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A Samurai Warrior's Creed

Submitted by Koyaanisqatsi on Sun, 06/17/2007 - 07:33.
I have no parents--I make the heavens and earth my parents.
I have no home--I make awareness my home.
I have no life or death--I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
I have no divine power--I make honesty my divine power.
I have no means--I make understanding my means.
I have no magic secrets--I make character my magic secret.
I have no body--I make endurance my body.
I have no eyes--I make the flash of lightening my eyes.
I have no ears--I make sensibility my ears.
I have no limbs--I make promptness my limbs.
I have no strategy--I make "unshadowed by thought" my strategy.
I have no designs--I make "seizing opportunity by the forelock" my design.
I have no miracles--I make right-action my miracles.
I have no principles--I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
I have no tactics--I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
I have no talents--I make ready wit my talent.
I have no friends--I make my mind my friend.
I have no enemy--I make carelessness my enemy.
I have no armor--I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
I have no castle--I make immovable-mind my castle.
I have no sword--I make absence of self my sword.

~ Anonymous Samurai, fourteenth century


Found in The Book of Runes. Ralph H. Blum, St. Martin's Press, NY, 1993
Picture of <em>Bridget Algiere</em>

Abbreviated Bushido

-Benevolence

-Bravery

-Filial Piety

-Honesty

-Honor

-Right Decision

-Loyalty

-Respect

-Wisdom / Intellect / Reason / Knowledge (these four words come the closest to describing one character)

"The only thing constant in life is change" -François de la Rochefoucauld

Picture of <em>shaman sun</em>

Awesome

Great post! I have always enjoyed the writings of the samurai, from Hagakure to Musashi's Book of Five Rings. :)