獨行道

aka The Way of Walking Alone

Dokkōdō

The Dokkōdō (Japanese: 獨行道) is a short work on philosophy, written by the Japanese swordsman and strategist Miyamoto Musashi a week before he died in 1645. It consists of 21 precepts and was largely composed on the occasion of Musashi giving away his possessions in preparation for death. The work was dedicated to his favorite disciple who took the precepts to heart, Terao Magonojō, and to whom his earlier Go rin no sho had been dedicated. Dokkōdō expresses a stringent, honest, and ascetic view of life.