Musashi's Dokkodo (The Way of Walking Alone)

Teacher:
I don’t know what Musashi was trying to get across with this precept.
Could it be a follow up to the previous precept on having no
preferences? Is it referring to castles vs. huts or caves? Or is it more
about, as he never did in life, settling down. My mind leans toward
him advising against settling down in one place.
There are those who view the settled life as a type of prison. When a
person settles, they end up with responsibilities toward other people.
To some these responsibilities are part of life and in no way present
a burden of any kind, but to other people who want to only answer to
their own whims settling down can be highly problematic.
We could debate back and forth about which side of that argument is
correct, but the person advocating either side of the discussion is
going to be arguing from his or her own bias. I would be arguing for
the idea that settling down and raising a family is the more rewarding
way to live. I would be able to give all kinds of reasons, justifications
and evidence as to why my position on the topic is correct. But a
person who has chosen to be responsible only to their own self, life,
and wishes is going to be able to provide the same strong reasoning
for their side of the argument.
It is important to recognize that Musashi was speaking from his own
experiences and personal worldview. Personally, I could not endorse
this precept if my assumption about his intended meaning is correct,
which it may or may not be. Nevertheless, from my perspective there

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is simply too much good that has come from having my wife and my
three wonderful kids in my life. I would not trade them for anything or
anyplace in the world.
Settling down or moving about, it’s a preference that often changes
with one’s age and lifestyle too. Perhaps you’ve grown up in a small
town and want to move across the country for college, to be with
your significant other, or to find a job. Or, maybe you grew up in a big
city and want to give rural culture a try. Perhaps you want to travel
around the world, sow your wild oats as it were, and then identify the
perfect place to settle down. This is something that each individual
must grapple with on his or her own.