Bushido 5: Hagakure – The Samurai Mind
There is a book called “Hagakure”, which should be called a textbook for samurai.
In this article, I would like to share with you what is written in it regarding how a samurai should be.
Be prepared to be a samurai! How to hone your resolve
It is said that the important thing for a samurai is to choose death when considering whether to live or die. Live today as if it is the last day of your life and focus only on fulfilling what you have to accomplish.
By preparing yourself for death and facing it, you will understand who you really are.
It is written that Bushido is the essence of mortality itself.
It is said that it is difficult to defeat a samurai who is on the brink of death no matter how many people there are. It is important to have faith in yourself and believe that you can do it.
Simply living an ordinary life will not accomplish great tasks. Preparing and acting out of the ordinary is the key to success. When one is prepared to die, one demonstrates the power to survive. Dying is not just wishing for the best, nor is it a rash act of becoming. It is about a maniacal focus on living.
It means not to think about anything else, including one’s own life and death, except to focus on one thing to accomplish one’s goal. It is said that the samurai were able to live each day with care because death was close at hand.
Living carefully means the way one’s mind, language, and behavior are in daily life.
That is why the movements and language of the samurai are never violent, but beautiful.
There is no past or future, this moment should be lived to the fullest, and the samurai’s resolve is to risk everything in that moment.
Application to modern times
In this day and age, we are bombarded with relentless information through the Internet. We are influenced by this information, and our hearts are shaken. I believe that you can be successful today if you have the same “determination” in your work, personal life, and interpersonal relationships as the samurai did.
If the past is irrelevant, then any unpleasant feelings you received from someone are also irrelevant. If the future also doesn’t matter, then how your relationship with that person will affect you in the future is also irrelevant. How should I interact with this person before me? If you can think like this, you will be able to live honestly with yourself without the need to lie. It will simplify your relationships, and then you will appear to be easy to understand and appeal to those around you.
Try to live with the resolve of a samurai, starting today, or rather, from this very moment.
I believe your life will change drastically.
志伝流―志伝飛龍
Shidenryu – Shiden Hiryu
-
Do you know White Day? For men it’s a day from hell. -
A mystery of the Japanese language. Why do we give a “tsumaranai mono” (Literal meaning: something worthless) to somebody special? -
The curious connection between ramen and Japanese instruments -
The Japanese thinking of “necessary evil” (hitsuyo aku). You are not judged a bad person just because you have broken the law! -
Foreigners rave about Japanese convenience stores! What’s different about them? -
Do you know what this is? It’s a Game Boy. An old handheld video game console made by Nintendo. It was released when I was in high school and brings back fond memories.