The Samurai Creed

Samurai.JPG THE SAMURAI CREED I have no parents; I make the Heavens and the Earth my parents. I have no home; I make the dan t’ien (the body’s centre) my home. I have no divine power; I make Honesty my divine power. I have no means; I make Docility my means. I have no magic power; I make Personality my magic power. I have neither life nor death; I make a um (regulating the breathing) my life and death. I have no body; I make Stoicism 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 Promptitude my limbs. I have no laws; I make Self-Protection my laws. I have no strategy; I make the Right to Kill and the Right to Restore Life my strategy. I have no designs; I make Seizing the Opportunity by the Forelock my designs. I have no miracles; I make Righteous Laws my miracles. 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 talent; I make Ready Wit my talent. I have no friends; I make my Mind my friend. I have no enemy; I make Incautiousness my enemy. I have no armour; I make Benevolence my armour. I have no castle; I make fudoshin (immovable mind) my castle. I have no sword; I make mushin (empy mind) my sword.