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Overview
In eighteenth-century Japan, Tsunetomo Yamamoto created the Hagakure, a document that served as the basis for samurai warrior behavior. Its guiding principles greatly influenced the Japanese ruling class and shaped the underlying character of the Japanese psyche, from businessmen to soldiers. Bushido is the first English translation of this work. It provides a powerful message aimed at the mind and spirit of the samurai warrior. With Bushido, one can better put into perspective Japan’s historical path.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780757050268 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Square One Publishers |
| Publication date: | 06/20/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Sales rank: | 798,474 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
About the Author
Tsunetomo Yamamoto, a highly respected samurai warrior, renounced the world and retired to a hermitage in 1700. There, a disciple recorded Yamamoto’s thoughts on what it meant to be a Japanese warrior. His work, the Hagakure, served as the basis of Bushido.
Read an Excerpt
Bushido
The Way of the Samurai
By Tsunetomo Yamamoto
Square One Publishers
Copyright © 2001
Square One Publishers
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7570-0026-3
Chapter One BOOK ONE
The Essence of Bushido
I have found the essence of Bushido: to die! In other words, when you have a choice between life and death, then always choose death: this is all that you must remember. It is neither troublesome nor difficult. You have only to go on with a clenched stomach. Any other ideas are unnecessary and futile.
"If you die before you hit your target, then it will be the death of a dog." If you say this, then your attitude is the Kamigata of Bushido. It is a very vain and calculating attitude at its best.
But if you are forced, then it is impossible for you to make the right choice between life and death. It goes without saying that every person would prefer to live rather than to die. Accordingly, people will try to rationalize for the choice of life. If you make the choice of life and do not hit the target, you will be called a coward. Before you make the choice, realize what a critical position you are in. On the other hand, if you but make the choice of death and fail to hit the target, your body will eventually die but no shame will come to you. No shame will come to you even though you will be regarded as crazy and as dying like a dog.
This is the essence of Bushido. In order to master this essence, you must die anew, every morning and every night. If you continually preserve the state of death in everyday life, you will understand the essence of Bushido, and you will gain freedom in Bushido. Then you will be able to fulfill your duty to the offices of the household of the Lord without a mistake and for the rest of your life.
Two Ways of Thinking
There are some who can spontaneously come up with good ideas; this is done through natural gift. There are others who can form ideas only after pillow-breaking speculation in bed. There is a difference in speed according to individual natures. But if you refer to the four vows (in the introductory essay) and think freely from your own personal interest, then miraculously good ideas will occur to you.
We take it for granted that effective, problem-solving thinking requires deep thought. This is not necessarily true. The truth is, if you base your thinking upon your selfish desires, the working of your mind is reduced to the working of a malicious intellect. No wonder your ideas end up as being selfish and evil.
It is usual for the fool not to be able to transcend thinking based on "I." But after all, in the face of a big problem, you cannot be wide of the mark if you only set aside "I" and then press the four vows upon your heart.
Two Methods of Criticism
It is of utmost importance to admonish others with the intention of helping them overcome their faults. It is an act of compassion and the first requirement of your service. The way of advising others must be carried out with utmost care and caution. It is quite easy to see good and evil in others. It is equally as easy to criticize others. Most people think it is an act of kindness to say what others do not like or hesitate to hear. But they give up if their advice is not accepted; they stop here, but this is quite ineffective. The result is that they put others to shame, which is the same as abuse or insult. They speak only to relieve their own hearts.
In giving advice, you must recognize whether the other person is inclined to accept it or not. You must begin by getting on intimate terms with him; you must do this to the extent that he places his confidence in you, and you in him. Then he can put his trust in your words. Attract his attention by way of common interests. Devise appropriate ways of speaking and know the right season (time) to speak. Make the most of personal correspondence. Insinuate your point into the words you deliver at the time of farewell. Refer to your own weakness and failures. You would do well to let him discover your point without directly mentioning his weakness. First praise his merits or strong points and cheer up his mood. Devise means to bring about the circumstances in which he will accept your implied or intended advice. In other words, if you make him feel thirsty, he will want to drink. This way of admonition is advice in the true sense of the word. It is exceptionally difficult to practice.
