Musashi's Dokkodo (The Way of Walking Alone)

Teacher:
To me this speaks directly to thoughts of moderation. But I have to
stop short of saying that this one is a good precept.
Life is short. I have long been an advocate of people spending their
money on experiences rather than on things. Food is somewhat
unique in that it is both a thing and an experience. And there is
nothing more beneficial to my very being than good food enjoyed
with the people I love.
I cringe when I see people eating kale and other horrible tasting
cuisine in an effort to be healthy. Food isn’t medicine, it is
sustenance! The experience of good food is a pleasure almost
without equal. Almost…
Like anything else in life, food of any quality must be kept within
moderation. As I mentioned earlier, I had my time where food was
my life. I overdid it and I now suffer from some medical issues as a
result. But this does not lead me to preach that good food is to be
avoided. I tell people to exercise discipline in their diet, but any
extreme in any aspect of your life is going to be bad for your overall
health. Never forget that it is every bit as possible to kill yourself by
drinking too much water as it is by eating too much bacon.
Sure, we should not overindulge, but why can we not enjoy the taste
of good food? We only get one pass through this life. Enjoy what you
can because the ride gets really rocky way too often.

---

Insurance Executive:
Buddha and Socrates lived roughly 2,500 years ago. While it’s
doubtful they ran into each other, they shared one philosophy of life
that has remains to this day. Socrates said, “Everything in
moderation. Nothing in excess.” Buddha said, to paraphrase, “We
find glory and wonder when we walk the middle way, i.e.,
moderation.”
I’m guessing more people violate this precept than follow it.
Taking the precept “Do not pursue the taste of good food” literally,
the words of Socrates and Buddha mean not to overindulge in food,
but rather consume enough to satisfy hunger and fuel the body with
the nutrients it requires to sustain good health. Sadly, you only have
to look around you to see many people in the United States are not
following this wisdom.
Keeping with the literal translation of this precept, I would ask, why
not pursue it? Eating delicious food is one of the pleasures of life.
Good food nourishes the body, nourishes the soul, and when it’s
shared with friends and family it enhances the joy. Is it possible to
enjoy and share the moment and do so with moderation? Yes. Can it
be hard? Oh yes. Ignore the middle path and you will suffer gastric
discomfort, added weight, and deterioration of health.
It has been said, the author unknown, “A life devoted to seeking
pleasure is a life committed to discontent.” Moderation is not only
important in the quantity of good food consumed but also in the
pursuit of it. When you pursue anything to the extent other aspects of
life are ignored, it becomes clear there is an unbalance. But when
you travel the middle path, life is more in balance and thus more
complete and satisfying.
If we take a broader view of the precept, Musashi might have been
saying there is danger in focusing on only one thing. For example,
there are upwardly mobile people in my field who work 10- and 12-
hour days, including one or both weekends. Yes, they might very

---

well climb the corporate ladder but at what expense? It’s not
uncommon for such narrowly focused people to lose connection with
their spouse, children, and friends, all for prestige, wealth, and an
expensive house. But of what value is a million dollar abode when
there is no one in it waiting for you when you do come home?
If we replace the pursuit of “food” with the relentless pursuit of fame,
fortune, prestige in the workplace, mastery of the martial arts,
physical perfection, endless sexual conquests, and even advanced
degrees in education, it becomes clear the middle path has been
lost. When that happens, more times than not, what follows is a
disaster. This can take the form of destructive mental stress, physical
debilitation, and total loss of those things given up during the all-
encompassing pursuit.
So am I saying not to master whatever interests you? No. It’s
important, however, for the sake of your health and relationships, to
tread softly so you stay as close to the middle path as you can. In
this way, you maintain balance in your life as you pursue your goals
and you will do so without losing other things that are important to
you.