What does it mean to be a warrior in these modern times?
Moreheiba Ueshiba asserts that “solving problems before they form is the way of the warrior.” To look beyond the mediocrity of the material world and see the beauty of what is there is true warriorship. Seeing the miracle of life around you and knowing the divine nature of it is true warriorship. Showing kindness, respect, humility and being mindful is also being a true warrior. Learning to forgive is the pinnacle of becoming a true warrior.
Being a warrior is not about how many battles you have won or how much knowledge you have of combat. As Sun Tzu wrote “Those who win by fighting are not truly skilled. Truly skilled are those who win without fighting.” Becoming a skilled fighter and winning every conflict will mean nothing if you allow life to defeat you at every point. Living your life in grace and happiness does not need to be a battle either. Being the way allows us to leave this type of ob- session behind, so we can live life the way it was meant to be.
THE EIGHT VIRTUES OF THE SAMURAI
The word samurai originally meant “one who serves.”
THE BUSHIDO CODE
Though some scholars have criticized Nitobe’s work as romanticized yearning for a non-existent age of chivalry, there’s no question that his work builds on extraordinary thousand-year-old precepts of manhood that originated in chivalrous behavior on the part of some, though certainly not all, samurai. What today’s readers may find most enlightening about Bushido is the emphasis on compassion, benevolence, and the other non-martial qualities of true manliness. Here are Bushido’s Eight Virtues as explicated by Nitobe:
I. Rectitude or Justice
Bushido refers not only to martial rectitude, but to personal rectitude: Rectitude or Justice, is the strongest virtue of Bushido. A well-known samurai defines it this way: ‘Rectitude is one’s power to decide upon a course of conduct in accordance with reason, without wavering; to die when to die is right, to strike when to strike is right.’ Another speaks of it in the following terms: ‘Rectitude is the bone that gives firmness and stature. Without bones the head cannot rest on top of the spine, nor hands move nor feet stand. So without Rectitude neither talent nor learning can make the human frame into a samurai.’
II. Courage
Bushido distinguishes between bravery and courage: Courage is worthy of being counted among virtues only if it’s exercised in the cause of Righteousness and Rectitude. In his Analects, Confucius says: ‘Perceiving what is right and doing it not reveals a lack of Courage.’ In short, ‘Courage is doing what is right.’
III. Benevolence or Mercy
A man invested with the power to command and the power to kill was expected to demonstrate equally extraordinary powers of benevolence and mercy: Love, magnanimity, affection for others, sympathy and pity, are traits of Benevolence, the highest attribute of the human soul. Both Confucius and Mencius often said the highest requirement of a ruler of men is Benevolence.
IV. Politeness
Discerning the difference between obsequiousness and politeness can be difficult for casual visitors to Japan, but for a true man, courtesy is rooted in benevolence: Courtesy and good manners have been noticed by every foreign tourist as distinctive Japanese traits. But Politeness should be the expression of a benevolent regard for the feelings of others; it’s a poor virtue if it’s motivated only by a fear of offending good taste. In its highest form Politeness approaches love.
V. Honesty and Sincerity
True samurai, according to author Nitobe, disdained money, believing that “men must grudge money, for riches hinder wisdom.” Thus children of high-ranking samurai were raised to believe that talking about money showed poor taste, and that ignorance of the value of different coins showed good breeding: Bushido encouraged thrift, not for economical reasons so much as for the exercise of abstinence. Luxury was thought the greatest menace to manhood, and severe simplicity was required of the warrior class … the counting machine and abacus were abhorred.
VI. Honor
Though Bushido deals with the profession of soldiering, it is equally concerned with non-martial behavior: The sense of Honor, a vivid consciousness of personal dignity and worth, characterized the samurai. He was born and bred to value the duties and privileges of his profession. Fear of disgrace hung like a sword over the head of every samurai … To take offense at slight provocation was ridiculed as ‘short-tempered.’ As the popular adage put it: ‘True patience means bearing the unbearable.’
VII. Loyalty
Economic reality has dealt a blow to organizational loyalty around the world. Nonetheless, true men remain loyal to those to whom they are indebted: Loyalty to a superior was the most distinctive virtue of the feudal era. Personal fidelity exists among all sorts of men: a gang of pickpockets swears allegiance to its leader. But only in the code of chivalrous Honor does Loyalty assume paramount importance.
VIII. Character and Self-Control
Bushido teaches that men should behave according to an absolute moral standard, one that transcends logic. What’s right is right, and what’s wrong is wrong. The difference between good and bad and between right and wrong are givens, not arguments subject to discussion or justification, and a man should know the difference. Finally, it is a man’s obligation to teach his children moral standards through the model of his own behavior: The first objective of samurai education was to build up Character. The subtler faculties of prudence, intelligence, and dialectics were less important. Intellectual superiority was esteemed, but a samurai was essentially a man of action. No historian would argue that Hideyoshi personified the Eight Virtues of Bushido throughout his life. Like many great men, deep faults paralleled his towering gifts. Yet by choosing compassion over confrontation, and benevolence over belligerence, he demonstrated ageless qualities of manliness. Today his lessons could not be more timely.