Through my own experience, I have also learned that many faults and weakness have been so ingrained that it is not possible to break out of these bad habits by ordinary efforts.
It is quite in keeping with compassion that colleagues should unite together in the common cause of service. Then they can admonish each other from their own point of view. This should be done on a confidential basis. When all colleagues put their "souls" together and correct each other's disgressions, this leads to an act of compassion for all sentient beings.
How can you reform others if you disgrace them?
How to Stop Yawning
It is rude to yawn in the faces of other people. If by chance you begin to yawn, stroke your forehead and then your yawn should stop. If this does not work, then lap your lips with the tongue without opening your mouth. Or you might yawn behind your sleeve or apply your hand to your mouth so as to hide the yawning from view.
This is also true of sneezing, which makes you look silly and foolish.
Foresight in Relationships
On the previous night, make your plans for the next day and write them down. This is the method of disposing of affairs in advance of others.
Before making a visit, one should make inquiries about everything concerning the other party. Also, one should make a mental note of the ways of greeting and the topics of conversation.
When you are told to accompany the Lord, or when you visit others yourself for a talk, consider the character of the host before you begin. This is the way to bring about compatibility and good manners.
If you attend an exclusive samurai's party and feel timid, you cannot do your part in making it a successful party. You had first better prepare by convincing yourself that you will have a grand time. And you should feel grateful for the invitation.
At any rate, apart from business, you'd better not go where you are not invited. If you are invited, play the part of the finest guest. This is the thing! Come up with the previously calculated image of the party. To know what manners to use is most important.
You also have to choose the right time to leave. Leave before you bore others, but don't leave too early.
When you take part in a feast, don't be too modest about the food; this will displease the host. After saying "no thank you" once or twice, accept what is offered. This is the case when you pay a casual visit and are detained.
Samurais of Satori and Non-Satori
Samurais of satori and non-satori are referred to in a book on tactics. The former is one who, after going through a crisis, makes the most of his experience; he is also the one who can use his forethought to quickly settle problems in case of an emergency. Accordingly, we call samurais of satori those who can come to conclusions before meeting tens of thousands of matters.
Non-satori samurais might be able to come up with a make-shift solution, but this is achieved merely through good luck.
Those who do not scrutinize everything before the events occur may justly be called samurais of non-satori.
If the Water Is Clear No Fish Will Live
I hear that some samurai is preaching thrift. He is fussy and fastidious and feminine with his preaching. This is not desirable.
It sometimes happens that, if the water is too clear, then the fish will no longer dwell there. When there are algae and water plants, fish can safely grow by hiding behind the plants. As long as people overlook matters, then inferiors can, without any fear, lead an easy and peaceful life. You must know this as far as your personal conduct is concerned.
The Marrow of Service
Looking at today's samurais, they are all keeping their eyes on lower objectives. Their eyes are like the eyes of pickpockets. For the most part, they strive for their own mercenary aims or they merely display their cunning shrewdness; or, when it comes to those apparently self-composed samurais, they are just posers.
In order to deserve the name of samurai, you must offer your life to the service of your Lord. You must become a ghost after the completion of a frenzied death. You must always keep the Lord's affairs in mind. You also must report to the Lord about affairs that you have arranged. Then you can help to lay a firm foundation for the state.
There is no difference in the amount of service between high and low. So you ought to sit tightly on this understanding.
You must prepare yourself not to digress from this practice of constant service even if you are exhorted to do so by the oracles of the gods or of the Buddha.
The Use of Onlookers
While disliking injustice, it is very difficult to carry out acts of justice. Also, more mistakes arise if you think that to adhere to justice is always the best way. There is a higher way than mere justice. Indeed, it is difficult to find this way. We may call this way "the use of a higher, wiser intellect." Seen through this higher, wiser intellect, justice looks thinner and without much substance. Yet, you cannot attain this higher wisdom until you personally learn it through your own experience. But, if you cannot come across this way, there is a method to obtain this higher wisdom: to consult with others.
Even those who themselves have not achieved this way can still look at others' affairs from the side, objectively.
Thus people say "onlookers see more than players." They say you must find your own faults through speculation. But the best way, of course, is to consult others. To listen to others talk and to read books is necessary in order to keep close to the learning of the previous generation.
