Friday, June 13, 2014

A Samurai’s Creed


A Samurai’s Creed
Anonymous, Circa 1300


I have no parents; 
I make the heaven and earth my mother and father.
 
I have no home; 
I make awareness my dwelling.
 
I have no life and 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 lightning 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 miracle.

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. 

No comments: