The Way of the Warrior (Bushido)

There are few men that can respond to the question, "What is the Way of the Warrior?" This is because they do not know in their hearts.  From this we can see they do not follow the Way of the Warrior.  By the Way of the Warrior is meant death.   The Way of the Warrior is death.  This means choosing death whenever there is a choice between life and death.  It means nothing more than this.  It means to see things through, being resolved.  Saying things like, "To die with your intentions unrealized is to die uselessly", and so on, are from the weak Kyoto. Osaka Bushido.  They are unresolved as to whether to keep to their original plan when faced with the choice of life and death.  Every man wants to live.  They theorize with staying alive kept in mind, "The man who lives on when he has failed in his intention is a coward" is a heartless definition. That to die having failed is to die uselessly is a mad point of view.  This is not a shameful thing.  It is the most important thing in the Way of the Warrior.  If you keep your spirit correct from morning to night, accustomed to the idea of death and being resolved on death, and consider yourself as a dead body, thus becoming one with the Way of the Warrior, you can pass through life with no possibility of failure and perform your office properly.

"The servant must think earnestly of the business of his employer.  Such a fellow is a splendid retainer.  In this house there have been generations of splendid gentlemen and we are deeply impressed by their warm kindness... all our ancestors.  This was simply abandoning body and soul for the sake of their lord."

"Moreover, our house excels in wisdom and technical skill.  What a joyful thing if this can be used to advantage."

"Even an unadaptable man who is completely useless is a most trusted retainer if he does nothing more than think earnestly of his lord's welfare.  To think only of the practical benefit of wisdom and technology is vulgar."

"Some men are prone to having sudden inspirations.  Some men do not quickly have good ideas but arrive at the answer by slow considerations.  Well, if we investigate the heart of the matter, even though people's natural abilities differ, bearing in mind the Four Oaths, when your thinking rises above concern for your own welfare, wisdom which is independent of thought appears.  Whoever thinks deeply on things, even though he may carefully consider the future, will usually think around the basis of his own welfare.  By the result of such evil thinking he will perform only evil acts.  It is very difficult for most silly fellows to rise above thinking of their own welfare.

"So when you embark on something, before you start fix your intention on the Four Oaths and put selfishness behind you.  Then you cannot fail."

"The four Oaths: Never be late with respect to the Way of the Warrior.  Be useful to the lord.  Be respectful to your parents.  Get beyond love and grief: exist for the good of man."



14 "Our lord" refers to the "daimyo", who retained numbers of samurai to fight for them.

From "Hidden Leaves" by Yamamoto Tsunenori

Reproduced as a footnote in:
"A Book of Five Rings" by Miyamoto Musashi, 1645
Translated by Victor Harris
The Overlook Press
Woodstock, New York, 1974