You must throw away your own judgment.
High Upon High
An old, retired swordsman once said, "There are levels in the course of mastery throughout your life. At the lowest level of skill and ability, one thinks of himself and others as poor. He thinks this because he has mastered only a little. Needless to say, a person at this level is not at all useful.
"At the middle level, one is still useless, but he can at least understand that he and others have mastered only a little.
"At a high level, since a person has made something his own, he is proud of his accomplishment. And he is also glad of the praise of others. He grieves over the shortcomings of others. This kind of person is at least useful."
At a higher level, one pretends to know nothing, yet others understand that he holds an upper hand. The majority of people cannot get beyond this level.
Beyond this higher level, there is one further step: the level of the trackless road. If you travel deeper into the trackless road, infinite secrets will finally appear. Then you can never see the end of your mastery. Then you truly realize how lacking you are. You have only to go ahead with your intention of mastery in mind. You go forward without pride and without humility.
Yagyu (a swordsman who taught the Shogun himself) once said, "I know nothing about how to win over others. I only know the way to win over myself."
Your life is something you build every day. You must convince yourself that you have surpassed yesterday. And tomorrow you must feel that you have surpassed today. In this way there is no end to your mastery.
Think Lightly on Serious Matters
A note by Naoshige reads, "Think of serious matters in a light manner." A footnote to this item by Ittei Ishida (a scholar attached to the Nabeshima clan) is as follows: "Think of trifles in an earnest and thoughtful way."
There are only a few considerations that are serious for you. You can make your decision about these few serious matters beforehand in ordinary circumstances. Accordingly, you previously think about these serious matters and then you have only to take out the previously arrived at conclusions when you need them. On the other hand, if you are not prepared, then it will be difficult to think lightly of grave matters when you meet with occasions on which you have to make an instant decision. At such a time you will be unable to hit the mark.
Therefore, to make your own ground firm is the basis for making your decisions.
The above is the basis of the saying "Think of grave matters in a light fashion."
People You Can Trust At an official inquiry about a certain samurai's advancement, it was about to be decided that he should not be promoted because he had been an alcoholic.
Before the decision was made, someone spoke up, "If you abandon those who have made blunders, you cannot hope to make great people out of them. And since they are sorry for their failures, they will try to make up for them. So they will prove more useful later on. Therefore, this man must be promoted."
Another samurai asked, "Do you sponsor him?"
"Of course I do," was the reply.
Everyone asked, "On what grounds do you sponsor him?"
"I sponsor him because he is one who once made a mistake. Those who have never made a mistake are in danger."
Eventually, the samurai was promoted to a higher post.
The Thinking Process
It is not good to keep your own house. After exerting a make-shift effort, it is a mistake to look wise on the level of a definite conclusion. First try to get hold of a seed of thought firmly and see to it that the seed will ripen to bear fruit; all your life, you must never stop. Yet it is out of the question to think of any one thought or pattern of thought that you have come across as coming up to the final level. You must try to reject every way as unsatisfactory. You must go on with your mastery; you must seek, as long as you live, to attain the right way. You must keep your mind from resting easy. Within such efforts is hidden the right way itself.
Models to Imitate
Ittei Ishida, a clan scholar, once remarked, "Even a bad calligraphy (handwriting) will be fairly improved if a good model is used for imitation."
This is true of servants, too. If you follow after good servants, you will naturally become a good one, too. But it is true that today there is not a good servant to model after. Since there is no individual who is perfect all by himself, you had better take one good, strong point from each person to use as your model. In other words, you decide to learn good manners from A; courage from B; oratory from C; good conduct from D; integrity from E; quick determination from F; etc. In this way, you can construct one good model out of individual merits.
As far as the tens of thousands of arts are concerned, students tend to imitate their master's weak points rather than his strong points. This is useless. There may be a person who has good manners but lacks honesty. You are likely to imitate and learn the lack of honesty and pay no attention to his good manners.
If your eye is able enough to see good qualities in others who are apparently inferior to you, then they can be your masters, even though they have their shortcomings as well.
