excerpt i found interesting
"The difficulty here is that one cannot see purity of the heart with the eyes. it must be sensed as one recognizes the presence of a kindred spirit. how many times does a person observe some social nicety- perhaps the holding of a door, the offering of some minor generosity or the expression of a diferential sentiment- only to have the other plow past it, oblivious to its very existence? these people, according to the master's teachings, are to be pitied, for they rarely raise their snouts from the trough long enough to appreciate the subtlety of the world that exists just beyond the ambit of their limited preception.
Then there are those who simply accept such noble tendencies in others without any thought of reciprocity, seeing them as a convenient peculiarity. these people are to be avoided, for they are the parasites that drain the lifeblood from a modus vivendi and a code of conduct allready on the brink of extinction. finaly, there are those who reject such ways entirely, actively embracing an egocentric, grasping and adversarial approach to life, these people are to be watched closely, for it is they with whom the warrior is most likely to have to do battle. however impressive the walls such people have erected around their position may be, their defenses must eventually collapse, for they have no foundation.
purity of heart is a hard Way. it promises no pay-off, at least in any pragmatic sense of the term, it does not make sense from a cost-benefit point-of-view. it is not lucrative, glamorous or often even enjoyable. it can drain rather than supplement one's resources. it is likely to make the adherent less popular, at least with the majority, not more. it will certainly cut into one's free time. it is the impulse to clean up litter you did not leave; to befriend the one whom no one else will; to pay a bill that is not your own; to take the time to talk with a friend or acquaintance in need on the telephone, or in person, when you would much rather be at home with your family, or somewhere else or simply relaxing.
for every one such idealist, there are legions of realists or pragatists or egotists or worse. the pure of heart are therefore likely to remain unidentified, under appreciated and exploited the vast majority of the time. but once in a very great while, perhaps in one of a thousand encounters, there will come a fellow traveler. like emigres reunited in a distant land, an enduring bond will form. an instantaneous understanding will take hold. and a kinshop that can rarely be broken will quicken..."
-kishido by peter hobart
just a passage i realy liked.
Then there are those who simply accept such noble tendencies in others without any thought of reciprocity, seeing them as a convenient peculiarity. these people are to be avoided, for they are the parasites that drain the lifeblood from a modus vivendi and a code of conduct allready on the brink of extinction. finaly, there are those who reject such ways entirely, actively embracing an egocentric, grasping and adversarial approach to life, these people are to be watched closely, for it is they with whom the warrior is most likely to have to do battle. however impressive the walls such people have erected around their position may be, their defenses must eventually collapse, for they have no foundation.
purity of heart is a hard Way. it promises no pay-off, at least in any pragmatic sense of the term, it does not make sense from a cost-benefit point-of-view. it is not lucrative, glamorous or often even enjoyable. it can drain rather than supplement one's resources. it is likely to make the adherent less popular, at least with the majority, not more. it will certainly cut into one's free time. it is the impulse to clean up litter you did not leave; to befriend the one whom no one else will; to pay a bill that is not your own; to take the time to talk with a friend or acquaintance in need on the telephone, or in person, when you would much rather be at home with your family, or somewhere else or simply relaxing.
for every one such idealist, there are legions of realists or pragatists or egotists or worse. the pure of heart are therefore likely to remain unidentified, under appreciated and exploited the vast majority of the time. but once in a very great while, perhaps in one of a thousand encounters, there will come a fellow traveler. like emigres reunited in a distant land, an enduring bond will form. an instantaneous understanding will take hold. and a kinshop that can rarely be broken will quicken..."
-kishido by peter hobart
just a passage i realy liked.