You can see philosophy and a way of life through words. Short famous quotes by historical figures.
When asked to name someone who achieved great feats and etched their name into history, who comes to mind?
Many of us learned in school about people who created ideas and things that are now taken for granted, or those who laid the foundations of culture.
This time, we’ve compiled a list of short quotes left by especially famous historical figures—names that almost everyone has heard at least once.
Each quote reveals the person’s philosophy and way of life, so be sure to check them out!
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You can see philosophy and ways of life through words. Short quotes (31–40) by historical figures
Beneath mud and earth lies solid rock; above clouds and mist shines the sun. At the height of discontent, there is still fortune, nor is hope absent.Kanzo Uchimura
I would like to introduce a famous saying by Kanzo Uchimura: “Beneath the mud lies bedrock; above the clouds and mist shines the sun.
Even at the height of complaint, happiness and hope are not absent.” Kanzo Uchimura was a Christian thinker active in the Meiji era.
Disasters can bring many hardships.
At such times, Uchimura left words he hoped we would remember.
It is said to mean that even when times are painful and difficult now, a stable and bright future surely awaits beyond.
He likens difficult situations to mud, and the bedrock represents the strength within us that lies beneath these serious problems.
Furthermore, he tells us that even when we feel or voice complaints, happiness and hope still exist.
Life brings all kinds of experiences, doesn’t it? Even so, we are reminded of the importance of maintaining a positive outlook.
Nature is an impartial and merciless enemy. Society is an unjust enemy with human sentiment.Soseki Natsume
Let me introduce a famous quote by Natsume Sōseki: “Nature is a fair yet ruthless enemy.
Society is an unjust yet compassionate enemy.” Natsume Sōseki was a Japanese novelist and scholar of English literature.
His major works include I Am a Cat, Botchan, Sanshirō, And Then, Kokoro, and Light and Darkness.
This line—“Nature is a fair yet ruthless enemy.
Society is an unjust yet compassionate enemy.”—appears in his work Reminiscences.
It’s a quote that encourages us not to underestimate nature and to prepare for natural disasters.
Natural disasters strike when we least expect them.Torahiko Terada
Here is a famous and important saying by Torahiko Terada: “Natural disasters strike when they have been forgotten.” Terada was a Japanese physicist, essayist, and haiku poet.
As a researcher, he was interested in disasters such as fires and earthquakes, and it is said that after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, he became even more deeply engaged with the subject.
This quote reminds us that the peaceful passing of everyday life without incident is not something to be taken for granted.
It is a phrase worth engraving in our hearts.
In one’s whole life, never harbor greedy desires.Miyamoto Musashi
People are often ruled by desire, aren’t they? There are surely those who live their whole lives steeped in it.
In the midst of that, Miyamoto Musashi declared that he would have no desire.
Perhaps he understood well that harboring desire would ruin him.
He was a very stoic person.
And this quote also seems to express a resolve: if you think “a little is fine” and let desire in, it will pull you along and ruin the path you were striving to master—so don’t have it at all.
When you feel you’re about to be ruled by desire, remember these words.
The heart never strays from the Way.Miyamoto Musashi
Many of the disciplines regarded as traditionally Japanese—such as kendo, judo, and aikido—include the character for “dō” (the Way) in their names.
And although they are not sports, ikebana (kado), the tea ceremony (sado), and kōdō (the way of incense) also use this character.
This may be a somewhat self-serving interpretation, but I suspect Japanese people applied the character “dō” to practices that require long years of training.
Of course, Miyamoto Musashi’s “dō” refers to the Way of swordsmanship.
To think of nothing but that, whatever one is doing—this strikes me as a grand word that encapsulates Musashi himself.
Take the sky as a road, and see the road as the sky.Miyamoto Musashi
An unexpectedly popular character from the manga Fist of the North Star is Juuza of the Clouds.
His free-spirited personality must have made him a beloved figure.
When you’re going to school or work every day, there are days when everything just feels unbearable.
You might even want to quit living a life that runs on rails someone else laid down.
At times like that, please remember these words from Musashi.
They’ll make your heart take wing and give you the feeling you can walk your path freely.
“It’s up to you to decide how you live.” It almost feels as if he’s gently teaching us even that.
Think little of yourself and think deeply of the world.Miyamoto Musashi
I think this phrase can be interpreted in several ways, but it’s often taken to mean: don’t place too much importance on yourself; think deeply about the world.
It could also mean: stop thinking in a self-centered way and look at the world more broadly and objectively.
It’s wrong to treat yourself poorly, but the way you cherish a mistaken version of yourself is also not quite right, is it? When you feel like you’re losing sight of yourself, please reflect on where you stand—and consider whether you might be focusing too much on yourself.
In the Way, one thinks without shunning death.Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi can be called a master who perfected the way of the sword, and among his famous sayings is this: one must not fear death in the pursuit of one’s own path.
I imagine that many of you reading this have, even if not on such a grand scale, tried to stick to some path or conviction of your own.
Musashi tells us that in such times, it is vital to throw yourself into it with everything you have, to see it through and master it.
Doing so helps a person grow and elevates that path into something more noble.
If I do not achieve my aspiration, I shall not set foot on this land again.Hideyo Noguchi
Words that express a firm resolve to never return until one’s goal is achieved.
Hideyo Noguchi left these words as proof of his determination not to go back to his hometown until he succeeded.
In the process of striving with dreams and aspirations, there are times when you may feel like giving up, but if you engrave these words in your heart, you should be able to face any hardship without being defeated.
It conveys the importance of always holding high aspirations.
This famous quote teaches that more valuable than easily won success is the attitude of committing yourself and continuing to take on challenges.
I didn’t come to teach. I came to learn.Hideyo Noguchi
These words emphasize the importance of maintaining a learning mindset at all times.
No matter how much experience or knowledge one has, people cannot grow unless they continue to learn.
Even in a teaching role, if you keep your willingness to learn, new discoveries and perspectives will emerge.
Hideyo Noguchi himself continued to learn many things through his research life abroad.
It was precisely because he never grew arrogant, even as a teacher, and instead consistently embraced an active attitude toward learning that he was able to leave achievements recognized worldwide.
This is a famous quote that teaches us the nobility of learning.