'"Matters of great concern should be treated lightly." Master lttei commented, "Matters of small concern should be treated seriously."'
I always took this to mean that matters of great concern are anxieties, which should be generalised, and matters of small concern, about which we are depressed and push away, should be treated specifically.
Quotes from the Hagakure are hands down amongst the most mis-interpreted quotes, very often because they are being presented completely out of context and of course due to the very different cultural background and times they were written in.
For example:
Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige's wall there was this one: "Matters of great concern should be treated lightly." Master lttei commented, "Matters of small concern should be treated seriously." Among one's affairs there should not be more than two or three matters of what one could call great concern. If these are deliberated upon during ordinary times, they can be understood. Thinking about things previously and then handling them lightly when the time comes is what this is all about.
Note that this is Yamamoto's interpretation of what two other people said, not their explanation of what they said. I was merely offering an alternative interpretation.
'"Matters of great concern should be treated lightly." Master lttei commented, "Matters of small concern should be treated seriously."'
I always took this to mean that matters of great concern are anxieties, which should be generalised, and matters of small concern, about which we are depressed and push away, should be treated specifically.