The Puppet Show World
The Japanese word is "maboroshi," which means "vision" or "dream-like state." In India, they name masters of magic as vision-creators. In the world, everything is like a puppet. Therefore, we use "maboroshi."
Conduct at the Wine Feast
A great many samurais fall into disgrace due to heavy drinking. A thousand pities!
First measure your capacity, and keep yourself in check. But you may sometimes find yourself drinking too much. Above all, be on guard all the while that you are imbibing wine. Keep yourself prepared to cope with the settlement of unexpected accidents. Remember that the wine feast is a matter of the public world. There are too many eyes present at the feast. You must be cautious.
The Use of the High Spirit
When you go to look after one who has suffered misfortune, one word is of utmost importance because your inner person may be known by that single word.
At all events, samurais are not good when they are worn and dispirited. Samurais are useless unless they have the spirit to rise above the sea (of troubles and difficulties). This spirit can encourage other samurais.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Bushido by Tsunetomo Yamamoto Copyright © 2001 by Square One Publishers. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Foreword
Historical Overview
Hagakure
Transcriber’s Preface
Author’s Introduction
Book One
The Essence of Bushido
Two Ways of Thinking
Two Methods of Criticism
How to Stop Yawning
Foresight in Relationships
Samurais of Satori and Non-Satori
If the Water Is Clear No Fish Will Live
The Marrow of Service
The Use of Onlookers
High Upon High
Think Lightly on Serious Matters
People You Can Trust
The Thinking Process
Models to Imitate
The Puppet Show World
Conduct at the Wine Feast
The Use of the High Spirit
Lesson From the Heavy Rain
The Winner’s Spirit
Bringing Up Samurai Children
Arts and Crafts
Groundless Suffering
Testing Your Friend’s Loyalty
Good and Evil
Discharging Servants
On the Men of Learning
Burn With Mad Death
The Samurai Superintendent Officer
Passing the First Barrier
“My Master Is Human and So Am I”
Making Important Decisions
The Liked and the Disliked
Conceal Your Wisdom
Fall Seven Times and Get Up Eight
Talk to Your Inferiors
How to Excel Above Others
Bushido Alone Is the Way
Honor and Wealth
On Homosexuality
How to Conduct Yourself
Spiritual Vigor
The “Death” of Yamamoto
The Samurai Ideal of the Handsome Man
Consulting Others
Under Forty
How to Acquire Talented People
Expressing the Spirit
Giving and Receiving Advice
Accomplishment in the Arts and Crafts
Book Two
Persuasion Tactics
“Yes” Men
How to Treat Your Superiors
On Serious Thoughts
A Little Learning
How to Get Useful Ideas
Father’s Favorite Sayings
A Samurai Esprit de Corps
The Present and the Past
Make the Best of Each Occasion
O What a Vain World
Handling Negative Feelings
Samurai’s Toilette
At the Conference
Deny the Gods if They Stand in Your Way
Human Life Is Trivial
You Cannot Tell Your Own Ability
Dignity
Don’t Despise the “Upstarts”
Keeping a Respectful Distance
Weigh Your Words
Two Kinds of People
Defeating Yourself by Victory
On Visiting Others
Analogy of the Sword
Talent and the Times
Listening to Veterans
Drop Out Completely
Samurais: Men of Action
The Family Grant
On Servants
A Koan on the Art of Homosexuality
The Connection Game
On the Spur of Madness
Handling Difficulties
On Dreams
The Samurai Ideal of Love
Book Three
Collapsing House
Story of the Thwarted Ghosts
Book Four
Four Kinds of Samurai
Saving Face
Book Five
Humility of the Lord
Book Six
Compassion and Courage
Book Seven
To Kill
The Loyal Samurai Cook
To Win Is to Overcome Yourself
The Essence of Service
A Story Concerning Lord Tsunashige
Book Eight
About Kichinosuke Shida
About the Promotion of Ichiemon Kuno
How to Restore the Clan After It Collapses
Cut Down the Gods if They Stand in Your Way
Two Kinds of Samurais
Book Nine
A Samurai and His Adulterous Wife
Book Ten
How Not to Get Nervous
How to Win in a Debate
Book Eleven
Do Not Turn Your Back on the Enemy
Do Not Learn Strategy
Some Hints for Arguing
On Victory
How to Win in the Long Run
Success and Failure
Die Every Morning in Advance
To Be Taciturn
Social Appearance
A Story Concerning Family Honor
On Governing
Footnotes
Glossary
Index
Preface
Author’s Introduction
A Quiet Talk by Night
As a retainer to this Nabeshima clan, you must devote yourself toward the studies of your own country.1 But now, the need for this study has dropped from the eye of every samurai.
