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 way of life through words. Short famous quotes (21–30) 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.
You can see philosophy and ways of life through words. Short quotes (31–40) by historical figures
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.