//artofmanliness.com/2008/09/14/the-bushido-code-the-eight-virtues-of-the-samurai/
or this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi27giflX14&feature=BFa&list=LP0u3hH9tQvN8
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it's all starts from our childhood, when our parents teaches us moral standards based as a model of their own behavior. You are right - training the Self takes a lot of effort and time, which comes to - one need to develop Volition to even follow the basic principals - which will lead to self mastery and greater good.
~Namaskar Esshna~
I just translated from spanish part of a document I had about the 7 Bushido Principles, because I couldn't find this version in english, I like it :)
1. GI (Honest/Justice)
Be honest in your deals with everyone. Believe in the justice, but not in the one that come from others, but in yours.
For a real samurai there aren’t shades of gray referring to honesty and justice.
There is only the right and the wrong.
2. YU (Heroic Courage)
Rise above the masses of people that fear to act. Hiding like a tortoise in its shell is not living.
A samurai must have heroic courage. It is really risky, it is dangerous, but without doubt it also is live the life fully, complete, marvelous.
The heroic courage is not blind. It’s smart and strong.
Replace the fear with respect and precaution.
3. JIN (Compassion)
Through an intense training the samurai become fast and strong.
He is not like the rest of the men, because he develops a power that must be used for the good of all.
The samurai must have compassion. The samurai must help his brothers in any chance.
If the chance does not come, he goes out of his way to find it.
4. REI (Politeness)
Being a warrior doesn’t justify the cruelty.
The samurai don’t have a motive to be cruel; they don’t need to show their strength to anyone but themselves.
A samurai must be polite always, especially towards his enemies. Without this direct display of respect towards his opponents, the samurai is not better than the animals.
A samurai is feared by his ferocity in the battle, by is respected by his way of treating others. The authentic interior force of the samurai becomes evident in times of need.
5. MEYO (Honor)
The real samurai only have a judge of his honor, himself.
The decisions he takes and how they are carried out are a reflection of who he really is.
Nobody can hide from himself, and the samurai are not an exception.
6. MAKOTO (Absolute Sincerity)
When a samurai says that he will do something, it is as if it were already done.
Nothing in this world will stop in the realization of what he has said he will do.
He doesn’t have to give his word. He doesn’t have to promise. The simple act of talk has set in motion the act of doing.
“Talk” and “doing” are, for a samurai, the same action.
7. CHUGO (Duty and Loyalty)
For the samurai, the fact of have said "something", means that that "something" belongs to him. He is responsible of it and of all the consequences that follow.
A samurai is intensely loyal to those he cares. For those for which he is responsible, he remains fiercely loyal.
The words of a samurai are like his footsteps: you can follow them wherever he goes, so the samurai must be careful with the path that he follows.
Thanks Solarkid ... , simple - however this principles requires some self-discipline, i think that's why people like to complicated things, to find an excuse to justified their actions, words and life in general.
i like what you have said ... Thank you Peekay ... ;)
Reading this reminds me of "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman. Another very important post.
As Don Miguel Ruiz said: “Eliminating belief systems are one of the core teachings of the Toltec Path. Whenever you have a belief, you no longer perceive what is. You see only what Toltec’s call, the smoky mirror. You see the world through colored glasses. Why is this important on a spiritual path? It is important because in order to see the truth, to see reality clearly and unbiased, one must be free of belief systems. In order to grow and evolve, one must change the way they see themselves and the world. Toltec’s call belief systems inventory. In order to perceive reality and beyond into what Toltec’s call the second attention, the world of energy, they strive to eliminate all inventories. This is much like seeing the world through the eyes of a child, or what Buddhists call? The Beginners Mind?.
It is easy to see how things like racial prejudice and discrimination are often based on belief systems. If one believes that races of people are inferior, they will actually see things that validate their beliefs. They see the world through lenses colored by their beliefs”.
Most of the "way of the warrior' principals are towards the path of enlightenment - even in this “the way of the sword’ or Kendo or Kenjutsu – ‘there is no sword outside the mind’ –The Munen Musō-ryū (No intent, no preconception) similarly expresses the understanding that the essence of kenjutsu transcends the reflective thought process.
Concepts such as "empty mind", are borrowed from Zen Buddhism and are considered essential for the attainment of high-level kendo the "unmoving mind", it also implies that the kendōka cannot be led astray by delusions of anger, doubt, fear, or surprise arising from the opponent’s actions, collectively called "the four kendo sicknesses".
It shows discipline and character, which helps to develop individuality, which is a Gift to humanity ... ;)
much energy to you Jana ... ;)
apparently it is similar to Ma'at in Egypt. They are tied to the forces of nature and the land. Holding them sacred, but also having a sense of divine order and humans connection to the land and universe.
Ara... beautiful soul... thank you.. you share so much, your tireless research and sharing is outstanding...
.. you are in my heart..
knowledge could be burden, it is important to stop for a moment and take life in with one breath and notice and see the beauty around. In order to do so, one must always constantly be able to let go, which sometimes difficult giving the conditions that we are all a part of.
you are in my heart too Luke ... ;)