Bushido: The Way of the Warrior
May. 5th, 2004 05:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cassy_gThe following was taken from The Last Samurai DVD features disk. I have not studied Bushido, however, whether this is accurate to that lifestyle or not, I feel that these are remarkable and honorable traits to possess.
Note: For those that may not have the ability to read Japanese characters (ie the necessary fonts are not installed), I have converted them into small graphics. I just hope I "spelled" them correctly. :)
Honesty & Justice (gi)
Be acutely honest throughout your dealings with all people. Believe in justice, not from other people, but from yourself. To the true samurai, there are no shades of gray in the question of honesty and justice.
There is only right and wrong.
Polite Courtesy (rei)
Samurai have no reason to be cruel. They do not need to prove their strength. A samurai is courteous even to his enemies. Without this outward showing of respect, we are nothing more than animals.
A samurai is not only respected for his strength in battle, but also by his dealing with other men.
The true strength of a samurai becomes apparent during difficult times.
Heroic Courage (yu)
Rise up above the masses of people who are afraid to act. Hiding like a turtle in a shell is not living at all. A samurai must have heroic courage. It is absolutely risky. It is dangerous. It is living life completely, fully, wonderfully. Heroic courage is not blind. It is intelligent and strong.
Honor (meiyo)
A true samurai has only one judge of honor, and this is himself. Decisions you make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of whom you truly are.
You cannot hide from yourself.
Compassion (jin)
Through intense training the samurai becomes quick and strong. He is not as other men. He develops a power that must be used for the good of all. He has compassion. He helps his fellow man at every opportunity. If an opportunity does not arise, he goes out of his way to find one.
Complete Sincerity (makoto)
When a samurai has said he will perform an action it is as good as done. Nothing will stop him from completing what he has said he will do. He does not have to "give his word". He does not have to "promise".
Speaking and doing are the same action.
Duty & Loyalty (chu)
For the samurai, having done some "thing" or said some "thing", he knows he owns that "thing". He is responsible for it and all the consequences that follow. A samurai is immensely loyal to those in his care. To those he is responsible for, he remains fiercely true.
Note: For those that may not have the ability to read Japanese characters (ie the necessary fonts are not installed), I have converted them into small graphics. I just hope I "spelled" them correctly. :)
Honesty & Justice (gi)Be acutely honest throughout your dealings with all people. Believe in justice, not from other people, but from yourself. To the true samurai, there are no shades of gray in the question of honesty and justice.
There is only right and wrong.
Polite Courtesy (rei)Samurai have no reason to be cruel. They do not need to prove their strength. A samurai is courteous even to his enemies. Without this outward showing of respect, we are nothing more than animals.
A samurai is not only respected for his strength in battle, but also by his dealing with other men.
The true strength of a samurai becomes apparent during difficult times.
Heroic Courage (yu)Rise up above the masses of people who are afraid to act. Hiding like a turtle in a shell is not living at all. A samurai must have heroic courage. It is absolutely risky. It is dangerous. It is living life completely, fully, wonderfully. Heroic courage is not blind. It is intelligent and strong.
Honor (meiyo)A true samurai has only one judge of honor, and this is himself. Decisions you make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of whom you truly are.
You cannot hide from yourself.
Compassion (jin)Through intense training the samurai becomes quick and strong. He is not as other men. He develops a power that must be used for the good of all. He has compassion. He helps his fellow man at every opportunity. If an opportunity does not arise, he goes out of his way to find one.
Complete Sincerity (makoto)When a samurai has said he will perform an action it is as good as done. Nothing will stop him from completing what he has said he will do. He does not have to "give his word". He does not have to "promise".
Speaking and doing are the same action.
Duty & Loyalty (chu)For the samurai, having done some "thing" or said some "thing", he knows he owns that "thing". He is responsible for it and all the consequences that follow. A samurai is immensely loyal to those in his care. To those he is responsible for, he remains fiercely true.
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no subject
Date: 2004-05-05 04:32 pm (UTC)Thank you for sharing some very thought provoking questions for us all to ponder...
no subject
Date: 2004-05-06 03:14 am (UTC)For those who don't know, it's not because of the death, violence, or blood-shed. None of that bothers me. I cried because I saw a great warrior live and die with honor, his words and mission to remind people what their ancestors loved, believed in, fought for, and died for. I saw a man who knew what honor was. I saw a man with no honor, no value, no worth, redeem himself and learn not only what it is to be honorable, but to truly live. This was a masterpiece and any who want to see what honor is, what courage is, and what commitment is, there is no better movie of our time. This truly rivals "Shogun" for it's portrail of these virtues.
no subject
Date: 2004-05-06 06:42 am (UTC)That few lived up to these ideals (much like knights and the code of chivalry throughout Europe) is not the point, the point is to strive for these things and these virtues are very good ones to have in one's life, especially today. In my mind we don't strive for perfection with the expectation of achieving it, we strive for perfection to drive out the complacency that leads to "evil" and to living a virtue-less life. Striving to embody these ideals to the best of one's ability and the transformation it has in one's life is the real reward not actually acheiving perfection.
We need more people trying their best to embody these ideals.
So even though many samurai marauded, raped, pillaged (especially when there was no enemy to fight and the samurai were an idle military force for years that were accustomed to being afforded a higher position in society) there were also many who chose to live by the virtues and principles they devoted their lives to in times of peace as well as in times of war. A good example of this is Yagyu Munenori.
Have you heard of the philosophy of Katsujinken and Satsujinken? If not, you can find a good story and explanation here (http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/kki/1986/jan86/satsujinken/satsujunken.html). It goes into a good deal of Munenori's later life.
Also, as you have me in an Asian philosophy frame of mind, one of the most inspirational things I’ve read pertaining to martial arts is this (http://www.bujinkanatl.com/articles.html) written by Soke Toshitsugu Takamatsu, the 33rd Grandmaster of the art I study.
Thank you for posting this.