What is the way of the samurai?
"The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes to either/of, there is only the quick choice of death. It is not particularly difficult. Be determined and advance. To say that dying without reaching one's aim is to die a dog's death is the frivolous way of sophisticates. When pressed with the choice of life or death, it is not necessary to gain one's aim.
We all want to survive. And in large part we make our logic according to what we like. But not having attained our aim and continuing to live is cowardice. This is a thin dangerous line. To die without gaining one's aim IS a dog's death and fanaticism. But there is no shame in this. This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai. If by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be withour blame, and he will succeed in his calling."
-Hagakure, the book of the samurai
"One who is supposed to be a warrior considers it his formost concern to keep death in mind at all times, every day and every night, from the morning of New Year's Day through the night of New Year's Eve. As long as you keep death in mind at all times, you will also fulfill the ways of loyalty and familial duty. You will also avoid myriad evils and calamities, you will be physically sound and healthy, and you will live a long life. What is more, your character will improve and your virtue will grow. If you realize that the life that is here today is not certain on the morrow, then when you take your orders from your employer, and when you look in on your parents, you will have the sense that this may be the last time- so you can not fail to become truly attentive to your employer and your parents. When your forget death and become inattentive, you are not circumspect about things. You may say something offensive to someone and get into an argument. You may challenge something you might as well have ignored, and get into a quarrel. Or you may stroll about in resorts where you have no business, not avoiding the crowds, when you might bump into some oaf and get into an unexpected brawl. You could lose your own life, get your employer bad publicity, and cause you parents and siblings difficulties. All this trouble comes from inattentiveness when you fail to keep death in mind."
"How to keep death in mind? The idea is to take care of your public and private duties day and night, and then whenever you have any free time when your mind is unoccupied, you think of death, bringing it to mind attentively. It is said that in the great hero Kusunoki Masashige's instructions to his son Masayuki, he told him the "always get use to death."
"This is for understanding of neophyte knights."
- Code of the Samurai
We all want to survive. And in large part we make our logic according to what we like. But not having attained our aim and continuing to live is cowardice. This is a thin dangerous line. To die without gaining one's aim IS a dog's death and fanaticism. But there is no shame in this. This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai. If by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be withour blame, and he will succeed in his calling."
-Hagakure, the book of the samurai
"One who is supposed to be a warrior considers it his formost concern to keep death in mind at all times, every day and every night, from the morning of New Year's Day through the night of New Year's Eve. As long as you keep death in mind at all times, you will also fulfill the ways of loyalty and familial duty. You will also avoid myriad evils and calamities, you will be physically sound and healthy, and you will live a long life. What is more, your character will improve and your virtue will grow. If you realize that the life that is here today is not certain on the morrow, then when you take your orders from your employer, and when you look in on your parents, you will have the sense that this may be the last time- so you can not fail to become truly attentive to your employer and your parents. When your forget death and become inattentive, you are not circumspect about things. You may say something offensive to someone and get into an argument. You may challenge something you might as well have ignored, and get into a quarrel. Or you may stroll about in resorts where you have no business, not avoiding the crowds, when you might bump into some oaf and get into an unexpected brawl. You could lose your own life, get your employer bad publicity, and cause you parents and siblings difficulties. All this trouble comes from inattentiveness when you fail to keep death in mind."
"How to keep death in mind? The idea is to take care of your public and private duties day and night, and then whenever you have any free time when your mind is unoccupied, you think of death, bringing it to mind attentively. It is said that in the great hero Kusunoki Masashige's instructions to his son Masayuki, he told him the "always get use to death."
"This is for understanding of neophyte knights."
- Code of the Samurai