I had this idea for a thread where everyone who knows and respects the ettiquetes and/or codes of Samurai should share some valuable knowlegde that may be applied in everyday life. I thought I should start off: Even if it seems certain that you will lose, retailiate. Neither wisdom nor technique has a place in this. A real man does not think of victory or defeat.He plunges wrecklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams. -Hagakure.
Being a huge samurai admirer myself, I shall provide a quote of my own: "As long as it is realized and accepted that warriors must comprehend right and wrong, and strive to do right and avoid wrong, then the way of the warrior is alive." - "Bushido Shoshinsu" or "The Code of the Samurai".
Chuck Norris is actually a legitimately cool guy on many levels. That being said... "True victory is self victory! Day of swift victory!" - Morihei Ueshiba.
"If a man does not investigate into the matter of Bushido daily, it will be difficult for him to die a brave and manly death. Thus, it is essential to engrave this business of the warrior into one's mind well." - Kiyomasa Kato
From Hagakure: "Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when one's body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of one's master. And every day without fail one should consider himself as dead." "The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes to either/or, 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 live. 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 without blame, and he will succeed in his calling. "
You can not try to understand the samurai, unless you first understand japanase myths and legends,i have been trained in all forms of martial art by master ho chi wan, he first taught some of us who were more dedecated to learn, about the myths and legends of Japan, the first was how Japan was formed, according to ledgend, the Japanese islands were created when the divine couple, Izanagi,the male who invites,and izanami,the female who invites, stood on the floating bridge of heaven, and dipped a spear into the ocean below,. as the water dripped from the spear point, it condensed to form the sacred islands of Japan, samurai means to serve, every daimo, had there set of house codes, which spread to there army's,Bushido,(or the way of the warrior), this code dominated all aspects of the samurai's social and personal relationships, the term bu means martial and is derived from Chinese, where the character is read as wu, and it ismentioned in a poem named 'battle' the poem can be interpreted as a guide to the essence of bushido, if i can find the poem i will write it here, for all who are intrested.
"The MORAL LAW causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger." -SUN TZU<The Art of War>
Can anyone here use their own words or does everything have "to be in quote form"? On the Samurai there is reason for their demise yes?
It seems the intent of this was to present samurai wisdom from primary and secondary sources to the tradition. That being said, if you want to present a few quotes of your own, simply note them as such, and present them to us. We'll read.
The Samurai failing to see the writing on the wall for their 'way of life' fell on their own swords; a noble demise perhaps but somewhat pointless. (I think there may be a pun in there somewhere). By the way none of these "quoted" sources are primary as to be so we would have to have direct access to original texts. With such limited references whether they may even be regarded as secondary is questionable.
Sniffy: Actually, the possession of the original manuscripts of many of the Japanese texts is retained to the present day. Hagakure, for instance, was transmitted as a family relic, and I do believe is currently being held in a museum now. Similarly, the other books are translations of authenticate texts. This is not a case where the ravages of time have obscured the sources, but where historical preservation has given us an almost complete record. Consider, also, that most of these sources are under 500 years old, therefore making them much easier to still find compared to, say, an ancient Greek text, which would have up to 2,500 years difference to the present day. Moreover, are you here to argue that the samurai met a pointless end? For you shall note that the samurai did not care about death with a point, simply death in practice of bushido.
My point and I shall sharpen it here is that a website quotation cannot claim to be a primary source nor even a secondary one unless it contains references. I could say for instance: Samurai obsession with ritualistic death points to pathalogical dysfunction perpetuated by tribal insularity and control. If I then add quotation marks it starts to take on an air of legitimacy: "Samurai obsession with ritualistic death points to pathalogical dysfunction perpetuated for centuries by tribal insularity and control." Sionara
Sniffy: Would you like the publication info for my copies? Or verifications of the translations used by others through recourse of my published copies? For almost all the books we are here being discussed are currently in print by many legitimate publishers.
Sniffy: Here is one that I had near my computer at the time: "Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke". Translated by Thomas Cleary. Published by Tuttle Martial Arts (Tuttle Publishing). Boston. 1999.