The general drift of clan studies is to trace the history of a particular clan back to its foundation. By following the general drift, we can credit the present prosperity of our household to its founders: To the benevolent and courageous mind of Gochyu;2 To the deeds and faith of Riso.3 For, by their virtue appeared (was born) Takanobu4 and Nippo Nabeshima.5 Due to their power and authority, our clan has been prosperous and secure, and it has had no equal up to the present time.
The samurais of this clan have completely forgotten to uphold this kind of cause. Instead, they value Buddhas belonging to other places. I, for my own part, am quite dissatisfied with this fact, since Confucius, Buddha, Kusunaki,6 and Shingen7 have never served our clan. It is needless to say that their teachings must inevitably fall short of the manners and customs of our own tradition.
Both at the time of plain clothes (peace) and the time of helmets and armor (war), it is sufficient for both high and low to revere the founders and their offspring so we can learn from their examples. Then we (present samurais of the clan) will be able to manage everything without fail.
As people are supposed to revere their respective idols and their principal images in their own way,8 then, as far as serving the Nabeshima clan is concerned, there is no need to learn any other branch of knowledge (other than the studies of our clan) at any other place.
Once you have mastered the practices and habits of our own clan, you may learn other ways as a pastime, for your own amusement. But, when you come to think of it, there is not a problem that cannot be solved with the help of this knowledge (of our own clan).
Those who neglect this study of our own country would not be able to give a word of reply to such questions (asked) by members of other clans, as: “What is the history of the Nabeshima clan?” or, “How was your clan established?” or, “You have been reputed to be the best spear-thrusters (warrior-samurais) in Japan; but what are the details of your distinguished military service?”
The duty of each member who serves this house is none other than that he should carry out his respective, official responsibility. However, most of the members, on the contrary, may find pleasure in other topics and dislike their own office. Consequently, they put the cart before the horse and blunder grossly.
The good examples of service are Nippo and Katsushige, the first Lord. During their time (of rule), each subject applied himself to performing his own duty. From the high, they sought for useful subjects; from the low, the samurais were eager to be of service. In this manner, the minds of the Lords and those of the samurais were connected; for this reason, the power of the household was cumulative and grew great.
The efforts, pains, and labor on the part of Nippo were too much to tell. He cut a bloody trail and frequently made himself ready for harakiri.9 But, by some wondrous chance, he finally succeeded in making his household stand on its own.
Likewise, Katsushige (later the first Lord) met with an occasion in which he came very close to harakiri; but he finally became the first Lord. He, in person, took the lead in the working of bow and arrow; the rule of the samurais in the house; the government of the country; and the administration of strategy points (fortresses). He even organized miscellaneous duties. He firmly believed in Buddha and the gods. After his retirement, he sat among wastepaper for the rest of his life and wrote a book. He said, “If I think little of the household that Nippo established, it would be quite irresponsible of me. I must take care that it goes on prosperously for the generations to come.
“Now that the time is peaceful and quiet, our society is on its way to becoming luxurious; it is unprepared for the ways of bow and arrow; it is becoming proud. Accordingly, there arise many blunders: the high and the low both get hard up, and this is a discredit to the clan both within and without. These kinds of blunders will undermine and overthrow the house.
“The veteran samurais have died out. The youth follow the trend of this day alone. So, if I could hand down something in writing, perhaps they might learn the tradition and the spirit of this clan by referring to the book.”
Of course, the book was intended to be a secret one. But I (i.e., the author of Hagakure) have heard elders speak about this book. The rumor is that it is a book on tactics called Kachikuchi (The Key to Victory) and it was orally passed on at the time of inheritance.
It is also said that two other books, Shichokakuchisho and Senkosan’iki10 were handed down, firsthand.
