and the true spirit as the Way. Enact strategy broadly, correctly and openly. Then you will come to think of things in a wide sense and, taking the void as the Way, you will see the Way as void. In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness."

"Accept everything just the way it is."

"Do not seek pleasure for its own sake."

"Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling."

"Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world."

"Be detached from desire your whole life long."

"Never be jealous."

"Never let yourself be saddened by a separation."

"Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself or others."

"Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love."

"In all things have no preferences."

"Be indifferent to where you live."

"Do not pursue the taste of good food."

"Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need."

"Do not act following customary beliefs"

"Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful."

"Do not fear death."

"Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age."

"Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help."

"You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour."

"Never stray from the Way."

"Atemi accounts for 99% of Aikido."

"In order to establish heaven on earth, we need a Budo that is pure in spirit, that is devoid of hatred and greed. It must follow natural principles and harmonize the material with the spiritual. Aikido means not to kill. Although nearly all creeds have a commandment against taking life, most of them justify killing for reason or another. In Aikido, however, we try to completely avoid killing, even the most evil person."

"May the Kami of Earth and Heaven watch our acts of purification."

"When you bow deeply to the universe, it bows back; when you call out the name of God, it echoes inside you."

"When life is victorious, there is birth; when it is thwarted, there is death. A warrior is always engaged in a life-and-death struggle for Peace."

"When an opponent comes forward, move in and greet him; if he wants to pull back, send him on his way."

"To injure an opponent is to injure yourself. To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace."

"There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. Defeat means to defeat the mind of contention that we harbor within."

"The real Art of Peace is not to sacrifice a single one of your warriors to defeat an enemy. Vanquish your foes by always keeping yourself in a safe and unassailable position; then no one will suffer any losses. The Way of a Warrior, the Art of Politics, is to stop trouble before it starts. It consists in defeating your adversaries spiritually by making them realize the folly of their actions. The Way of a Warrior is to establish harmony."

"A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind."

"The Art of Peace is the principle of nonresistance. Because it is nonresistant, it is victorious from the beginning. Those with evil intentions or contentious thoughts are instantly vanquished. The Art of Peace is invincible because it contends with nothing."

"The Art of Peace is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On occasion the Voice of Peace resounds like thunder, jolting human beings out of their stupor."

"Techniques employ four qualities that reflect the nature of our world. Depending on the circumstance, you should be: hard as a diamond, flexible as a willow, smooth-flowing like water, or as empty as space."

"One should be prepared to receive ninety-nine percent of an enemy's attack and stare death right in the face in order to illumine the Path."

"Move like a beam of light; Fly like lightning, Strike like thunder, Whirl in circles around A stable center."

"Instructors can impart only a fraction of the teaching. It is through your own devoted practice that the mysteries of the Art of Peace are brought to life."

"Your spirit is the true shield."

"In the Art of Peace we never attack. An attack is proof that one is out of control. Never run away from any kind of challenge, but do not try to suppress or control an opponent unnaturally. Let attackers come any way they like and then blend with them. Never chase after opponents. Redirect each attack and get firmly behind it."

"In our techniques we enter completely into, blend totally with, and control firmly an attack. Strength resides where one's ki is concentrated and stable; confusion and maliciousness arise when ki stagnates."

"If your opponent strikes with fire, counter with water, becoming completely fluid and free-flowing. Water, by its nature, never collides with or breaks against anything. On the contrary, it swallows up any attack harmlessly."

"Foster peace in your own life and then apply the Art to all that you encounter."

"Even the most powerful human being has a limited sphere of strength. Draw him outside of that sphere and into your own, and his strength will dissipate."