conscience remains clear. One such principle comes from the samurai Ryoshun Imagawa “It is forbidden to
have contempt for wise retainers and prefer flatters, and to have one’s actions be influenced by these
conditions.”6. Those who are true to you will tell you what needs to be heard, not what makes you happy at
the moment; when any person can tell you what you want to hear, you are in compromised position. Such
an ideal is not meant for the faint-hearted, one must be disciplined enough to accept the assessment given,
whether in favor or not in favor of what we want to hear; this must also extend to every person we come
across, not just master and retainer. Honesty and sincerity are hallmarks not only of the Samurai, but of
other Asian cultures as well, to speak honestly and sincerely is a sign that one cares. Honesty, perseverance,
discipline, and loyalty are intertwined virtues that the Samurai embrace and yet are dismissed by the
popularized image of the Tate and the act of Seppuku.

Now, one could argue that these texts and my vision of the Samurai are highly idealized and for all
intents and purposes that could be true but why should it matter? The fact is, is that all works that deal with
human interaction, from both the east and the west, is highly idealized, no treatise ever created can deal
with every personality on an individual basis. When it comes to Bushido, however, it demands the very best
of the person: physically, spiritually, mentally and socially, and it will not except anything less; we live in a
age and society where any kind of decision is made on a whim: judging a person on their appearance,
getting married, having an affair, fathering children irresponsibly, neglecting the duties we are responsible
for, even making friendships and getting involved in romances for immediate gratification.

It would be great if people could take such principles into their heart and make better decisions, to not
cheat on a spouse because things are not rosy, to not bring a child into the world and leave it uncared for,
and to not let “I don’t feel like it” be the response to every request, a cyclical mantra. However, I do
recognize that not everyone is built with strong constitutions and are either unable or unwilling to remove
their egos from any given situation; but such a code of ethics can also strengthen the areas where a person
is deficient. For the Samurai, this clarity is often attributed to the incorporation of Zen Buddhism into their
lives, taking Buddhism into one’s heart is not a requirement, any strong instillment of faith can produce the
same effect; the essential foundation of Bushido is a careful fusing of martial training and spiritual
development. There are no Samurai in this world as we know them, they do not fight for their Daimyo and die in the
name of their lords. All we have are films, pictures and books of how the Samurai supposedly lived. But I
believe the Samurai spirit is eternal, though it changes and goes by different names in different languages
and yet its essence remains unaltered; like the ripples on the surface of a lake, each ripple is different but
beneath the ripples, the still waters are the same.

If a person could do these things in one lifetime: show loyalty and devotion to their friends and loved
ones, endure hardship and pain with perseverance and courage, perform their duties well, pursue self-
improvement through honest critique and serve others with care; then when they come to the end of their
lives, they would have lived closest to the way of the Samurai and are worthy of remembrance and honor.

That is the life I aspire to achieve and when my time in this world is at its end, I will have no shame when I
leave. Notes:
1. Musashi, Miyamoto, The Book of Five Rings; Boston, Shambhala, 2000, p.13
2. Tsunetomo,Yamamoto,. Stone, Justin (Editor), Bushido The Way of the Samurai; Garden City Park, NY,
Square One Publishers, 2002, p.29
3. Tsunetomo, Yamamoto, Wilson, William Scott (Translator), Hagakure The Book of the Samurai, New
York, Kodansha International, 1983, p.162
4. Wilson, William Scott, Ideals of the Samurai: Writings of Japanese Warriors, Santa Clarita CA, Ohara
Publications Inc, 1982, p.78-79
5. Yagyu, Munenori, The Life-Giving Sword: Secret Teachings from the House of the Shogun, New York,
Kodansha International, 2003, p.97
6. Wilson, William Scott, Ideals of the Samurai, p.60
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