Katsushige also made notes on the following: on the customs of the house and on the disposition of affairs with the Shogunate (central government). He also made detailed rules about home administration. Boundless efforts they were! By his merits, the house can enjoy today’s security and everything looks quite auspicious.
Therefore, and this may sound very disrespectful, the present Lord (the fourth Lord, Yoshishige), by reminding himself of the endeavors and pains of the founder, Naoshige, and the first Lord, Katsushige, and also, by at least perusing the writings he inherited, would do well to strengthen his resolution to govern the state earnestly.
Since he has been flattered and indulged as a young Lord (successor) and has experienced no hardship and trials and has no knowledge of his own clan, and tends to have his own way in everything and neglects his own duty (as a Lord), a lot of unnecessary reformations have taken place in the last few years. The establishment of the clan has been weakened. Taking advantage of this situation, shrewd and smart people with competitive minds, but without experience, have devised many ideas so as to insinuate themselves into the favor of the Lord, ideas whereby they act important and do what they like arbitrarily and make a mess of things. Here are some examples of the mess they have created: strife between the three branch families; establishment of new offices next in rank to the Chief Retainer’s;11 employment of members of other clans; changes in the organization of the reserve samurais; exchange of residences; newly appointed elders corresponding in rank to the relatives of the Lord’s family; the demolition of the villa, Koyoken, that Lord Katsushige constructed; revision of the criminal code; rearrangement of the status of shrines and temples; building of a new villa; reckless change in the formation of light-legged soldiers; arrangement and disposition of equipment; the destruction of the west villa, etc.
Every item is a failure as a result of the Lord’s attempt to bring these new-fangled matters into effect. But, thanks to the firm establishment on the part of the founders, no instance of misrule has ever shaken the foundation (of our clan).
If only both the high and the low remain faithful to the directions of Lord Naoshige and Katsushige, the clan will be strongly and peacefully organized and governed in such a way that every member feels content, no matter how clumsily affairs may be carried on.
There has not been a foolish Lord in the clan, nor an evil Lord. And each has been counted as one of the best Lords in Japan. This is a miraculously fortunate family, thanks to the faith of each Lord.
No samurai has ever been driven out of this land; no outsiders have ever been accepted (or employed). Even if they (our samurais) did ronin,12 they were allowed to stay within the territory. And the sons and grandsons of samurais who were told to do harakiri were also allowed residence in this land.
Since you are born through some wondrous chance into the clan in which benevolence and loyalty are very deep, everyone—to say nothing of the farmers and merchants—is greatly indebted to the clan beyond any verbal description.
In view of this fact, be firmly resolved to offer yourself in your service so that you can make up for the favor (privilege) of being a member of this clan. And if the Lord patronizes you, prove yourself useful by throwing away your self-mind. Even if you are ordered to do either ronin or harakiri, take it as a form of service and convince yourself that you shall inevitably die and be born again out of the depths of the mountains or from under the ground only in order to work for the clan. This is the first requirement of the Nabeshima samurais and the pith and marrow of us.
It is indeed inadequate for a monk [bonze], which I now am, to say that I have never looked forward to Nirvana.13 Only it is deeply engrained in my liver that I should be born again into this Nabeshima clan every time I have another incarnation so that I can do service to this clan.
For Nabeshima samurais, no spirit and no talent is necessary so long as you have the ambition to shoulder the whole clan by yourself, so to speak, to carry the burden alone, if necessary.
Can any individual be inferior to another individual? You cannot carry out your mastery (of service) if you are not proud. Your mastery will not bear fruit if you don’t go about with the intention of securing the house on your own.
Perhaps, like hot water in a kettle, your resolution may become cooler. There is a way to keep it hot. Our unique vows are:
1. Never lag behind in the practice of Bushido.
2. Always be loyal and devoted in the service to your Lord.
3. Do your duty to your parents.
4. Stir up your compassion for all sentient beings in order to devote yourself to the service of others.
These are the keys. Recite these four vows while praying to the gods and Buddha. Then you will not run backwards, but you will be able to double your power and energy. You will go ahead inch by inch like a measuring worm. Even the Buddha and the gods decided on vows before they initiated their pursuits.
